Tommy Victor, who for all intents and purposes
IS Prong, used to work the soundboard at CBGB during the 80's and sat through
it all. Good, bad and indifferent. Taking a little from punk, a little
from Industrial and Hardcore, he filtered it all through his own vision
and came up with Beg to Differ' in 1990 .
That CD came on like a runaway train, all
dense guitar wallop, no solos thank you, and set the stage for a lot of
similar bands to achieve the kind of success that eluded Prong throughout
the decade.
This should change with the release of
"Scorpio Rising". Nothing if not more powerful and direct than their previous
work (all worth checking out if you're unfamiliar), Scorpio" continues
the band's mix of Slam and Swing that, to my mind, always differentiated
them from the soundalike Hardcore scene.
Downtuned guitars pound out tight, menacing
riffs while Victor sings words of understandable anger at being left with
little more than dread and alienation. The beats groove. This is the work
of those who have seen it all and been most of it.
Songs like "Detached" and "All Knowing
Force" return, with us now, to those glorious days of yesteryear while
"Avoid Promises" and "Letter to a Friend" break new and more thoughtful
ground. There are fewer samples on this CD than usual, but Prong's Industrial
streak never depended on them anyway. The band is back with renewed intent
and power and that can't be nothing but good.
There was a time in the early 90's where
I though that Prong, along with Voivod, would take "hard" music out of
the critic's ghetto and into the mainstream by elevating the subject matter
and eschewing the guitar wankery that abounded. Well, Nirvana came along
and that was that. Prong and Voivod withered on the vine while we spent
the next 10 years being bombarded by bad Nirvana clones and Doors impersonators.
Now, though, Prong (as well as Voivod)
are back to slam our faces into a brick wall with intelligence and conviction.
No whining about bad childhoods or the music industry.
Real music for real people.
Go get em, guys.
CD Info and Links
Tracks: Detached
All Knowing Force
Embrace The Depth
Reactive Mind
Regal
Inner Truth
Avoid Promises
Siriusly Emerging
Assurances
Out Of This Realm
Letter To A 'Friend
Entrance Of The Eclipse
Red Martial Workings
Hidden Agendas
Posted by mushroomheadkal:
I first found out about Prong from a radio station in the 90s. They are an incredibly talented group of musicians. I have enjoyed listening to all their albums, and I am proud to call myself a fan of PRONG!
Posted by Galecknesh:
Grunge, emo, punk and "rock/3rd wave" ska ahould all be shot... Let loose the non-hair metal metal!
Posted by tim:
TK138, yr right "Snap Yr Neck" was post-Nevermind, but Prong
kinda did get lost in the all-things-Seattle-shuffle of the early 90's and, yes, it was a shame. Now, however, we have a chance to give this band their due. See y'all at the shows.
Posted by TK138:
Funny, I thought Prong had their biggest hit, "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck", a couple of years after Nirvana hit. It's a shame they didn't have much success after that.
Posted by controller:
I saw Prong on the last date of the "Rude Awakening" tour - right after they heard that they had been dumped by their label - it was one of the best live shows I have ever seen. Full-throttle from beginning to end. The encore was almost as long as the set. If you haven't heard Prong before: a) shame on you, b) run, don't walk, to your music store of choice and pick up some of their work. They have never disappointed.
Posted by Aryias:
Good $#!t. Can't wait to see them play at Sun n Steel Metal Fest in March!
