### Prong: Power of the damager

#### 18/09/07 || Lord K Philipson

Back in the early 90’s I was supposed to join Grave for some tours as their session guitarist. Well, that didn’t happen (well it did, some 15 years later – but that’s another story). Why do I bring this up? Becoz I clearly remember that pretty much the only thing we listened to in the car on our way to the rehearsal room was the “Cleansing” album by Prong. We all loved it, Grave even more than me, and I liked it a lot. I still do, as a matter of fact, though some years have definitely passed since I last heard it. After that release I can’t say that I have followed Prong’s career at fucken all. They have most probably released a bunch of albums since “Cleansing”, but I can’t name one of them, not even with my cock under the hammer.

This leads me to the following fact: I believe this is my first encounter with Prong since “Cleansing”. Wow, time flies, but you can’t blame me – it’s not like Prong’s been on everyone’s lips as of late, right? I don’t know how much time Tommy Victor’s been able to put into Prong while doing stints with that midget who got his face re-arranged (Danzig) and Ministry, but it sounds like it hasn’t been enough, becoz “Power of the damager” is not a return to old form, that’s for sure.

This album goes on and on without any memorable tunes whatsoever. There’s no aggression or even any catchy riffs included here, it just moves forward in no distinct direction. There’s no innovation, just semi-metal bullshit with some hideous jump-da-fuck-up parts that reminds me of the suckfest that is Biohazard. It’s all riffs and songs we have heard before, only done better in the past, both by the band themselves and other bands. You find no “Snap your fingers, snap your neck” (Prong’s best tune ever) here. As mentioned, there’s absolutely nothing remotely close to past glories displayed on “Power of the damager”. It’s an album we could all do without.

Wikipedia lists Prong as “groove metal”. Man, that is seriously some disturbed shit right there, haha… There’s nothing groovy about today’s Prong. There’s actually nothing good about today’s Prong, period. I can almost guarantee that you won’t find Ola and the Grave guys spinning this one in their cars all too often.

Stay away from this crap and put on “Cleansing” instead. You can thank me later.

3 out of 10 is almost too high a score.

- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: 13th Planet Records
- Website: www.prongmusic.com
- Band
- Tommy Victor: guitars and vocals
- Monte Pittman: bass
- Aaron Rossi: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Looking for Them
- 02. No Justice
- 03. Third Option
- 04. Pure Ether
- 05. Power of the Damager
- 06. The Banishment
- 07. Worst of It
- 08. Spirit Guide
- 09. Messages Inside of Me
- 10. Can’t Stop the Bleeding
- 11. Bad Fall
- 12. Changing Ending Troubling Times