Prong – State of Emergency
Release Date: 6th October 2023
Label: Steamhammer / SPV
Order/Stream
Genre: Crossover Thrash, Hardcore, Groove Metal.
FFO: Helmet, Nailbomb, White Zombie.
Review By: Paul Cairney
Prong have the distinction of one of their back catalogue being in my top 20 favourite albums of all time. So when the opportunity came to review State of Emergency, I immediately jumped at the chance. A new Prong album is often a glorious thing!
It has been 6 long years since the last Prong full length. As we know, many things have changed about the world we live in. However, steered by the driving force behind the band, Tommy Victor, State of Emergency is pure Prong, uncompromising, unyielding and deliberate. With Prong, you know what you are going to get.
This is the case with State of Emergency. The album is spattered with riffs, thrash riffs, groove riffs, hardcore riffs and punk riffs. In this case, the power of the riff does indeed compel. Opening track, ‘The Descent’, is an immense slab of thrash infused goodness. This is immediately followed by the sensational groove in the title track of the album. It is a powerful 1-2 gut punch that sets the tone of the album.
With 11 tracks clocking in at just under 42 minutes, the album is almost perfect in length. With tracks as strong as ‘Non-Existence’ with perhaps the most melodic riff on the album counteracting the crunchy riffs, as well as the superb ‘Compliant, State of Emergency is a joy to listen to.
Each track has something different you will pick out, focus on. Be it the barked vocal of the impressive Victor, or the solo in the opening track, or the magnificent reworking of the final track on the album, the Rush cover ‘Working Man’, State of Emergency is riddled with earworms.
As founding member Tommy Victor states, this is ‘a very Prong record’, and that is a very good thing!
(4 / 5)
