It's been four years since heavy metal stalwarts, Prong, released their Age Of Defiance EP, and this fall, they make their return with the release of their 13th studio album, State Of Emergency, out October 6 via Steamhammer / SPV.
The earned experience of having sat at the forefront of the heavy metal scene in the US and around the world for many decades now has given Tommy and the band the foresight to know what's ahead, and to and to keep churning out that impeccable recipe of punk, metal, post-punk noise, doom, blues and thrash that makes up Prong's sound.
State Of Emergency is a furious tableau of East Coast aggression, enveloped in that classic Prong sound that never goes out of style. The album’s first official single, "Non-Existence", is a perfect picture of its overall sound.
About the track, Prong founder Tommy Victor comments, “‘Non-Existence’, with its techno-style noise guitar that’s omnipresent on this album, is a bit like my retrospective glance at ‘Rude Awakening’.”
Watch the lyric video for "Non-Existence" below; stream/download the track here.
Victor outlines the stylistic direction of the eleven songs that make up State Of Emergency, “It’s a very ‘Prong’ record. I think it’s totally genre-transcending and definitely ignores what’s going on out there these days,”
Commenting on his artistic approach, he says: “I like all kinds of music. This record totally reflects that because it covers lots of different angles. At the same time,‘State Of Emergency’ is very guitar-oriented and a typical example of my style."
Produced by the skillful hands of legendary producer Steve Evetts (Sepultura, The Dillinger Escape Plan), State Of Emergency surprises on the post-punk track "Disconnected" and then grooves on the title track. Originally released as a standalone single in early 2023, “Breaking Point” takes no prisoners with honest lyrics and cutting attitude, while hard hitting "The Descent" is a lightning quick, classic ripper. "Back (NYC)" has Victor saying: “To me it’s as if Jimmy Page wrote a song playing through Dimebag’s amplifier, with Henry Rollins singing. Kind of a weird experiment for sure!”
The album closes with a cover of "Working Man", by the legendary Rush: “Rush was the first power trio I ever saw live and I was blown away by them. 'Working Man' is so simple and it’s so heavy. I also love the lyric. I thought it would be great tuned down a bit and slowed down, and I think we nailed it.”
State Of Emergency arrives perfectly in time for Prong's upcoming headline tour and subsequent November dates with Life of Agony in Europe.
State Of Emergency will be available on Steamhammer / SPV on CD, LP and for digital download. Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"The Descent"
"State of Emergency"
"Breaking Point"
"Non-Existence"
"Light Turns Black"
"Who Told Me"
"Obeisance"
"Disconnected"
"Compliant"
"Back (NYC)
"Working Man" (Rush cover)
"Non-Existence" lyric video:
"Breaking Point" lyric video:
(Photo - Nathaniel Shannon)
