Prong has been active for forty years.
Drawing on Crossover, Thrash, Groove, Industrial and other influences, the project led by Tommy Victor (guitar/vocals, Danzig, ex-Ministry) accompanied by Tyler Bogliole (drums, Electrocutioner) and Christopher Dean (bass, Nita Strauss) released its fourteenth album, Prong, in 2026.
The band kicks things off immediately with The Banner, a groovy track with sharp thrash roots that still makes room for melodies and clean vocals in the choruses, a stark contrast to the song’s foundation yet the duality feels quite natural. Meanwhile, New Commission draws on high-energy Hardcore influences, even occasionally venturing into double-kick drumming instead of the traditional blast beat. Still, the raw energy is present throughout most of the track as well as in the solo, and then The Uprising lets the bass and vocals introduce the song before launching into simple yet effective riffs with energetic punk touches that will have no trouble getting the crowd moving. It’s back to melodies with a slightly more accessible edge on Uncertain Truth, the next track, which is fairly calm and could almost pass for a ballad where the vocalist also keeps things fairly subdued before returning to choppy riffs on Fear The Sun, a much more energetic track that offers a rawer, catchier sound with a few screamed choruses, leading into Commonsense Resolution, which blends melodic elements with a more restrained approach. At times, it almost sounds like Punk Rock, especially during the choruses, then Doomed World takes over with a fairly similar approach that remains catchy but, above all, allows the vocalist to explore his range. Things pick up again with Proportionate Response, which launches into a defiant hardcore track while retaining that slightly danceable vibe perfect for those famous mosh pits, then we move on to Transgression, which features a more massive, almost Industrial sound and offers equally heady elements. A siren signals the onslaught of Simulated Drowning, the next track, which condenses all the band’s energetic elements into a true headbanging anthem; the band then closes out the album with Our Continuance, a longer, more dissonant, and even more unsettling track, casting a darker tone over these final minutes.
Prong clearly hasn’t said its last word, and this new album proves it! On Prong, no two tracks sound alike, and the band delights in mixing things up, even the most extreme elements to highlight its diversity.
70/100
