LETHAL - USA

Programmed - 1990 - Metal Blade
Poison Seed - 1996 - Massacre

Lethal image
  
 
Members
Vocals
Killing Rabies>>TIM MALICOAT>>Killing Rabies

Guitar
ERIC COOK - Dell Hull>>Open Burn - Simple Aggression, Killing Rabies, Hank Williams III, Moonbow>>DAVID MCELFRESH>>Killing Rabies, Hank Williams III, Moonbow

Bass
Open Burn>>GLEN COOK>>Open Burn

Drum
Salem, Character, Open Burn>>JERRY HARTMAN>>Open Burn




History & Biography
Hebron, Kentucky is not exactly known for heavy metal, but that is exactly where Lethal hailed from. The Cooks were siblings. The group coalesced in 1982 and issued a demo called the Arrival six years later. This garnered the band a deal with Metal Blade for the Programmed album of 1990. Dell Hull left following the release and was replaced by McElfresh. An EP called Your Favorite God was issued in 1995 retaining the band’s high-pitched vocals, but Poison Seed attempted to come across as more trendy. The album, now on Massacre records, was the band’s last. The band played live until 1998 before disappearing.

Inevitably, the band disbanded and reformed with the Poison Seed line-up in the middle of 2006. Lethal appeared at the Keep It True festival in Germany in 2007. Eric played the show despite a chronic hand injury. A promised album did not materialize. David McElfresh began playing the fiddle for Hank Williams III.

Eric Cook died of cancer in 2012. Chris Brown (guitarist for Pain Link) joined in 2013. In 2013, Killing Rabies' four-song EP was available on the band’s page. Killing Rabies was the side-project of Lethal members Tom Mallicoat and guitarist David McElfresh in the '90s. Open Burn was a new heavy metal band as of 2015. Brutal Planet Records rereleased Programmed in 2025.


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Lethal