Prong

In the organizer's words:

Fans have had to wait six long years for a new album from American metal band Prong. The reasons: the pandemic with all its uncertainties and upheavals, but also pleasant events in the private life of singer and guitarist Tommy Victor. But now Prong are back, and with a real bang: 'State Of Emergency' has become the captivating work that was hoped for, with the usual irrepressible energy of a group that has been at the forefront since the mid-1980s. And with a wealth of ideas that could hardly be more typical of this band: "It's a real Prong album. It ignores not only every genre, but also what's happening out there these days," says band founder Victor, outlining the stylistic direction of the eleven songs. About his artistic approach, he says: "I like all kinds of music. This record fits that bill as it covers many facets. At the same time, 'State Of Emergency' is very guitar-oriented and a good example of my style of punk, metal, post-punk noise, some doom, blues and thrash, with pretty straightforward vocals. Overall, there's an aggressive East Coast vibe to the album."

First of all, it's about the songs that Tommy Victor recorded together with producer Steve Evetts (Sepultura, The Dillinger Escape Plan, among others). These are songs that impress with their intensity and variety of styles. The furious 'Breaking Point' with its catchy guitars and aggressive vocal theme would probably have felt right at home on 'Cleansing', while the title track, characterized by a heavy groove and NY hardcore flair, sounds like something from the 'Beg To Differ' era. Victor: "The number 'Non-Existence' with the techno-style noise guitar that predominates on this album is something like my 'Rude Awakening' flashback." The new album can surprise in the post-punk track 'Disconnected' and especially in 'Back (NYC)', about which Victor says: "For me, it's like Jimmy Page writing a song that is played through Dimebag's amplifier while Henry Rollins sings. Kind of a weird experiment!"

The album ends with the Rush cover number 'Working Man': "Rush was the first power trio I ever saw live. I was blown away! The riff in 'Working Man' is simple but heavy at the same time. I also love the lyrics. I thought it would be a great idea to play the song lower and slower. It was worth the effort."