Kingcrimsonprog Back in 1990 New York’s Prong were really onto something. They had been mixing Thrash Metal and Hardcore Punk as many others had before, but managed to do it in a very creative way and come out with a Groove Metal gem that would see them entering the same sort of territory as Pantera, Machine Head, Fear Factory and ’90s era Sepultura would do soon after.

Maybe its the tone and the production job from Mark Dodson (Suicidal Tendencies, Anthrax), maybe its the tempo, or maybe its nothing more complicated than the songwriting, but this album feels like history being made. The blistering Thrash Metal opener ‘For Dear Life’ is chunky riff-driven fun, and there are reappearances of that spirit here and there throughout the album, but basically after that it slows down a bit, and mixes a Sabbathy riff focused 3-4 minute structure with the power and grit of Thrash, the bark and streetwise nature of Hardcore and that charming early ’90s sound to create a damn solid, memorable and interesting album. A pretty good example of the album’s style overall would be ‘Right To Nothing.’

Tommy Victor’s iconic voice ties it to what would follow, but this may sound a bit different if you are expecting it to sound identical to their classic Cleansing record or their amazing four newest albums. Its a bit more simple and a bit less sophisticated, but it is very charming. One-dimensional is the wrong term, but, focused!

If you like Prong but don’t own this yet, dig back and don’t miss out! If you like any of the other bands listed above, make it your business to check Prong out as well!