The album features performances from Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) on drums and Randy George (Ajalon) on bass, as well as special guest appearances including Paul Bielatowicz on guitar and Paul Gilbert (Racer X and Mr. Big), who features on a bonus cut.

Live drummer Collin Leijenaar plays on the bonus track "Set the Kingdom".

Neal and his band first performed the title track, Lifeline, live at the Night of the Prog Festival on the Loreley, Germany.

Unlike the majority of Morse's work, reception for the album has been mixed to positive.

Radu Catrina of The Dwarf found it to be "an abrupt drop in quality" from what he considered previous excellent releases, and refers to Lifeline as "a descent into the often mind-numbing abyss of Christian rock".