ARTIST: Prong
ALBUM: X – No Absolutes
LABEL: Steamhammer
RELEASE DATE: February 5, 2016
Staying Power
Written by Silas Valentino
Prong is a monosyllabic way of saying Tommy Victor. Since the industrial thrash band’s introduction into the back alley murk of New York City’s late-Eighties hardcore, he’s acted as the band’s sole constant. Victor bridges the frayed fabric between Pantara and nü metal; his riffs are palm muted and concise while his vocal range resists fear of panning across octaves. It’s a method that’s proven Prong successful since their 1994 breakthrough album Cleansing and decades later the band has yet to ease their grip or lose their touch.
X – No Absolutes is Prong’s tenth LP (X as in “ten” – get it?!) and fourth studio effort since the inclusion of bassist Jason Christopher and Art Cruz on drums. The trio cut through the 12 tracks with X-Acto knife-like precision. Songs seldom reach four minutes in length and the rebellious energy isn’t lost as Victor sets his targets on authoritative control, war and death. This rhetoric may seem exhausted but we the people keep voting ourselves into this mess. Prong rose during the Reagan Eighties and now they release their tenth album amid a political atmosphere where ignorance Trumps decency. The “man” has an orange-hue face.
Victor famously worked the sound for the revered NYC venue CBGB for four years before the Eighties ran out but his ears have far from deafened. X – No Absolutes is clear and aurally polished. It could even sound legitimate blaring from feeble laptop speakers.
This 41-minute aggression opens the floor with “Ultimate Authority” as Victor spells out his conflict: “The consequences of the will of the right/Disharmony within the law of all life/The non acceptance of reality” he roars while condemning those who misuse power. The guitar riff feels inspired, as though Victor burned through a fresh Dimebag before hitting record, and the solo squawks like a falcon diving into attack. “Ultimate Authority” might not change the political landscape but it’s sure to ignite a few thousand fists to plunge into the air as Prong take their belligerence to stages across the U.S. and Europe.
X – No Absolutes won’t be marked for its palette of sounds and aesthetics – say it with me now: hea-vy me-tal – though the album has its moments and the superlatives are as follows: Most Likely to Elicit a Riot: the inflammatory crash opening in “Cut and Dry.” Old School Throwback: the thronging bass line that recalls former Prong (and Killing Joke) member Paul Raven matched with the nü-ish, electro-spasm divots during “Do Nothing.” Could Work in a Broadway Production for a (nonexistent) Metal Musical: “In Spite Of Hindrances.” Not only does “Hindrance” offer the album’s title in its lyrics, but the clearly stated narrative of rebellion was recorded with Victor calling and responding to his own lyrics and sets the theatric scene vividly. Should Have Been Left on the Editing Room Floor: album closer “With Dignity.” X – No Absolutes is an assault with no remorse and the decision to end on a piano-based track closes the record on a wimpy note. Stick to your guns; leave the water pistols at home.
85,000 Facebook fans worldwide aren’t for nothing. Prong are everlasting for their commitment to the craft and Victor’s mastery of sonic clarity. Few heavy metal bands sound this pure as they ring the alarm for a call to arms. X – No Absolutesmay not win them new stages but it’s a testament to the band’s committed service to the genre. Prong are victorious in their rampage.