{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Street Lethal | type = studio | artist = Racer X | cover = RacerX-StreetLethal.jpg | caption = Cover art by Guy Aitchison | released = {{start date|1986|1|1}} | recorded = | studio = Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati, California | genre = {{hlist|Heavy metal|speed metal}} | length = 35:35 | label = Shrapnel | producer = {{hlist|Steve Fontano|Mike Varney}} | next_title = Second Heat | next_year = 1987 }}
'''''Street Lethal''''' is the first studio album by the American heavy metal band Racer X, released on January 1, 1986 through Shrapnel Records.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.racerxband.com/music.htm |title=Music: Street Lethal |publisher=Racer X Band.com |accessdate=2017-08-14 |archive-date=2021-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210203656/http://www.racerxband.com/music.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The instrumental track "Y.R.O." stands for "Yngwie Rip-Off", as it bears similarities to "Black Star" by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen (from his 1984 album ''Rising Force''), with an almost identical bassline. It later appeared in the 2009 video game ''Brütal Legend''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brutallegend.net/news/the-most-metal-game-soundtrack-ever-unveiled/ |title=The most metal game soundtrack ever unveiled |last=Williams |first=Ryan |publisher=Brutal Legend.net |date=9 August 2009 |accessdate=2017-08-14 |archive-date=2017-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814175310/http://www.brutallegend.net/news/the-most-metal-game-soundtrack-ever-unveiled/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/street-lethal-mw0000194119 |title=Racer X - Street Lethal review |last=Hinds |first=Andy |work=AllMusic |publisher=All Media Network |accessdate=2017-08-14 |archive-date=2017-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814182319/http://www.allmusic.com/album/street-lethal-mw0000194119 |url-status=live }}</ref> | rev2 = ''Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal'' | rev2Score = 6/10<ref name="martin" >{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | authorlink1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties | publisher = Collector's Guide Publishing | date = 1 November 2005 | location = Burlington, Ontario, Canada | isbn = 978-1894959315 | page= 277}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Kerrang!'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="kerrang">{{cite magazine |title=Racer X - 'Street Lethal' |magazine=Kerrang! |date=26 June 1986 |last=Henderson |first=Paul |issue=123 |page=12 }}</ref> | rev4 = ''Rock Hard'' | rev4score = 9.0/10<ref name="rock hard">{{cite magazine |title=Review Album: Racer X - Street Lethal |magazine=Rock Hard |year=1987 |last=Kühnemund |first=Götz |issue=23 |url=https://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=5901 |accessdate=2017-08-14 |language=German |archive-date=2017-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814220745/https://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=5901 |url-status=live }}</ref> }} In a contemporary review, Paul Henderson of ''Kerrang!'' found ''Street Lethal'' "a pretty good album despite the occasional over-emphasis on 'melt-down' guitar pyrotechnics"; he praised the song structures, which he thought would more likely turn up on a Van Halen album, and the band's musicianship which "would put to shame many of the so-called 'big names' of heavy rock."<ref name="kerrang"/> Because of Jeff Martin's vocals and Paul Gilbert's rhythm guitar work, ''Rock Hard'' reviewer found similarities with the early works of Japanese bands Anthem and Loudness and concluded that "if you are on speed metal with level and melody, you can also blindly access this product from Mike Varney's inexhaustible talent supply".<ref name="rock hard"/>
Andy Hinds at AllMusic called ''Street Lethal'' "essentially a showcase for then teenaged guitar prodigy Paul Gilbert" and "skillfully executed, Judas Priest-style metal". Martin's singing was also likened to that of Judas Priest's Rob Halford and the rhythm section praised for "their part in maintaining the excitement." Hinds recommended the album for fans of shred, saying that it "has plenty to drool over."<ref name=allmusic/> Canadian journalist Martin Popoff appreciated Paul Gilbert's rocking guitar "not in the classical fugue state so prevalent on other shred records" and the mix of speed metal with "sturdy party rock songs."<ref name="martin" />
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = Side one | title1 = Frenzy | note1 = instrumental | writer1 = Paul Gilbert | length1 = 1:45 | title2 = Street Lethal | writer2 = Gilbert, Jeff Martin | length2 = 3:41 | title3 = Into the Night | writer3 = Gilbert, Martin | length3 = 3:34 | title4 = Blowin' Up the Radio | writer4 = Gilbert, Martin | length4 = 3:10 | title5 = Hotter Than Fire | writer5 = Steve Fontano, Martin, Mark Lehman | length5 = 3:02 | title6 = On the Loose | writer6 = Gilbert, Martin | length6 = 3:07 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side two | title7 = Loud and Clear | writer7 = Gilbert, Martin | length7 = 3:42 | title8 = Y.R.O. | note8 = instrumental | writer8 = Gilbert | length8 = 3:13 | title9 = Dangerous Love | writer9 = Gilbert, Martin | length9 = 3:13 | title10 = Getaway | writer10 = Gilbert, Martin | length10 = 3:10 | title11 = Rock It | writer11 = Gilbert, Martin | length11 = 3:58 | total_length = 35:35 }}
==Personnel== '''Racer X''' *Jeff Martin – vocals *Paul Gilbert – guitar *Harry Gschoesser – drums *John Alderete – bass
'''Technical''' *Steve Fontano – producer, engineer, mixing *George Horn – mastering at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California *Mike Varney – executive producer *Guy Aitchison – cover art
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.guitar9.com/streetlethal.html In Review: Racer X "Street Lethal"] at Guitar Nine Records
{{Racer X}}
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Category:Racer X (band) albums Category:1986 debut albums Category:Shrapnel Records albums Category:Albums produced by Mike Varney