PRONG - X - No Absolutes

February 2, 2016, 8 years ago

(SPV/Steamhammer)

Martin Popoff

Rating: 9.0

review heavy metal prong

PRONG - X - No Absolutes

It’s always been easy to discount Prong, given Tommy Victor’s fluid lineup (and even its small band trio-ness), the complex release history and even the man’s sophisticated and arty influence set. But outside of the awkward The Fall-like title of this record, enclosed is an explosive and confident Prong, thrashing with superlative riffs, maximum violence and molten production. My one complaint is that Victor’s vocals are mixed a bit back, but that just serves to highlight the weirdly Cavalera Conspiracy-like face-flung heft of the riffing. 

Once we get into the middle an’ meat of the record, we get to hear a more separated and demarcated demonstration of Tommy’s industrial vs. hardcore influences (plus lots of obscure post-punk melodies), but the album works best and frighteningly when it’s only an aura of those two things floating like a mist through the man’s massive metal acumen. I mean, “Worth Pursuing,” “Ultimate Authority,” “Without Words” and “Sense Of Ease” are three of the most grand, powerful and anthemic thrash tracks in years, again, served well by Prong’s sophisticated tastes in music. Art Cruz is a veritable drum tornado, and collaborator and bassist Jason Christopher has proven to be a shot in the arm for Tommy. I dunno, you pick yer spots throughout this album, and it just feels like you’re in the presence of a true artist who must make his art, both because he has to get these emotional hardcore lyrics out of him, but second, because he’s still, after 30 years, excited about his vision.



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