PRONG
The Trident of '90s Groove Metal
"Another rude awakening!
The hard life that's been our school.
More of a cruel day's reckonings
Our prime time used up too soon.
There is no kindness to waste,
Why help those crying for more?
It spins you around, takes you for a ride.
What is the point to even try?
Somehow got to learn to accept the rejection."
---
Chorus lyric section
Song - Rude Awakening
Album - Rude Awakening
Year - 1996
Introduction
Imagine a New York City stage in the early
'90s, pulsating with raw energy as a three-piece band takes their positions.
The air crackles with anticipation as the first thunderous notes reverberate
through the venue, instantly captivating the crowd. This is Prong – the
powerhouse that forged their own path in the realm of heavy music, leaving an
indelible mark on the metal scene that still resonates today.
With a sonic assault of unrelenting riffs,
tight rhythms, and a guitar tone that cuts through the chaos like a scythe,
Prong emerged as pioneers, molding the very foundations of two groundbreaking
genres: Groove Metal and Crossover Thrash. They were the architects of a
musical revolution that would shape the future of metal.
Band leader Tommy Victor’s creative output in
terms of pure badass riffs, tight rhythm sections, unparalleled guitar tone,
and his love for experimenting with groove cannot be undermined. Prong was one
of the bands that refined the Crossover Thrash genre and were one of the bands
to pioneer and shape Groove Metal.
Prong started as a Crossover Thrash band with their
initial release entitled “Force Fed” in
1989.
Crossover Thrash is a fusion subgenre of Metal
and Hardcore Punk, originating in the 90s, combining the musical elements of
Thrash Metal (Bands like Slayer, Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, Anthrax, or Early
Metallica) and the aggression, rebellious spirit, and vocal delivery of
Hardcore Punk (Black Flag, Minor Threat, D.O.A, Discharge, etc.).
Crossover Thrash bands tend to have shouted,
anthemic and confrontational vocals, something that invokes a feeling of
rebellion or uprising with lyrics generally targeted at authority.
Occasionally, they also have themes regarding personal issues and struggles as
well.
Crossover Thrash songs require extremely
precise instrumentation requiring fast tempos, and extremely fast syncopation
in terms of drumming.
Apart from Crossover Thrash, Prong has
experimented with industrial metal as well. Apart from Prong, guitarist Tommy
Victor had gone on to play with some of the biggest bands and artists as their
primary guitarist, sessions guitarist, and touring guitarist on several
occasions such as Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Danzig, and Trent Reznor of Nine
Inch Nails.
Pioneering Groove Metal
Many would argue that Groove Metal
was pioneered by the bands Pantera and Exhorder, but it was Prong’s “Beg to Differ”
(12th March 1990) which was the very first groove metal album to
have ever released, compared to Pantera’s “Cowboys from Hell”
(24th July 1990) and Exhorder “The Law”
releasing much later in March 1992. The thing is that Pantera was already a well-established
band and already had a fan following and Exhorder was signed to a major label “Roadrunner Records”
while Prong was just starting.
Pantera went on to perfect the
Groove Metal blueprint. The genre was later shaped and further refined by bands
like Machine Head, White Zombie, Lamb of God, and Sepultura. While these are
some very popular bands in the 90s because they were signed to the biggest record
labels and record producers like Roadrunner, Relapse, Epic, Warner Bros, and
Nuclear Blast, bands like Prong and Helmet just went under the radar, did not
receive much radio airplay but were just as much influential to the entire
metal scene throughout the 90s. Moreover, Prong went on a different route and approached
their music differently, they didn’t just stick to groove metal but went on to
experiment with different styles.
Firstly, let’s understand what Groove Metal is.
Groove Metal is another subgenre of Metal originating
in the 90s. It was characterized by heavily distorted guitar instrumentation
and drumming, mostly played in a sort of rhythmic way following a certain
“groove”, invoking an infectious need to bob your head or move your head to the
rhythm of the song. The drums provide a
solid foundation with a pounding beat that complements the guitars, while the
vocals can range from aggressive and shouted vocals to melodic and clean
singing as well. The lyrics covered various topics including personal struggles,
social issues, and self - introspection.
Most of the bands brought their flavor to the
genre. While Pantera had perfected the sound of Groove Metal by the mid-90s, becoming
the flagship metal band of the era, Prong brought their elements of hardcore
punk and industrial metal to groove metal and made it their signature style of
groove metal.
Musical Characteristics
Prong typically plays as a power trio, meaning
a three-piece band consisting of a drummer, a bassist, and a sole
guitarist-vocalist. Tommy Victor is the main vocalist/guitarist while the
bassist might act as a backing vocalist if required in some of their songs.
Their music is highly riff-driven, often having
repetitive infectious guitar-groove patterns, heavily tight rhythm sections,
and walking basslines. Something that
also sets them apart is the use of a solid guitar tone. Tommy Victor is known
to be a guitar-tone nerd, which has earned him the respect among other bands
such as Danzig etc. He incorporates his stylistic influences with Prong’s music
from the bands that play like Danzig, Marilyn Manson, and Rob Zombie. Moreover, the first Prong albums such as “Beg
to Differ” (1990), “Cleansing” (1994), and “Rude Awakening” (1996) had some of
the best drum snare tones, depth-wise which sounds much more filling,
especially when listening to those albums using a good pair of headphones.
They occasionally incorporate guitar solos
which are fair enough for the mere reason of existence in a few songs, but one
doesn’t listen to Prong for the guitar solos but for the badass and nasty type of guitar riffs and the tone, which is a great feat by itself.
The guitar tone has a character in itself. It
gives a sinister vibe. Tommy Victor uses a lot of vibratos, hammer-ons, and
Pull-Offs in his playing which gives that extra bit of sauce to Prong’s tone. Accurate palm muting and muted string percussive notes
are also a few techniques they incorporate into their playing style.
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Post-90s and Beyond
Prong went on influence the alternative and nu-metal
scene that was booming in the late 90s and 2000s era. Bands like Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot, Drowning Pool, Ministry, Dope, Coal Chamber, Rob Zombie, etc. Most of
these bands borrowed the concept of incorporating industrial elements into their
music just like how Prong experimented with this style of approach to their
music in their albums such as “Rude Awakening”
(1996) and “Cleansing”
(1994).
Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory is a great
example where they were heavily influenced by Prong. There are some noticeable similarities
in a few of their songs with Prong’s catalog. Coal Chamber’s self-titled album
also carries some of the DNA that Prong incorporated into their music.
Wayne Static’s Static – X’s entire
discography is just a collection of Prong riffs with a sprinkle of Helmet, Pantera
and Machine Head influences, played in different ways with different
structuring.
Widely popular industrial bands like Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails and Fear Factory have also
carried that industrial rock and metal legacy that Prong laid the foundation
for and went on to refine their sound and develop their styles of music.
In conclusion, Prong has contributed to an
entire generation of rock and alternative music that the 90s kids grew up
listening to. Those influences are still
present and can still be heard in modern rock and metal bands that are just
starting or those that have started recently.
Over the years, with the advent of music streaming
services and YouTube, Prong has gained a very strong cult following in the
metal scene with hit songs such as “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck”, “Another
Worldly Device”, “Whose Fist is this Anyway?”, “Beg to Differ”,
and “Revenge…Served Cold”.
Conclusion
Prong’s legacy continues to live
on and still can be seen and heard in newer music of today. Their relentless
touring schedule, extensive throughput of quality music over the years, and Tommy
Victor’s profoundly busy schedule and connection with big bands have made Prong
one of the most influential and important bands of the modern era and inspire
aspiring musicians and fans alike, reminding us of the unyielding power of
heavy music.
Thanks for reading.
Check out a few songs by Prong
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