I’ve had a tumultuous love affair with Prong over the decades. I was an avid fan of seminal classics like Beg to Differ, Prove You Wrong, and Unconditional, and since they came from the NYC music scene, they were a local crew worth rooting for. The way they fused thrash, hardcore, noise, groove, and industrial elements sometimes bordered on real genius, most prominently on 1994s Cleansing, which contained timeless cuts like “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck,” “Whose Fist is This Anyway?” and “Home Rule.” After that, the Prong catalog got pretty bumpy. It wasn’t until 2012s Carved in Stone that I tentatively got back on the Prong wagon. When 2023’s State of Emergency hit, it felt like a vital and furious rebirth, with all the classic Prong-isms present and fueled by unbridled vitriol. It got me excited about the band all over again, and it made me very curious what might come next from one of metal’s most mercurial acts. Now, their self-titled 13th full-length is here, and while it isn’t a natural evolution from State of Emergency, which was essentially a crossover thrash album, it’s definitely a Prong product, with all the twists, turns, and genre-hopping that come with that designation. It’s heavy, abrasive, and weird in turns, and that’s what Prong is all about, right?
As opening cut “The Banner” roars to life, it feels like the band picked right up where State of Emergency left off. It’s crossover-ish thrash, Tommy Victor sounds plenty pissed off, and his riffs amplify that angry edge. When the chorus hits, however, things take on more of a metalcore/alt-metal vibe that reminded me of early-days Mercenary. It’s a bit jarring, but it doesn’t derail an otherwise solid song. More unusual hijacks await on “New Commission,” which is a crossover burner with the classic Prong sound stamped all over it. The riffs are vintage Tommy, and everything sounds as it should until the whole enterprise unexpectedly lurches into a strange industrial-edged Goth-y side quest that sounds like an outtake from Fear Factory. The star of the first half is the beef-brained thrash/groove of “The Uprising,” which spews enough raw testosterone and pre-workout Monster Energy ‘n pruno cocktail to make any Pronger happy.
As Prong rolls forward, more influences show their faces. “Uncertain Truth” is like an 80s punk anthem with nods to Sisters of Mercy, and “Commonsense Resolution” wears its Ramones affection on its sleeve proudly. There are some beasts on the back half too, like the propulsive and confrontational “Fear the Sun,” which will beat you with baseball bats, roll you up in a carpet, and dump you by the Gowanus Canal. It’s the kind of cut I want from Prong, and it satisfies some primitive part of my lizard brain. Not every track connects as readily to my internal wiring, however. “Transgression” is energetic and channels a bit of Voivodian weirdness, but isn’t especially memorable. Closer “Our Continuance” is the longest song but is only moderately engaging. It feels like something off of Rude Awakening, and that era of the band was mighty weird. At a tight 45 minutes with most tracks running 2-3 minutes, Prong has a good ebb and flow from harder to lighter moments, though it is somewhat front-loaded. The production by Andy Sneap plays well into what Prong does, putting an emphasis on the guitar and drums while leaving ample room for Tommy’s vocals. Prong hasn’t always been well-served by their production choices, but this time it works in their favor.
Since Tommy Victor started Prong back in the 80s, it’s always been about his guitar hooks. He’s been one of the best riff writers in metal, and if you put together a top 100 Best Metal Riffs list, Tommy would be all over it. While there are no leads here that will land on an All-Time list, there are many fun moments where his playing propels and pushes the action, especially on “The Uprising” and “Fear the Sun.” Vocally, Tommy is in fine form, sounding aggro and very New York while offering cleaner croons when needed. I love Tyler Joseph’s drum work. He locks into cool grooves and plays off Tommy and bassist Christopher Dean well, making you notice the little details he provides along the way. That’s essential to the Prong dynamic.
Prong was always a hard band to pigeon-hole, and Prong shows they still are. This is more punky and diverse than State of Emergency, and that should come as no surprise, since Prong never sit in one place too long. This may not be as consistently badass as the last outing, but it’s rarely dull. Unique is in short supply these days, and there’s no one out there like Prong. That’s what makes them so fucking cool. Learn the way of the ProngER.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: NA | Format Reviewed: Fucking STREAM
Label: Napalm
Websites: prongmusic.com | facebook.com/prongmusic | instagram.com/prongtheband
Releases Worldwide: November 6th, 2026
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