Prong - X - No Absolutes
by Kevin Wierzbicki
.
Although they have undergone periods of inactivity and tons of line-up changes over the decades, 2016 marks a 30th anniversary for Prong, still helmed by founding member, singer and guitarist Tommy Victor. Here Victor leads the band --- rounded out by drummer Art Cruz and bass man Jason Christopher --- through a set of the metal-tinged hard rock that fans have come to expect from the power trio, making sure on pounders like "Cut and Dry" to leave room among his near-constant rhythmic guitar shredding to break out with a brief melodic solo. With Victor's guitar prowess well-known you might expect "Without Words" to be an axe-showcasing instrumental; the song does accent Victor's guitar, set to 'grind,' but ironically it's the lyrics to the song that are in the spotlight with a chorus that's airy and catchy and completely ready for massive radio airplay. The band gives a nod to hardcore roots with the fast-and-furious thrash of "Sense of Ease;" "Do Nothing" on the other hand is just the opposite, being sort of a Prong version of a ballad. "Worth Pursuing" is a boogie-ing assessment of seeking the spiritual unknown but the song title could also be apply to what Prong fans are likely to think of this record. The guys aren't reinventing anything here and that's a good thing; X - No Absolutes finds Prong doing what they do best.
Prong - X - No Absolutes
Rating:
