CoC : Prong - Rude Awakening : Review

Prong - _Rude Awakening_
(Epic/Sony, 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)

Much more focused and straightforward than their last effort, _Cleansing_ (1993), New York City hard-grooved metal trio return with a story and sound, revealed and emphasized through the sounds emerging from their new LP, _Rude Awakening_. The music here is not hidden behind screams of rage or loud crashes of music. It's rather raw and virgin-like, assembled slightly with a feeling of uniqueness in sound and lyrical content. The obvious changes of the band are shown through the sound and direction of the band. While less bombastic than previous efforts such as _Beg To Differ_ (1990) and 1991's breakthrough LP _Prove You Wrong_, the music of _RA_ stills breathes of heaviness. Sampler and keyboardist Charlie Clauser (of NIN fame) adds his own blend of trippiness and oddity into the rough vocals of singer/guitarist Tommy Victor and the tight riffs and strides of power provided by the band. From start to finish, the 13 track's of Prong's latest glides nicely with numbers like "Controller", "Innocence Gone", "Face Value" and the title track. Though some of the material sounds very similar at times (take note and you'll hear it after a few listens), this album deserves to be taken as masterpiece of performance by a band that for years has shapeshifted and tried so hard to perfect their sound. No need to work at it any more as _RA_ can finally claim fame to a unique sound that can only call Prong's guidance and deliverance home.

(article published 9/6/1996)

CHATS
7/17/1996	A Bromley	Prong: Gargantuan Grooves

ALBUMS
7/24/2003	X Hoose	6	Prong - Scorpio Rising