Prong

Lyken21 – Cyclical Insight Review

Lyken21 – Cyclical Insight Review

By Steel Druhm on June 25, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Sliptrick Records, Heavy Metal, 17 comments

“Bands who churn up a variety of styles within their sound present some challenges to music consumers and the journalists who cover them. On the one hand they provide a host of talking points in a single review, while on the other they make it difficult to categorize and pigeonhole. And there is nothing wrong with that, per se. One glance at where heavy metal music has drifted from its 1970s roots is all it takes to affirm that these mash-ups of styles can and often do enrich the genre.” Genre pile-up ahead.

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

By Mark Z. on June 16, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Live Reviews, 41 comments

“Anyone who’s seen The Wire knows Baltimore can be a rough place, but on Memorial Day weekend every year, things get especially brutal. Hundreds of rabid metal fans from all over the world descend on ‘Charm City’ to participate in Maryland Deathfest, and the result is four days of moshing, headbanging, and partying like it’s 1989.” Death to all.

Poltergeist – Back to Haunt Review

Poltergeist – Back to Haunt Review

By Treble Yell on October 23, 2016 in 2016, Pure Steel Records, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“In a dimly lit basement sits an easel covered by a dust-kissed veil. Beneath it reveals a portrait illustrating denim-clad, leonine-tousled men. Their faces are sunken and scored, their skin sallow and mottled. Whilst the painting’s subjects may be cruelled by time, the actual bands portrayed here are instead brimming with life, churning out quality music that belies their age.” The olde can still be bold(e).

Prong – X – No Absolutes Review

Prong – X – No Absolutes Review

By Dr. Fisting on January 29, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Groove Metal, Hardcore, Rating, Reviews, SPV, SPV Records, Uncategorized, Groove Metal, 19 comments

“Tommy Victor’s Prong have been cranking out music at a furious rate lately, delivering a studio record, a covers EP and a live album within the past 2 years or so. While this work ethic is admirable (and rivaled only by perhaps Max Cavalera), we all know quantity does not always equal quality. 2012’s Carved Into Stone was their best record since their early 1990s heyday, but the follow-up Ruining Lives was somewhat hindered by fake-sounding production and some half-baked attempts at melody. Can X–No Absolutes reverse the trend, or continue it further?” You just have to root for Prong, don’t you?

Prong – Songs From The Black Hole Review

Prong – Songs From The Black Hole Review

By Dr. Fisting on March 29, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Groove Metal, Reviews, SPV, 32 comments

“Being a Prong fan can be a confusing exercise in cognitive dissonance. I am acutely aware of their many musical shortcomings, and yet I keep coming back for the awesome riffs and mosh-worthy aggression. The band’s track record with other people’s songs is pretty bizarre, and when I saw the tracklist for their covers album Songs From The Black Hole, my initial reaction was equal parts glee and dread. This has the potential to either be fucking awesome, or hilariously bad.” Read along as Mr. Fisting attacks the black hole that is an album of cover tunes by Prong.

Prong – Ruining Lives Review

Prong – Ruining Lives Review

By Dr. Fisting on April 15, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Industrial Metal, Releases, Reviews, SPV, SPV Records, 8 comments

“After Prong’s original incarnation crashed and burned in the mid-’90s, bandleader Tommy Victor has been gradually working his way back into the metal world’s good graces. 2003’s “comeback” album Scorpio Rising may have been seriously misguided, but the records that followed made great strides towards restoring Prong’s dignity. 2012’s Carved Into Stone particularly recaptured a lot of the elements that made the band’s breakout album, 1994’s Cleansing, a classic. Perhaps sensing that he’s on the right track, Victor wasted little time in releasing a follow-up, entitled Ruining Lives.” You think Prong is done and over? They beg to differ.

Bloody Hammers – Spiritual Relics Review

Bloody Hammers – Spiritual Relics Review

By Steel Druhm on September 17, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 3 comments

Well, this is a bit of a surprise. I never heard of Bloody Hammers until I reviewed their self-titled debut in February, and now they’re back with a follow-up a mere seven months later! Talk about productivity! While I liked aspects of the debut and their Hour of 13 and Witchfinder General meets Danzig approach to retro “occult rock,” things felt a bit underwhelming as a whole and suffered from inconsistent songwriting.” With so little time between releases, is it realistic to expect big improvement on Spiritual Relics? Steel Druhm is here to prep your expectations accordingly.

Newsted – Heavy Metal Music Review

Newsted – Heavy Metal Music Review

By Steel Druhm on August 2, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Chophouse Records, Heavy Metal, Reviews, 12 comments

“By now most of you are familiar with the dysfunctional soap opera that led Jason Newsted to jump ship from Metallica prior to their execrable St. Anger album. Anyone who watched the shockumentary Some Kind of Monster can see why he bailed and most probably wonder why he didn’t beat copious amounts of Danish ass and kick over the Hetfield Table™ on his way out the door. Since his exodus, Jason has shown himself to be a productive and versatile musician’s musician, recording with Voivod, playing with Ozzy Osbourne, keeping his Echobrain project running and finding time to launch his eponymous solo project Newsted.” Jason Newsted has this solo thing going on and finally released the debut album. Steel Druhm gives you the lowdown as Lars and James download it illegally out of spite.