Absolutely Prong

Alt.-metal frontman talks new album, Glenn Danzig, great crossover LPs and touring
By Peter Lindblad

Prong's Tommy Victor

The road hasn't always been kind to Tommy Victor and Prong. And being in a gritty, uncompromising alternative-metal outfit can be a crushing grind.

Victor has seen it all and lived to tell about it in his 30 barnstorming years as Prong's frontman, having also served on punk and metal's front lines as a sound engineer at the legendary New York City music club CBGBs in the late '80s and played alongside other musical agitators, such as Rob Zombie, Ministry, Marilyn Manson, Trent Reznor and Glenn Danzig.

These are better days for the battle-tested Victor, as a re-energized Prong – with Jason Christopher on bass and Art Cruz on drums – gets set to unleash the blistering X – No Absolutes via the SPV/Steamhammer label. In the last four years, Prong, more prolific than ever, has been on fire, releasing a string of critically acclaimed studio albums such as 2012's Carved Into Stone,  2014's Ruining Lives and the punk covers album Songs From The Black Hole in 2015, in addition to the Official Bootleg – Unleashed in the West LP, which gave Victor and company a chance to re-make some the band's classic songs.

X – No Absolutes is as vital and ferocious as any of them, an incendiary record that's remarkably fluid and fast, while refusing to tone down the violence of its heady mix of hardcore, thrash, hard rock and metal, even as more melodic elements seep in. With a massive touring schedule on the horizon, Victor recently discussed the new record, along with a host of other topics, in this candid e-mail interview.  

With Songs From the Black Hole, you covered a pretty diverse set of classic punk and rock songs. Did the making of that album have any impact on the creative process that brought about X – No Absolutes?

Tommy Victor: I didn't notice during but looking back, yes. Especially with the vocals on X- No Absolutes. I had to interpret several different vocalists on Songs From The Black Hole. That may have broadened my eventual approach on the new record. Covering Neil Young's "Cortez The Killer" was motivational for me. That was a vocal challenge for me and Chris Collier and I built a method in making that vocal happen on Songs From The Black Hole and that definitely carried into X – No Absolutes.

　

In what ways do you feel you're getting better as a songwriter, and how do they manifest themselves on the new record?

TV: I think I've become a better collaborator. I'm improving there. And in the area of figuring out the puzzle of arranging songs, I have different methods these days. Steve Evetts helped me on that big time. I like getting together with another writer or two and getting feedback and making adjustments. without killing oneself doing it. We worked at a very fast pace on this record, as with Ruining Lives. I don't like overworking songs anymore. The impact of the lyrics waters down and the riffs dry up!

Prong seems to be enjoying a rebirth in recent years, with Carved Into Stone and Ruining Lives having a real palpable vitality to them – not that past efforts didn't have that as well. Still, do you feel there's something about your most recent work that has a different creative spark or a new urgency to it?

TV: Some of that transfers into the business side of things. This really started when we signed with SPV. They want consistent records and so does management, so I feel like I'm obliged to deliver to the best of my ability. It's weird when you are given a short amount of time to get things done. I think that may create that urgency that you are speaking of. I think it goes in line with this sort of music. We really haven't had time or money to overthink things. I've also gotten real lucky with having Art and Jason, Chris Collier, Steve Evetts and Erie Loch in this mix. They've really saved Prong's ass.

Prong - X - No Absolutes 2016

It seems that X – No Absolutes has more elements of thrash and hardcore than those records, even as some songs sound more melodic than ever. Was there more of a tendency to play up those elements on this record?

TV: Prong is ever attempting to find its formula, as well as keeping an eye on the successful elements of past recordings. I must say this No Absolutes record is the most stealth record I've ever been involved with. We went into this like a well-oiled machine. The old songs are so beaten into us after so much touring. And Chris Collier and I have this amazing working arrangement that has been building since Ruining Lives. So we simply seem to have been given this instinct on what Prong should be in 2016. It's nothing designed on paper. It all comes from the gut these days.

In this environment, when music is viewed as more disposable than ever, do you think "Cut And Dry," which is really intense, has a chance to be thought of in the same way as other Prong classics, such as "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck?" 

TV: I don't know to be honest. Prong was very dialed in on the preparation for Cleansing. And I think we were dialed in even more on this record. It was a whole different time back then. Prong was newer and fresher. On the other hand I think legacy bands can make some waves these days too.

Talk about the production of your most recent records, the ones released since 2012. Do you think they sound better than past efforts? And if so, in what ways has the production improved or been able to capture what the band is all about and how has Chris Collier helped this time around?

TV: I've touched on this in previous answers.I liked Steve Evetts' mix on Carved Into Stone and Ruining Lives. But I wanted a more full-throttle attack on this new one. Chris is a younger dude. He doesn't come from the analogue era, so he really doesn't care about being vintage and I wanted that for this new Prong record. That's why I've been sort of moving him up to the role of producer for Prong starting with his work on tracking Ruining Lives. Then I pulled him into tracking vocals and mixing Songs From The Black Hole. So with two records of experience in all facets of making a records with Prong, I had him co produce, engineer, mix and master X – No Absolutes. As a co-producer, I simply have to make a few key decisions on how to get a record done efficiently and of course within time and budget. Chris took the role most commonly thought of as production. He guided all the tracking and made technical decisions along the way. A lot of that is really under the title of engineering, but Chris also had a lot of input on all the aspects of making the record – from guitar overdubs to guitar positioning, phrasing, solos, and tunings. Drum parts, arrangements and, of course, sounds. He was the ears on the vocal performances as well. He's amazing.He's really a top notch dude.

Prong is Tommy Victor, Art Cruz
and Jason Christopher

"Do Nothing" could almost be described as a ballad, and the intro to "With Dignity" features some lovely piano work. In what ways do you think X – No Absolutes expand the template for Prong?

TV: I wanted some real "songs" on the record and that was the basis for getting those tracks together. Here's where Erie Loch came in. I had worked with Erie on this industrial Primitive Race record and was blown away by his talent. He wrote the basic music for those songs and Chris and I developed the treatment. Art and Jason came in with their parts after that. I guess it is about expansion. But it's really not anything too different than what Prong was trying to do on Rude Awakening, Cleansing and even the last five records. I didn't want to completely abandon that aspect of Prong. Not many bands are doing this sort of thing and that therefore sets us apart. I never quite feel comfortable with being just a thrash band or metalcore or whatever. These days my biggest priority is getting those vocal hooks together. And writing current, biting lyrics. The music is really a backdrop for that in a lot of ways. That's sort of what I mean by classic "songwriting." Its just not all about the riff and technical proficiency to me anyhow.

You've been really busy lately, with recording and touring extensively. Has the schedule taken its toll or do you feel revitalized by all this work?

TV: I got real burnt out after the Danzig/Superjoint/Prong tour. I had to get revitalized by doing other things like hiking and really just taking it easy. As usual, one gets bored with the simple life and now I feel like doing shows again. I'll get sick of that and be itching to make a new record. I've been through this cycle so many times. I try not to get scared and try to live in the moment and just appreciate life.

What's the biggest lesson you learned as a sound man at CBGBs back in the '80s?

TV: I don't know if what I learned there applies to today's age. Back then it was important to be involved in the scene. I was right in the middle of it. For many years, I was a club kid. And I played in bands, hung out in clubs and then worked in a club. My whole life was centered down in the art scene of the Lower East Side. If I didn't do that, I wouldn't have had any juice to make the music business a career. Today everything is online. You don't really have to be "out there" making the sacrifices and earning street cred.

While known as a punk club, there were many crossover bands that played there that incorporated thrash, metal and post-punk. Did you have a sense at some point that the club was broadening its horizons? And do you feel that part of the club's history has been sufficiently told?

TV: Not to be an ass but based on your question, it's obvious that the club's history has not been sufficiently told. That place started out as a country,blue grass and blues bar. And it always welcomed music of any style. Yes "punk" bands like Blondie and the Ramones came out of there, but it was always eclectic with its music. Hardcore punk only existed there on Sunday afternoons. Then it would transform back into allowing art-rock bands, noise bands, acoustic artists, pop bands, funk groups – whatever – to come in. If you're talking strictly hardcore matinees, yes they would do thrash there occasionally, but it wasn't popular.

What was the most enjoyable part of your fairly recent tour with Danzig and Superjoint Ritual, and in what ways has Glenn Danzig influenced what you do?

TV: The fact that I got it done was the most rewarding aspect of the tour. It was tough doing double duty. Playing a rushed Prong set, then a long Danzig set was nerve-racking. Then I had to jump in the Prong van and do our own shows or support for Superjoint on Danzig days off. It was definitely the hardest tour I had ever done.

The main attribute of Glenn Danzig that I have appreciated over the years is his dedication to who he is. He's got big balls. He's totally committed to what he does and really doesn't care what others think.

What was the hardest tour Prong ever did, and by the same token, what was the best one?

TV: We've had some brutal tours. I must say, most of the tours we did back in the day were just not fun. There was too much pressure on us all the time and we were easily jealous of other bands. I really don't have that many good memories. I like this lineup. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm less of a little brat these days that I can somehow get along with people better. We've had some great runs recently. The last Songs From The Black Hole tour in Europe was stellar.

Has your approach to making records or the process of doing so changed at all over the years?

TV: Again I've touched on that. I really didn't have a clue what was going on years ago, and I still don't really. I just think I'm a little more trusting these days. All music is a gift. The songs or ideas that you think you come up with aren't really yours, they come from The Universe. I trust in these gifts and just make them happen now. I can't afford to question every little thing I do anymore. I just roll with a lot of things. 

What are you most proud of with regard to your career? 

TV: Not to act like some guru or something, but I try to avoid pride like the plague. It's too dangerous for a person like me. I'll start believing bullshit about myself and start treating people badly. Everything I have has been given to me, especially when it comes to Prong. Based on my attitude, this should have been dead in the dirt a long time ago. So actually the best moment for me in my career is right now, doing this interview with you. Everything else is bullshit. Who cares? The past is the past, it doesn't exist anymore.

What would you say are your five favorite crossover albums and why?

TV: I like early ones like Corrosion Of Conformity's Animosity. That was groundbreaking and it had all that great Sabbath overtones. Suicidal Tendencies' Join The Army. Its just so damn noisy and violent. Agnostic Front's Cause For Alarm has some great NYHC with thrash. Leeway's Born to Expire has classic crunch picking,with the CroMags style approach. Sheer Terror Just Can't Hate Enough because it's dark and dangerous.

There's that question they give in job interviews about, "Where do you think you'll be in five years?" Do you have a sense yet of what you'd like to do with Prong in that time?

TV: I'm not on a job interview! Maybe I will be in five years!

Short Cuts: Prong, Drowning Pool, Conan, Celtic Frost

CD Review: Drowning Pool – Hellelujah
eOne Music
All Access Rating: B+

Drowning Pool - Hellelujah 2016

The accursed nu metal ship known as Drowning Pool hasn't completely run aground yet. Since the 2001 death of singer Dave Williams – his passing coming at the very height of their popularity – they've shuffled through singers and defended misinterpretations of their smash hit "Bodies" in the wake of the 2011 Arizona shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Dealing with the fallout of reports that bassist Steve Benton said he was honored that the U.S. Military was using the band's music during enhanced interrogations of Guantanamo Bay prisoners only made their public relations nightmare worse. So, forgive Drowning Pool for wanting to vent a little on their newest album, Hellelujah, as flame-throwing vocalist Jason Moreno settles in as the band's frontman after debuting in 2012 with a fistful of singles and, later, the 2013 album Resilience. Teeming with aggression and rousing, confrontational anthems packed to the gills with surefire hooks and call-and-response shouting, Hellelujah could spark a most pit in a convent, as "Push," "Goddamn Vultures" and "Stomping Ground" throw their heavy weight around with brawling, vicious grooves and slamming riffs. "Sympathy Depleted" finds the Texans bouncing off the walls in a violent waltz and "My Own Way" locks in with tight, Helmet-like precision, but it's the nasty, mean guitars and infectious, seething energy of "We Are The Devil," as well as the melodic, acoustic tangle of "Another Name" – a fully realized, affecting post-grunge ballad – that would make anyone shout Hellelujah to those within earshot, even if Drowning Pool's sound hasn't really progressed much over the years.

CD Review: Prong – X – No Absolutes
Steamhammer/SPV
All Access Rating: A

Prong - X - No Absolutes 2016

About as prolific as anybody these days, Prong has been on fire since returning from a brief hiatus with 2012's Carved Into Stone, releasing two more blistering albums of originals, plus a covers LP of punk and rock classics, since then. The band's latest fiery epistle of punk-metal fury is X – No Absolutes, and with intense thrashings such as "Ultimate Authority," "Sense of Ease" and "Cut And Dry," Prong gnashes its teeth with more grit, substance and raw energy than practically all of their peers combined. Immaculately produced to harness their power, ensure the hooks are tight and gripping and enhance the melodic character of these songs, X – No Absolutes is also a fairly diverse listen, at least for Prong, with "Do Nothing" coming off as a sort of an alternative-rock power ballad lifted by a fountain of guitars. "Belief System" is heavier and it buzzes with electricity, while the swarming, meaty riffs of "Soul Sickness" and the frenzied speed of "In Spite of Hindrances" remind everyone that Prong's punk-rock heart is still beating strong. Their hard-hitting socio-political commentary hasn't softened either, nor has Victor's sharp guitar work lost its edge.

CD Review: Various Artists – Morbid Tales: A Tribute To Celtic Frost
Corpse Flower Records
All Access Rating: A-

Various Artists - Morbid Tales:
A Tribute To Celtic Frost 2015

What started off as an homage to blackened extreme-metal legends Celtic Frost by Corpse Flower Records in the form of an illustrated comic would eventually expand to include a tribute album that shows a healthy respect for the source material by not treating it with kid gloves. Some of underground-metal's most malevolent hordes are gathered here, and they set out to befoul the already dark, gothic brutality of Celtic Frost with their sonic malignancy. Spreading like some horrible affliction mercilessly attacking a vulnerable immune system and leaving its victim almost lifeless, Persekutor's "Procreation Of The Wicked" methodically breaks down the original with diseased vocals and trudging riffs, while Acid Witch's enormous version of "Cherry Orchards" is carried off by monstrous, plodding guitars and dies in a thermonuclear meltdown. Municipal Waste downshifts efficiently from ferociously fast punk to mean, mid-tempo metallic riffing in bringing "Nocturnal Fear" back to life, before Hayward (featuring Scott Kelly and Jason Roeder of Neurosis) envelopes "Jewel Throne" in harsh, almost incomprehensible noise. Philip Anselmo appears with Child Bite to lay waste to "The Usurper" in a swamp of sludge that morphs into a riot of punk energy, and Temple Of Void ride roughshod over "Os Absmi Vel Daath" with vim and vigor, a sky-scraping guitar solo and dirty cymbals splashing filth. Celtic Frost deserves all of this and more.

CD Review: Conan – Revengeance
Napalm Records
All Access Rating: B

Conan - Revengeance 2016

The churning follow-up to 2014's Blood Eagle, Conan's Revengeance is made of gradually evolving, ponderous doom metal that practically drags its large knuckles on the ground as it walks. With its hulking mass, "Thunderhoof" plods along grimly with down-tuned heaviness, its distant vocals crying out in the gloaming and then turning guttural as its grey clouds darken, becoming more dense and brooding. Somehow moving even more slowly, as if that's possible, "Wrath Gauntlet" is a crusty wrecking ball of giant riffs that would be a total bore, were it not for its brutally psychedelic crescendo. This is where Revengeance takes a turn for the better, as the feedback-scratched title track and its successor "Every Man Is An Enemy" pick up the pace, with fuzzy coatings blanketing pounding, chaotic energy, while closer "Earthenguard" becomes a hypnotic, mind-bending experience that implodes at the end in glorious fashion. The Beatles came from Liverpool, and so does Conan, who seem intent on bulldozing everything in their way into the ground. However, the power trio could learn a thing or two about melody and song structure from their hometown's favorite sons.
– Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Prong – Songs From The Black Hole

CD Review: Prong – Songs From The Black Hole
eOne Music
All Access Rating: A-

Prong - Songs From The
Black Hole 2015

Question Tommy Victor's punk credentials at your own risk. It may lead to a "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" type of situation.

Once a sound man at New York City's legendary CBGBs in the late 1980s, Victor, the linchpin for the always incendiary alternative-metal device Prong, was practically embedded in what was a wildly combustible and intensely creative scene.

With a blistering new album of covers entitled Songs From The Black Hole, out via eOne Music, Victor and Prong revisit their punk roots, offering their own taut, high-speed renditions of songs from underground rabble-rousers Black Flag, Husker Du, Killing Joke, The Adolescents, Bad Brains and Fugazi, among others.

By turning the screws on these blasts of barely harnessed fury, Prong magnifies the propulsion and raging energy of Discharge's "Doomsday," Husker Du's "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" and Bad Brains' "Banned in D.C.," while the pulse of Fugazi's slow-burning meditation on dying "Give Me The Cure" quickens, as Prong elevates its heart rate in a vigorous workout.

It's impossible not to notice the spotless production of Songs From the Black Hole, suggesting that Prong is somehow indulging in a sonic ritual purification of what is a surprisingly wide-ranging set of choice selections. The Morse-code guitars and chilly echo of Killing Joke's "Seeing Red" create an almost antiseptic environment, but in a remake of Black Flag's "The Bars," Prong takes great pains to restore all of the grit and unbearable tension of the original.

And although the disjointed version of the Butthole Surfers' "Goofy's Concern" is a slight misstep and their lukewarm rehashing of Neil Young's classic "Cortez The Killer" seems out of place, the mean grooves and tight riffs of Sisters of Mercy's "Vision Thing" – devoid of gothic blackness – are ruthlessly compelling. As is Songs From the Black Hole as a whole.
– Peter Lindblad

Best of 2014 in Metal and Hard Rock – Part II

Counting down the top five albums of the year
By Peter Lindblad

Crowbar's 'Symmetry in Black' is
our pick as the best album of 2014

No where in the Farmer's Almanac did it forecast heavy landslides of sludge or days of darkened, apocalyptic skies portending doom.

Such conditions were prevalent in the world of heavy metal, however, what with the blackened, cataclysmic audio devastation wrought this year by the likes of Obituary, Yob, Goatwhore, Eyehategod, Wo Fat, Crowbar and Corrosion of Conformity.

Old reliable alternative-metal punishers Prong brought forth another blistering, hard-hitting screed on the ugly state of the world, while one of the band's former guitarists, a veteran sideman named Monte Pittman who's played with Madonna, of all people, released a solo album that not only showed off a diverse set of chops, but also had some solid songwriting to boot.

And then there were the '80s artists that somehow succeeded, against almost insurmountable odds, to recapture the magic of yesterday, like Winger, Tesla, Sebastian Bach, House of Lords, Rubicon Cross and their frontman C.J. Snare of Firehouse fame, and Red Dragon Cartel, featuring the long-exiled Jake E. Lee.

Whittling the best of 2014 down to a final five was no easy task. Without any more delay, here then are the top five albums of the year:

Tesla - Simplicity 2014

5. Tesla – Simplicity: Trends come and go. Tesla remained steadfast in its adherence to the basics on Simplicity, choosing good, solid songwriting and well-executed, tasteful musicianship over flashy playing and experimentation. Gnarled, passionate, blue-collar anthems for "Freedom Rock" holdouts mingled with heartfelt, torn-and-frayed ballads – cobbled together with a mix of electric and acoustic instrumentation – that soared made Simplicity a welcome throwback to their salad days, while the sunny Southern rock charm of "Cross My Heart" made it one of the best songs of the year. Keep it simple, Tesla.

Winger - Better Days Ahead 2014

4. Winger – Better Days Ahead: Nobody's laughing at Winger anymore, or at least they shouldn't be, not after striking musical gold on two strong LPs in a row. Building off the melodic complexity and surprisingly heaviness of Karma, Better Days Ahead showed even more diversity and maturity, positioning Winger as the most progressive and daring pop-metal band to survive the hair-sprayed glamour of the '80s. Time hasn't diminished their chops, and with Better Days Ahead, Winger combined power with precision on the rugged "Rat Race," while embracing funk on a bright, bouncy title track and swimming in the psychedelia of "Be Who You Are, Now." This is who they are, for better, not worse.

Goatwhore - Constricting Rage of the
Merciless 2014

3. Goatwhore – Constricting Rage of the Merciless: Ferocious death metal with undercurrents of Southern boogie grooves – Constricting Rage of the Merciless is a holy terror of an album, as comfortable riding blazing-fast, charred thrash metal as it is crawling through thick, tar-like sludge with an evil grin on its dirty face. Highly combustible, brutal riffs are the order of the day, and they look to brawl with anybody that crosses their path of destruction. And for those who have the stomach for it, Goatwhore paints in bloody language grim scenes of torturous violence and horrific end-of-life struggles. Their rage is contagious.

Mastodon - Once More 'Round
the Sun 2014

2. Mastodon - Once More 'Round the Sun: Conceptually speaking, this isn't Leviathan. Aiming for more accessible and immediate rewards, Mastodon tightened up its song structures considerably and crafted big, muscular hooks for the vibrant, yet still intricate and massive Once More 'Round the Sun. They took a lot of heat for its video for "The Motherload," what with all that twerking going on. And not everybody's onboard with the band's sound evolving to become increasingly more radio-friendly. All that aside, Mastodon is still Mastodon, their mighty riffs are still enormous and blustery, Brann Dailor's drumming remains astoundingly intricate and powerful, and their guitar architecture, as always, is awe-inspiring.

Crowbar - Symmetry in Black 2014

1. Crowbar – Symmetry in Black: Underestimate Crowbar at your peril. This chugging behemoth, once a bit of a one-trick pony, has expanded its sludge-metal repertoire, thrashing with fierce intensity while also constructing mammoth, churning riffs that build slowly and grow to enormous tsunamis of doom. Expertly plotted, intricate movements crawl like primordial creatures, before evolving into thick, crushingly heavy monsters. What's surprising is how listenable it is. Calling it "melodic" might be a stretch, but every track is compelling in some way, hiding brawny, slow-developing hooks within its deeply blackened, impenetrable great walls of sound. What symmetry, what balance, what provocative lyrics – Crowbar has brought forth its masterpiece. Now go ahead and crown them kings of 2014.

CD Review: Prong – Ruining Lives

CD Review: Prong – Ruining Lives

Steamhammer/SPV

All Access Rating: A-

Prong - Ruining Lives 2014

Tommy Victor threw away the rulebook when Prong was formed, his experiences as a sound man at the famed punk club CBGBs undoubtedly opening up his mind to what was possible musically.

Always a little different and usually way ahead of the curve, the daring New York City alternative-metal outsiders introduced old-school hardcore hostility to trash-metal, while occasionally trespassing the fenced-in junkyards of harsh industrial noise and electronic squalor to steal taboo sounds and allowing undercurrents of rumbling, Killing Joke-style post-punk brooding to seep into their violent urban sonic wasteland.

All of this, of course, being subservient to Victor's rampaging, brutally efficient guitar riffs, Prong's pounding rhythmic machinery and the toughest, most tenacious hooks around. Now comes Ruining Lives, a Steamhammer/SPV release that's a dark, streamlined whirlwind of activity, with Prong's relentless energy cloaked in unexpectedly rich and full tonality. As one surgical riff strike after another is detonated, the sleek and powerful Ruining Lives races forward, with Victor's clear, forceful vocals issuing a series of enigmatic calls to arms, breaking through the record's glossy sheen.

Harnessing all of Prong's far-flung influences and aggression in a controlled burn, Ruining Lives consists of songs of sturdy construction and ferocious pace, never sitting in one place long enough to grow bored. Less angry, but still provocative lyrically, Victor sets out to free the soul from whatever binds and oppresses it, exploring themes of metropolitan alienation and self-determinant living as the threesome slams headlong into the bruising opener "Turnover" and its hard-hitting successor "The Barriers." Later experimenting with a new time signature, Prong turns the innovative "Come to Realize" inside-out, injecting it with an "out of left field" riff that, if nothing else, proves the band is still capable of surprising people.

High-speed, high-impact material like "The Book of Change" thrive on pure audio adrenaline, but the title track is a heavy, more ponderous beast that grows more powerful by the second, as do the moody "Absence of Light" and "Remove, Separate Self," two songs with quickening tempos and gripping, galvanizing choruses. Still as disciplined as Helmet, but with Killing Joke's subversive melodic sensibilities bubbling up from the cold, hard ground, Prong hasn't ruined anything, including their chances for record of the year.
– Peter Lindblad

Prong: 'Ruining Lives' and 'Cleansing' souls

Tommy Victor talks new album, 'Cleansing' anniversary and more
By Peter Lindblad

Tommy Victor of Prong
Photo by Tim Tronckoe

Tommy Victor is beating his chest with pride over Prong's upcoming release, Ruining Lives. proclaiming its greatness to anyone who will listen.

Due out May 13 in the North America via Steamhammer/SPV, it's the aggressive, slammed-up-against-the-wall successor to 2012's bruising Carved Into Stone, a bone-on-bone record of white-hot intensity and rugged, jawbreaking brilliance that critics went gaga for two years ago. Victor believes Prong upped the ante on Ruining Lives.

"This is the fastest written and recorded Prong album ever, and it has more great songs than any previous Prong record," said Victor, the guitarist, singer and mastermind behind one of alternative-metal's most ambitious and punishing acts. "I am particularly proud of the vocal performance, and I think we captured some outstanding sounds on this album."

Especially adept at combining industrial and post-punk elements with a raging street-metal ferocity and thrash-metal explosiveness, the fiercely independent Prong has carved out its own niche since forming in the late 1980s, toying with electronics and different genres without ever sacrificing power or raw energy for the sake of trying something different.

Tommy Victor, master of the riff

It all started at the famed punk club CBGBs, where Victor worked as a sound man. Together with the venue's doorman, Mike Kirkland, and former Swans drummer Ted Parsons, Prong put out two indie records, the Primitive Origins EP in 1987 and Force Fed in 1988, before signing to Epic Records in 1989 – the result of a furious showcase performance at the old Ritz in their New York City home with local hardcore heavy-hitters the Cro-Mags and German trash heroes Destruction.

A year later, Prong let the classic Beg to Differ loose on the world, a powder keg of a record that helped bring about a sea change in heavy metal, as would contemporaries Helmet and Pantera. Prove You Wrong arrived in 1991, followed by 1994's landmark record, Cleansing, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Washing ashore in the wake of the Whose Fist is This Anyway? EP of remixes from the Prove Your Wrong album and recorded with former Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven and keyboardist John Bechdel, Cleansing had a muscular groove and a shocking amount of manic electronic edginess. And it had "Snap Your Fingers Snap Your Neck," often cited as having one of the greatest riffs in metal history.

Not wanting to repeat themselves, 1996's Rude Awakening was a departure, exploring the post-punk terrain charted by Killing Joke and welding industrial textures to its already potent sonic machinery. That run of albums was not only prolific, but it also represented an astonishing burst of creativity for Victor and Prong.

Prong: Tommy Victor, Tony Campos
and Alexei Rodriguez (in no particular order)
Photo by Tim Tronckoe

Now comes Ruining Lives, produced by Victor with help from Steve Evetts and featuring the rhythm section of Tony Campos and Alexei Rodriguez. As much a throwback to Prong's Beg to Differ era as it is a step forward in a bold new direction for a band that is constantly pushing the envelope, Ruining Lives takes everything Prong has done in the past and forms fresh, modern sonic art of it all. Victor talks about Prong's past and the new album in this exclusive interview.

Why do you think this record came together so fast?

Tommy Victor: It had to. I was presented with a strict deadline, and I agreed to it. It was important for me to honor that.

Prong- Ruining Lives 2014

Where Carved in Stone was really lean and maybe somewhat more minimalist in its approach, and just a relentless attack from the word go, Ruining Lives seems like a more diverse record, one you can immerse yourself, while still being heavy and crushing, especially on the title track and "Absence of Light." Do you see it that way as well?

TV: Not particularly. I think Ruining Lives is relentless as well, if not more so. There are songs that cross into a post-punk and diverse vibe on both records. Like "Put Myself To Sleep," "Path of Least Resistance," "Reinvestigate," "Subtract" maybe on Carved. Ruining has "Windows Shut," "Self Will Run Riot," and "Absence Of Light," and all have a lot going on in them.

"Come to Realize" is a different animal for Prong. Talk about how that song was created, how it evolved and about the unusual time signature you used. Did that make it a difficult song to record?

TV: It was fairly easy to lay down. Once you memorize the riff, it's a no-brainer. Prong started doing some odd timing back in the Beg To Differ years. I wasn't afraid to build a song out of that riff, so that wasn't an issue neither.

"Turnover" and "The Book of Change" are full of really powerful riffs and hard-hitting drumming. To you, what goes into making a great riff, and who do you think comes up with the best of them?

TV: Thanks. In the case of those songs, there wasn't a lot of thought put in. I usually jam to a certain BPM, to a metronome. I mix it up, and something seems to come out of it. There are so many great riff masters out there. I'm a little weird that way, though. I think Geordie Walker from Killing Joke writes some of the catchiest riffs of all time, and consistently, for instance. Obviously Dime [Pantera's Dimebag Darrell] had an amazing knack for riffs. [Slayer's] Kerry [King] and Jeff  [Hanneman], R.I.P. You have to admit, Jack White  is a genius at that too.

Tommy Victor performing
live with Prong

Lyrically, has your world view changed at all since the early days? Are you reacting to the world and its problems differently than you used to, or do the same things anger and provoke you to write the way you do?

TV: I had a lot of undisciplined anger in the old days – self pitying, too. There were some good messages, though, back then. "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" has a good "live for the moment attitude," which is still cool to me. "Broken Peace" has a positive message, too, out of general frustration, and that's topically something I continue to focus on. There's just more of it now – believe it or not nowadays. The world is what it is, we all have to adapt to reality.

In what ways does this album hearken back to Prong classics like Beg to Differ and Cleansing, and in what ways has Prong evolved since then?

TV: Well, I've always had to sit in a room, maybe even a bathroom or a closet, and come up with lyrics and song ideas, like any writer. That doesn't change. Modern technology and budgets dictate the actual recording process, and that has changed things drastically. There are  lot of things you don't have to do now. And because of that you have to be more careful. I dislike auto-tuned vocals, for instance. All my vocals are performed and doubled. Fortunately, I have experience with that and can do it in a fair amount of time. The vocals have matured considerably I believe. I've learned by doing and they've progressed – same with guitar. I can blast through guitar tracks a lot faster than in the old days. That's all technical stuff. I've been blessed with getting Steve Evetts to work with. He's a godsend. also finding [producer/engineer/mixer] Chris Collier has been amazing. He's one of the most talented guys I've ever been involved with. 

You produced Ruining Lives, and you've said that you're especially proud of the vocals on the record. Did you record them differently this time around to enhance them, or was it just a matter of the performance being stronger?

TV: Well, I answered most of that in the last question. There is a progression of the same attitude on Carved Into Stone. Evetts knows how to coach singers. He produced the vocals on Ruining Lives. It's great to have him in the control room while I'm cutting vocals. Years ago, I was on my own. It was always, "Tommy go in the booth and scream, " and I've realized I don't need to do that, through Steve's guidance.

You worked as the sound man at CBGBs. How did that prepare you for what you experienced with Prong?

TV: It was a boot camp for me. I was forced to be part of the scene. I saw all the bands. And I could see what not to do. I had a firsthand glance of what was going on, so Prong could make decisions based on that knowledge.

What do you remember most about that show at The Ritz with the Cro-Mags and Destruction that helped you get signed by Epic? 

TV: I remember the amazing response we got. We had been fighting for a Rock Hotel show for a couple of years. Finally, [original Prong bassist] Mike Kirkland got [Rock Hotel promoter] Chris Williamson to agree on putting us on that show. It was an epic show that got us signed to Epic.

Talk about the progression or the evolution of Prong from Beg to Differ on through Rude Awakening. Those albums are so innovative and have elements of post-punk, industrial and metal, among others. Where did that desire to combine these different genres come from?

TV: There was beginning to be hoards of thrash-metal bands, noise/ industrial bands, hardcore and crossover bands. So what would be different? How would Prong stand out? I couldn't rely on my playing totally nor my singing. I was okay and got by. I had to rely on smart riffs and stylistic maneuvering. We also had to look to the future a lot in order to maybe break new ground. And back then there was a high ceiling for that. A focus on "songs" inevitably became a priority as well, with less emphasis on strict riffing.

Prong - Cleansing 1994

Cleansing turns 20 years old this year. What are your impressions of it all these years later, and why do you think it remains such an influential record?

TV: It's a classic, and I have no qualms about proclaiming that. It's a signature rock record, not just metal. It opened a lot of doors for a lot of new artists. It's a killer sounding record. [Producer] Terry Date was on top of his game. We made a lot of great studio decisions together. It was a fantastic experience. And it was at a time when Epic records were scratching their heads wondering what the hell we were doing.

You had the EP Whose Fist Is This Anyway?, which came out prior to Cleansing. How did that work influence Cleansing? 

TV: Well it got Paul Raven interested in taking up the bass role in Prong. We had him do a remix. Then we became friends and eventually led to him playing in the band. To those who don't know, that was the first remix record ever done by a metal band. Ted Parsons and I fought hard to get that sold to Epic records management.

Is "Snap Your Fingers Snap Your Neck" a song you feel represents what Prong is all about, or is there another that you feel is under-appreciated and deserves more acclaim?

TV: It's a magical track. We actually started playing that song while Troy Gregory was still in the band. People loved it from the beginning. Some songs are just like that. I'm noticing "Turnover" having that kind of response now.

Next up for Prong? Lots
of touring
Photo by Tim Tronckoe

Ruining Lives seems to revive so much of what makes Prong so interesting and still relevant these days. Does it seem to bridge the old and the new for Prong?

TV: I wouldn't disagree with that. It's got the riffs, it has the hooks, it has the grooves, it's got some of the New York hardcore vibe, it's got the post-punk undertones. It's a solid Prong record.

What's next for Prong?

TV: Touring. There's a lot coming up. Then writing for a new record. Maybe I'll do the next one in two months time, not three.

Monte Pittman: To the Third Power

Guitarist talks new album, Madonna and Prong

By Peter Lindblad

Monte Pittman and group - 2014

Monte Pittman hit the jackpot. Having moved to Los Angeles in his mid-20s to teach guitar, the native Texan, in short order, became Madonna's guitar teacher, having been introduced by the man she was dating at the time, famed British director Guy Ritchie, also a student of Pittman's.

Within a month, Pittman was playing alongside Madonna on the "David Letterman Show," her performance coinciding with promotion for her album, Music. That was only the start of their working relationship, as Pittman went on to provide guitar for all of Madonna's five tours since then, the first being the 2001 Drowned World Tour.

That, in and of itself, would make Pittman the envy of any struggling musician trying to find work in the field, let alone all the perks, such as performing in some of the biggest venues and music events in the world, including the 2012 Super Bowl. Then, along came Prong.

Joining the alternative-metal attack dogs, Pittman played bass and guitar for Prong on the raging albums Scorpio Rising and Power of the Damager, as well as the live effort 100% Live. Prong and Madonna couldn't be more different, of course, but that doesn't really concern Pittman. He's enjoyed both experiences immensely.

These days, though, Pittman's focus is on his burgeoning solo career, christened by 2009's sonorous acoustic vessel, The Deepest Dark. It was a successful debut, hitting No. 1 on the Best Selling Acoustic Albums list at CD-Baby.com. A Kickstarter campaign helped Pittman record the follow-up, 2011's grungy rocker Pain, Love & Destiny. On CD Baby, that one kicked up a fuss, reaching No. 1 on its Rock Album and Pop Album charts, while also cracking the Top 10 Albums list as well.

Now comes The Power of Three, Pittman's most metallic offering yet. Together with drummer Kane Ritchotte and bassist Max Whipple, as well as Flemming Rasmussen, who helped Metallica achieve thrash nirvana with Master of Puppets, Pittman and company went to Copenhagen, Denmark, to map out and execute a hard-driving record, one that often gnashes its teeth in the most savage manner possible, while still leaning on well-crafted melodies.

In this wide-ranging e-mail interview, Pittman talked about his extraordinary career and a record that promises to soon make him a household name in the world of heavy metal, Madonna or no Madonna.

Before recording The Power of Three, did you have an idea in mind of what kind of album you wanted to make? 

Monte Pittman: Yes. I knew exactly what I wanted it to be like. We recorded the album in the order you hear it. We got off the plane and recorded "A Dark Horse." The last song we recorded was "All Is Fair In Love And War." I set out to make an album that would have been my favorite album when I got my first guitar.

There are a lot of heavy riffs and really satisfying thrash elements to this record, especially with "A Dark Horse," but there's also a song like "Everything's Undone," which has a good, strong melody as well. Was it important for you to make a diverse record?

MP: I like a variety of different music and different bands. I think it all comes from what's fun to play on the guitar. If you don't have a good melody, then you may not have a song. I usually make sure that the song can work on the acoustic. You hear everything a little differently that way and may pick up a new idea on the way.

Talk about the making of both "A Dark Horse" and "Everything's Undone." Did those songs evolve in different ways?

MP: After I finished Pain, Love, & Destiny, I was sitting outside by the fire and the lyric "A Dark Horse you've been having nightmares for years about" came to me. That was the beginning. I wrote a majority of "A Dark Horse" probably at the end of 2004. I didn't know where it would go. It wasn't a Prong song. I thought one day I'll make a heavy album just for fun or something. When I started seeing the big picture with making The Power Of Three, I started looking at it again. Then I pieced it all together on an acoustic. Sometimes when I write, I'll hang on to something for a while. If I still like the song later on, then I know I might have something. "Everything's Undone" was written when I got my first prototype for my signature Jarrell MPS guitar. Those guitars are very inspiring to play.

Monte Pittman has played
guitar for Madonna and Prong

Was there a song on the record that ended up sounding much different than you originally intended? And does that happen a lot for you, or do you have them mapped out so well beforehand that they end up being exactly what you thought they'd be?

MP: No. I put a lot of work in the demos, and I knew what I wanted everything to be. Once Flemming started in on it, I handed the keys over to him and it became his baby. On "All Is Fair In Love And War," we left room to be in the moment while recording. So I guess that one would be the most different. The original main riff for "Missing" was more like Cannibal Corpse at first. That song is all written from the Enigmatic scale. 

How did you hook up with Flemming Rasmussen for this record and what was his biggest contribution to the album?

MP: I met him on a day off in Copenhagen while on tour. We stayed in contact and would get together when I came back into town. We would say, "One day we should work together on something." We did an acoustic EP in one day the last time I was on tour in Copenhagen on a day off. He had been helping me with my demos, and he sat me down and said I need to concentrate on the heavy songs I was writing. So I did. Flemming was going to produce my Pain, Love, & Destiny album, but our schedules didn't match. Flemming had several massive contributions to the album. He had us all record together at the same time. When you hear the album, that's us playing in the same room at the same time recording all analog. He would always get us in the right frame of mind. Flemming has done a little of everything ... Metallica, Rainbow, Cat Stevens and Morbid Angel. I like that he's done different kinds of albums.

Talk about the choice of cover art for The Power of Three. Why is it special for you?

MP: My friend Kevin Wilson, who runs Sacred Tattoo in New York, suggested I check out Cam Rackam. Kevin has a gallery in his shop where artists do exhibits. Cam had a painting of Charon that I was blown away by, so I went with that one. Megan Massacre was going to do the album cover, but she's one of the best tattoo artists on the planet. She was too busy. She wound up buying the original painting of Cam's also! 

Do you see this record as a progression from Pain, Love & Destiny or a shift into different territory?

MP: It's a natural progression. Sometimes I write for what I don't have, and I needed some faster/heavier songs. On Pain, Love, & Destiny, I would sneak in some heavy parts as fills going into a chorus. My song, "(I Am) The Black Rabbit" isn't too far from where the material for The Power Of Three is.

You left Longview, Texas, at age 24 and headed for Los Angeles, where you ultimately became a guitar teacher. How tough a decision was that for you and what was attractive about teaching guitar?

MP: I taught as an apprentice under my teacher, Robert Browning. I love teaching. I keeps everything fresh in my head. When you teach, you have to know it in a different way than just being able to play it.

As the story goes, your third student was Guy Ritchie, the British filmmaker. And then you started teaching guitar to his wife at the time, Madonna. What do you remember about meeting each of them for the first time, and what were they like as students?

MP: They were just dating at the time. They were both great to me. They treated me like family. They would learn everything I gave them to learn. Luckily for me, Madonna was just releasing her Music album, and there was a lot of acoustic guitar on there.

Monte Pittman released an
acoustic record in 2009 called
The Deepest Dark

You've been playing with Madonna and helping write songs for her for a long time now. In working with her, and teaching her Pantera riffs, what would fans of hard rock and heavy metal find most surprising about what she's like as an artist?

MP: Most people will say they admire her work ethic and that she's always pushing the boundaries. Madonna has something for everyone. Even the most diehard metal heads will usually point out at least one song they like. Even if you don't like that style of music, you can't deny "Open Your Heart" or "Ray Of Light" or "Secret" aren't great songs.

Is the approach to that kind of songwriting different from the creative process for your own solo work? If so, what's different about it?

MP: Not in the situations I've been in. It usually comes from playing your guitar and coming up with an idea.

When you were asked to play with Madonna, what was your reaction? 

MP: I was excited! She has always been super cool to me. She hadn't toured in seven years, so it was an exciting time to be in that position. 

You worked with Prong on Scorpio Rising and Power of the Damager, co-writing songs and playing guitar, adding backing vocals and some bass work. And those were great Prong records. You also played guitar on the Prong live album 100% Live. What did you find most rewarding about you're experience with Prong?

MP: Thank you! I would say the most rewarding thing is being able to help put one of my favorite bands ever back together. Live, Tommy Victor would let me start "Another Worldly Device" since that's one of my favorite songs. I learned a lot of things that come in handy now with my own band from playing in Prong.

Do you have a favorite Prong album of those two?

MP: Power Of The Damager I guess. I played bass on that one minus a couple guitar solos. We stayed out at Sonic Ranch outside of El Paso and at Al Jourgensen's house making that one, so we had a great time making it. I started doing background vocals with that and that helped open the door to me singing on my own.

You did an acoustic solo record as well, with 2009's The Deepest Dark. Did you have to approach that differently than other projects?

MP: That was my first solo release. I made it just acoustic guitar and vocals so I could recreate it anywhere. That's what started it all. The Deepest Dark was going to be the soundtrack for a film but that never happened. That's one of the reasons I didn't release it before. I wasn't ready yet. Going back and forth between Prong and Madonna took up all my time.

You've done so much in music. Do you have a favorite moment from your days with Madonna or Prong that is really special to you or unusual?

MP: Playing events like Live 8 and Live Earth. That's a great bonus playing with Madonna. Live 8 was Pink Floyd's last show. Getting to watch them rehearse and soundcheck the day before was something I'll never forget. I happened to be one of the only people around with them backstage at the end of the night, so I got to see them all say bye to each other. Also, I got up onstage with Paul McCartney for "Hey Jude." He invited people up from all the bands for the finale. At Live Earth, I joined Spinal Tap to play "Big Bottom." They invited anyone who could play bass to join them. With Prong, there were so many great times on the road. Shows with Anthrax, Type O Negative, and Soulfly ... it was never a dull moment.

What are your hopes for The Power of Three and what are your plans for the coming weeks, months and years?

MP: To get this out there to every pair of ears that will listen. I'm working on booking some shows now that I'll announce soon. I've got enough material written for the next two albums, and I'll keep writing as I go along. I'm putting the team together still and finding the right people to keep pushing this forward.

CD Review: Monte Pittman – The Power of Three

CD Review: Monte Pittman – The Power of Three

Metal Blade Records

All Access Rating: B+

Monte Pittman - The Power of Three 2014

Diehard fans of alternative-metal misanthropes Prong know who Monte Pittman is, and so does Madonna. If nothing else, Monte Pittman has connections, but that's only part of his story.

Leaving his Texas home behind, Pittman headed for Los Angeles to set up shop as a guitar teacher. Quite by chance, his third student was British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, then-husband of the Material Girl. In short order, Pittman became Madonna's instructor, which led to him joining her onstage at a "David Letterman Show" promotional performance tied to the release of her album Music and then becoming a full-fledged member of her touring lineup beginning with the 2001 Drowned World Tour, not to mention his guitar work on every one of her records since then.

That's all well and good, but it's not exactly metal. Teaching her to play Pantera riffs ... that's metal. There's actually video evidence of it on YouTube. When it comes to gaining street cred with the metal community, however, bringing six-string savagery to Prong on the hard-hitting Scorpio Rising and Power of the Damager, two of their most ferocious studio albums, as well as the band's blazing concert manifesto 100% Live, would more than do the trick. And they say politics makes strange bedfellows.

As a solo artist, Pittman has gravitated from the full-bodied acoustic meditations found on 2009's The Deepest Dark to the brooding grunge of 2011's Pain, Love & Destiny. His latest album, The Power of Three, finds Pittman and co-conspirators Kane Ritchotte (drums) and Max Whipple (bass) raging through 10 tracks of aggressive, boot-stomping thrash-metal and straightforward metallic groove-mongering suffused with strong melodic currents. "Blood Hungry Thirst" is all of that and then some, while the hard-charging "A Dark Horse," with its shadowy, sinister acoustic intro knitted together by Pittman's fingers, "Missing" and "Delusions of Grandeur" tear the roof off The Power of Three with furious riffs and heart-pounding speed, leaving just enough room for Pittman to reel off spectacularly frenzied solos.

Enlisting recording guru Flemming Rasmussen, who was at least partly responsible for the white-hot intensity and epic swells of Metallica's Master of Puppets, Pittman left no doubt about his intentions. The Power of Three was going to be a lethal killing machine, with burly production that didn't simply cater to a guitar hero's whims and able to stick to the militaristic tautness of Helmet. There's plenty of Pittman's dynamic shredding to go around, but the drums – Ritchotte's cymbals crashing and rippling in little blurs – and bass are just as assertive, with Pittman's reedy vocals sounding disembodied, almost like a younger Ozzy or Fu Manchu's Scott Hill.

And when Pittman chooses, he displays an affinity for generous hooks and wide-sky choruses, such as the ones in "Everything's Undone," the best song the Foo Fighters never wrote, and the even more expansive, billowing "End of the World." Rich in melody, these are the exceptions, as Pittman and company would rather sink their teeth into gnarled, mauling riffs, like those found on "Away From Here" and "Before the Mourning Son." That's where the power of this threesome really lies, the only problem being that it's pretty standard-issue stuff. There's nothing truly original here, just some intriguing variations in tempo, a thick, heavy sound, riffs to die for and a tightness that other bands would do well to emulate. http://www.metalblade.com/us/
– Peter Lindblad

CD Review: Annihilator - Feast

CD Review: Annihilator - Feast

UDR 

All Access Rating: B+

Annihilator - Feast 2013

The great Feast of Annihilator is upon us, and it is quite a spread. On the menu, served Manson family style of course, is aggressive, in-your-face thrash-metal mixed with ivy-covered passages of dark, melodic beauty, an occasional nod to traditional metal architecture, frenzied punk and classical influences and some rather serious, no-bullshit lyrics.

And then there's that gory, zombie apocalypse artwork that makes the "Walking Dead" seem like a trip to Disneyland. 

Emphasizing blistering speed, searing guitar leads that track their targets like heat-seeking missiles and sucker-punch changes in direction and atmosphere, album No. 14 from these versatile Canadian thrash veterans goes on a brutal rampage through "Deadlock," "Demon Code," "Wrapped" and "Smear Campaign," all of them swallowed whole by voracious, all-consuming riffs or beaten into a coma by the kind of brutal rhythmic assault and battery Prong might commit.

With its scissoring, mauling guitars ripping and tearing at whatever they can get their claws on, "No Way Out" would be included on this list of violent offenses, except for Annihilator suddenly, and rather seamlessly, slowing down and bursting upon a pretty, almost dream-like setting. Were it not for its treacly song structure and bad romantic poetry, the predictable ballad "Perfect Angel Eyes," might also be lauded for painting an expansive and well-defined Gothic aural picture, but instead, it just seems out of place on Feast, a record where virtuoso chops, seething rage and strong, intimidating vocals are the order of the day.

Some might say the same thing about "No Surrender," a jazzier, funk workout in the spirit of 24-7 Spyz, but its pummeling chorus really cracks some skulls, like so many sonic beat downs on Feast. Led by Jeff Waters, Annihilator doesn't mind doing the dirty work, but they also have a sophisticated palate, and it's this contradiction that makes Feast, and past Annihilator LPs, so intriguing, as Waters pulls no punches in tackling subjects like drug addiction, apathy, self-victimization and suicide without pity. And yet, Annihilator occasionally leaves all that ugliness behind, escaping into lovely, carefully plotted melodic scenes that disappear all too quickly.

While a dearth of "stick to your ribs" tracks leaves Feast wanting, it still offers breathtaking, hard-hitting action and lots of it, not to mention its monstrous metal riffs. In that way, Annihilator can take pride in being The Great White North's answer to Metallica or Anthrax, with Feast settling in somewhere a notch or two below Master of Puppets and Among the Living.

Those who shell out a little extra money for the lushly illustrated limited edition eco-book version of Feast, with its fearsome 3D cover, will encounter a sprawling bonus disc titled Re-Kill, where Annihilator updates 15 past classics with a more visceral, modern sound and fresh surprises. It's here that the nightmarish fairy-tale world of "Alison Hell" recalls King Diamond, the progressive-metal maze of "Set the World on Fire" grows more intricate and the chariots of thrash-metal fire "Nozone" and "Bloodbath" blaze anew, as does "Welcome to Your Death W.T.Y.D."

Annihilator has killed before, at least musically they have, and, in all likelihood, Waters and company will kill it again. And when they do, maybe Feast will be remembered not as the quiet, mannerly neighbor nobody knew very well, but rather as an articulate monster with a dual nature that valued art and intelligence but could erupt into volcanic anger at the slightest provocation. http://www.udr-music.com/
- Peter Lindblad

The best of 2012 ... so far (Part 1)

Picking the finest metal, hard rock releases of the half year

By Peter Lindblad

If this were a physical examination, the patients known as hard rock and heavy metal would get a clean bill of health. 2012 has witnessed a flurry of fine rebound albums from the reinvigorated likes of Fear Factory, Slash, Rush, Prong, and Kreator – to mention a few. No one is writing them off anymore. Even Van Halen returned from a long self-imposed exile to prove to everyone that Eddie was still God and that nepotism can work, even if they do have incredibly bad taste in first singles – “Tattoo”? Really?

There’s a new half a super group called Kill Devil Hill that’s fusing Pantera grooves with Black Sabbath’s gothic dirges and churning out wickedly melodic metal. For so long, Whitechapel has been chained to a radiator in the grim, dingy basement known as deathcore, but with their latest hate-filled self-titled missive, they have blasted their way out of their restraints and moved on to more adventurous sonic exploration. Cattle Decapitation has scared everybody out of their wits with some of the most uncompromisingly brutal music in recent memory, and progressive-metal architects Gojira have given the French – the French, of all people – a reason to get excited about their musical export business.

And there’s more to come. Testament is going back to its Dark Roots of the Earth, Dying Fetus hasn’t been aborted and The Deftones are reportedly set to release a record this fall. Strap yourself in folks. 2012 is going to be a white-knuckle ride, and a crash is inevitable. As for the first half of the year, I’ve compiled my Top 10, which is subject to change. The first five (Nos. 10-6), included here, are just a taste.  



Fear Factory - The Industrial 2012



10. Fear Factory: The Industrialist – Jackhammer industrial beats and raging vocals swim in the deep, toxic pool of disturbing dystopian visions, crushingly heavy guitars, and cinematic soundscapes of what may be Fear Factory’s most ambitious concept record yet. Fascinating alien melodies probe and prod a sound that is at once cavernous and claustrophobically condensed, with Dino Cazares constructing a Byzantine labyrinth of densely layered guitars under the imaginative lyrics and righteous bellowing of Burton C. Bell.



Slash - Apocalyptic Love 2012



9. Slash, Featuring Miles Kennedy and the Conspirators: Apocalyptic Love – On the heels of a scintillating live album, Slash lays down some of the slinkiest, most infectious grooves of his career, with knock-down, drag-out brawls like “You’re A Lie,” “Standing in the Sun,” “No More Heroes” and “One Last Thrill” capturing at least some the grit and dangerous energy of Appetite for Destruction. Providing a thrilling foil to Slash’s smoking, snaky leads is singer Myles Kennedy, whose spine-tingling vocals circle high above the fiery rock ‘n’ roll crashes Slash and The Conspirators gleefully orchestrate. Axl can have the Guns ‘N Roses name. Slash doesn’t need it.

Prong - Carved into Stone 2012

8. Prong: Carved into Stone – In full gallop, with smoke blowing out of its nostrils, “Eternal Heat” charges hard out of the gate, setting the blistering pace and aggressive tone for what is surely one of the most punishing records of Prong’s career. Seething with rage, Carved into Stone abandons industrial rigidity for a thicker, fuller sound that takes a baseball bat to society’s sick head and beats it bloody with violent, bare-knuckled poetry. Urgent and restlessly creative, Carved into Stone is a heat-seeking missile that’s locked onto its target and that target is you. Get ready to be blown apart.

Over Kill - The Electric Age 2012

7. Over Kill: The Electric Age – Relentless from beginning to end, The Electric Age spits fire and rages against the dying of their light – with apologies to poet Dylan Thomas – by tossing this exceedingly vicious and extraordinarily tight thrash-metal Molotov cocktail right in the face of a dogma that believes extreme music is entirely a young man’s game. Rarely has Over Kill sounded so dangerous and desperate, as rampaging drums, searing guitars, and the venomous, teeth-gnashing vocals of Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth propel these grizzled, gasoline-guzzling East Coast veterans on a high-octane journey through an urban wasteland of garbage-strewn dark alleys and lawless streets.

Accept - Stalingrad 2012

6. Accept: Stalingrad – Thankfully, Wolf Hoffman didn’t empty his bag of riffs on 2010’s Blood of the Nations, considered by many as the best metal album of that year. A worthy successor, the storming Stalingrad is one scorching meat grinder of a track after another – thanks to Hoffman’s rugged, gnarly guitars and the sweaty toil of a band that’s regained its hunger – and singer Mark Tornillo’s balls-to-the-wall screams are winning over converts who swore they’d never accept an Accept without Udo Dirkschneider. 

CD Review: Prong - Carved into Stone

CD Review: Prong - Carved into Stone

Long Branch Records
All Access Review: A-

Prong - Carved into Stone 2012

Mavericks in a thrash-metal scene that placed more of a premium on playing with wild abandon and blistering speed than rigid precision, Prong and its brutally intense major-label classic Cleansing, from 1994, was only slightly looser and a tad less militaristic than Helmet’s rugged Meantime. Pummeling industrial minimalism that seemed to march to the orders of an unseen drill sergeant set Prong apart from the herd it had taken a cattle prod to in hard-hitting pieces like “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” and “Whose Fist Is This Anyway?” In the years since, Prong, on occasion, has grown even more taut and single-minded, sometimes mistakenly neglecting the barely harnessed power of its formidable low end. Released from Al Jourgensen’s 13^th Planet label – Prong mastermind Tommy Victor also played with Ministry in the early 2000s – and winding up on SPV’s new Long Branch Records imprint, the crossover terrorists have significantly fattened a wiry sonic frame that had grown too lean.

In doing so, they have created a monster, the seething sonic psychopath Carved into Stone. Still painting bleak, disturbing visions of urban decay and street-level violence with technically brilliant musicianship, the harsh realities of Prong’s more recent diatribes are delivered with raging guitars, barking vocals and the double-kick drum blunt-force trauma of Alexei Rodriguez. Roaring out of the gate, the speed-metal blitz of opener “Eternal Heat” leaves one breathless, just as the visceral acts of sonic aggression that follow – namely, “Keep on Living in Pain” and “Ammunition” – somehow maintain the impossible breakneck pace previously set. Thicker and heavier, “Path of Least Resistance” and the surging title track, with its punching-bag rhythms and the kind of widescreen, black-hole choruses the Deftones get lost in, are mazes of dynamic riffage, while “Revenge … Best Served Cold” and “State of Rebellion” subversively chisel biting melodies into their uncompromising marriage of industrial and metal sadomasochism. An awesome sculpture of sound and fury, Carved into Stone is guilty of an aural assault so devastating that it really ought to be locked up.

-            Peter Lindblad