Long running American metal act PRONG, led by lead vocalist and guitarist Tommy Victor, the founder and only remaining original member of the band, are back in 2012 and this reviewer believes this collection of songs is easily a contender for best heavy metal album of the year. Victor has smartly recruited Tony Campos (ex-Static-X) to play bass with a vengeance on the record, along with enlisting the balls out drumming of Alexei Rodriguez (3 Inches of Blood/Walls of Jericho) – and let me say that this is one smoking hot rhythm section that conveys both the hardcore punk and industrial metal vibe this act has always been so well known for. From the simply pummeling and all out grooving your face off opening track “Eternal Heat” to the ultra punishing “Keep on Living in Pain, the listener will love how this album is packed with a ton of super sick hooks and head banging riffs that will please not only old school Prong fans but will bring more of the new generation of listeners into the mix for the first time. Never heard of Prong? I wouldn’t be surprised… so then that means you weren’t around for “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck”, huh?
Anyway this band and Victor is like the Energizer Bunny, man… just when you think you’ve heard the last of them they come marching back into the scene like they never left. Producer Steve Evetts has effectively recaptured the old Prong sound and merged it with more of a modern production to deliver the stellar Carved Into Stone.
My favorite tune on the album is “Revenge Served Cold”, which is pretty much the most kick ass thing this band has done since the 90’s. It just makes you feel twenty years old all over again. You get the classic signature Victor guitar tone and lyrical performance. These cats really took their time on the songwriting and production to get it just right. This is a big comeback for Prong, for I was not that impressed with 2007’s mostly limp Power of The Damager and had pretty much lost confidence in them. It’s amazing how Victor and company pulled it all together. Without a doubt this is my new favorite Prong album.
ROCKET REVIEW:
[starreview tpl=16]
PRONG – “Carved Into Stone” (CD)
(Long Branch Records/2012)
1. Eternal Heat
2. Keep on Living in Pain
3. Ammunition
4. Revenge…Best Served Cold
5. State of Rebellion
6. Put Myself to Sleep
7. List of Grievances
8. Carved Into Stone
9. Subtract
10. Path of Least Resistance
11. Reinvestigate
http://www.prongmusic.com/
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