helterskelter.ca

PRONG
1990 - Beg To Differ.
1994 - Cleansing.
1996 - Rude Awakening.
way more Helter Skelter.

March 12, 1990 - 2025: 35 years of: Beg To Differ.

NYC shapes the scene, again.

Our lovely trio now breaks the rules: thrash heads towards the trash. Moving away from the garage-punkmetal of 1988's Force Fed LP, PRONG would now stand-tall at the startup-line and present modern-metal's upcoming foundations.

The pit opens up, as the crowd holds "For Dear Life", until they all end at the box-office's "Lost And Found". More headbangin' power is spewed on "Steady Decline" and the elaborate "Take It In Hand". Contemporary mosh groove.

The jazz infused instrumental "Intermenstrual, D.S.B." displays top-self musicianship, while the dark mid-paced "Prime Cuts" digs deeper past layers of traditional metal time-signatures.

And finally, the 90s are embraced with the ultimate power-punch, as the title-track for "Beg To Differ" breaks the rules. Clever, yet with simple metal-architectures, from staccato start / stop riffing, to melody bridges, this new alloy is not for the casual-fans. The thrashmetal scene was bound for a drastic change and PRONG leads the way.

Now inked to major-label Epic Records worldwide, the mutant-metal's appeal teased and shall eventually become a staple for this upcoming decade. Snappin' their fingers and snappin' necks, PRONG's new-metal trek shall bloom on 1991's Prove You Wrong CD.

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Beg To Differ = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x6R99V-iHA
Lost And Found = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G47Ku_Uaxns
Beg To Differ = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI58qmQCEsM&list=OLAK5uy_m-wSqg2PRFDV4Sa6T7341V5Qorydo2e-4
MTV interview in 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_BWL-XBZHM
Live in France in 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLM3T1j8gM4

January 25, 1994 - 2024: 30 years of: Cleansing.

New era needs new metal.

With a long-term vision, PRONG had already broken the thrashmetal mold with 1990's Beg To Differ CD. Now deep into this post-Black Album era, these NYC-men made sure the old thrash clichés were left in the trash. New-metal is now official.

High-gain crunch snaps necks on cue, as "Another Worldly Device" kicks the bucket. Dropped-tuned and deadly, this new trick redefines the decade-old sound. Groovemetal gets a poster-track in "Whose Fist Is This Anyway ?", a proud exhibition of hip drum-patterns and right-hand palm-muting action.

Cool riffing with cool attitude reeks on "Out Of This Misery", while the head-shot killer of "Cut-Rate" and utopian-vibe of "No Question", pumps adrenaline into the future. The extra-hard jack-hammer of "Broken Peace" is another slick start / stop piece, while the street groove of "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck"s intense Headbanger's Ball rotation helped the track to become the band's signature-cut and one of the 90s ultimate flagship-track.

For extra tone, behind the desk, the new king of hard-stuff Terry Date ...and for extra deep-bass, welcome aboard ex-KILLING JOKE gentlemen Paul Raven. 1991's Prove You Wrong CD solidified Tommy Victor as a riffologist of high stature, yet it's through cleansing that they would bring the game to new heights.

Sadly PRONG never had the big stage opened for them, albeit being on Epic Records ...the scene was simply not ready for this unique metal alloy. Adding more industrial-flair to the mix, their next sonic-assault would leap-frog the genre into the millennium ...1996's pristine power-punch Rude Awakening CD.

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Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwUT1LTh7RE
Whose Fist Is This Anyway ? = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLya_k_lQL0
Broken Peace = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbTJIHqNmc8
Cleansing = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56xikc4Ovws&list=PLP3871vHLofIc4WKq5FHnuVus2PIxXp31
MTV interview in 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGkZH_t6Lwo
Live in Baltimore in 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ22Vrzy-yY

May 14, 1996 - 2026: 30 years of: Rude Awakening.

Thru cleansing, they proved us wrong.

This mature trio is the future of metal. Heating up steam with 1994's Cleansing CD, they were now at the pole position for new-metal. Snapping fingers and snapping necks, you just can't look away ...here's PRONG !

Distinguished production is instant on "Controller", the other side of the now trending groovemetal wave. Downtuned and down to business, no riff opportunity is left aside. More oomph is added on "Caprice" and "Face Value", as rich keyboards and industrial-flair adds deep layers of dark textures.

The hypnotically catchy title-track for "Rude Awakening" force feds itself into the scene, along the mosh-pit action of "Mansruin" and the DYI vibe of "Innocence Gone" ...extra power for the damagers.

PRONG: one of the initial atoms of streetmetal.

The alternative to thrashmetal and nümetal, an hybrid of both genres. Produced by Terry Date and touring with TYPE O NEGATIVE, LIFE OF AGONY and PANTERA ...PRONG were in the zone. Sadly, thru fast changing rock-agendas, the band was dropped from their major-label deal and faded into nothingness. Guitarist Tommy reappeared with DANZIG while drummer Ted tagged along with GODFLESH.

An eventual PRONG revival would arise with 2003's millennial-mosh Scorpio Rising CD.

RIP Paul Raven (1961-2007)

*
Rude Awakening = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXC-n_XVAl8
Rude Awakening = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fc3GC30b64&list=OLAK5uy_kgwu2xmtm_utgGzfNGxDCAI8iHCBULI5g
Interview in Germany in 1996
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3S1dJkeVtc
Live at Bizarre Festival in 1996
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjCYsM2rO-0