Prong – ‘State Of Emergency’

Groove Metal

Steamhammer/SPV

Release Date – October 6^th 2023

Hooray – Prong returns after a four-year gap since their last offering, the ‘Age Of Defiance’ EP in 2019. I don’t know any other band like Prong and with that, you kind of know what you’re going to get. No fuss, straight ahead, punchy groove metal. Main man Tommy Victor has a knack for writing muscular no-nonsense tracks that are made to get a crowd banging their heads and punching the air.

Opener ‘The Descent’ goes back to Victor’s thrash roots and features a fabulous solo from Soulfly guitarist Mark Rizzo before the title track comes in with a shed load of groove metal. We’re greeted with those pinched harmonics that Zakk Wylde stole from Tommy Victor on the immense crossover of ‘Breaking Point’ then ‘Non-Existence’ continues the hardcore/crossover groove. It’s angry and aggressive with a punky line and is bound to go over well live. ‘Light Turns Black’ is a social commentary that’s straight outta NYC. Bold, belligerent, unapologetic and right up in your face as is ‘Who Told Me’ which rattles along on drummer Griffin McCarthy’s pounding rhythm.

The groove metal comes back on ‘Obeisance’ before the punkier and melodic (!) ‘Disconnected’. ‘Compliant’ is jagged and angry punk/metal then ‘Back (NYC)’ takes off on a proper hardcore groove that flies along at a rapid rate and features Steve Zing from Danzig on backing vocals. Get ready for the surprise – a fabulous take on the Rush classic ‘Working Man’. That huge riff is given a punch up the throat from Victor who down-tuned it and slowed it down making it even heavier sounding like a Sabbath track.

I’ve been a fan of Prong since I can remember, and I can honestly say that this is one of their best releases. It’s full of the usual heavy/punk/hardcore/crossover riffage that Tommy Victor specialises in but there are melodic moments too that make the songs catchy. There’s an energy and attitude to the songs plus the production is superb courtesy of Steve Evetts who also handles the bass and some backing vocals. A superb addition to the Prong catalogue with some soon-to-be classics contained within.

Track List –

1 – The Descent

2 – State Of Emergency

3 – Breaking Point

4 – Non Existence

5 – Light Turns Black

6 – Who Told Me

7 – Obeisance

8 – Disconnected

9 – Compliant

10 – Back (NYC)

11 – Working Man

Smudge