Prong — Carved Into Stone
What becomes an iconoclast the most? Carved Into Stone sums up what Prong stands for. This is an album slaked in hostility, personal detachment and seething with the urban paranoia that’s long been the mark of this sonic triad. It’s eleven tracks that don’t merely settle into the New York City-born band’s cannon of material that has yielded post-metal classics including Beg To Differ and Cleansing. It exceeds it.
Produced and mixed by Steve Evetts (Dillinger Escape Plan, Suicide Silence), Carved Into Stone picks up where Prong’s classic albums left off. Opener “Eternal Heat” sets things off at a blistering pace fueled by drummer Alexei Rodriguez and bassist Tony Campos’ formidable rhythm section. Meanwhile, the likes of “Revenge…Best Served Cold” is absolute, classic Prong: a huge riff slaked with bitter sentiments.
Tommy Victor admits that Carved Into Stone is the first time Prong has taken direction from a producer in the studio. “It’s also the hardest I’ve ever worked on a record,” he says of working with Evetts. “I’m happier with the way it came out more than almost anything I’ve ever done but there were points during it I wanted to kill myself and everyone around me.”
Prong emerged from the New York City underground of the late 80’s, quickly setting themselves apart from the conformist culture of the city’s hardcore and metal scenes. They were recognized internationally for their first two independent releases: Primitive Origins and Force Fed. When Prong’s dalliance with the outer limits of the mainstream acceptance came via Epic Records, it proved more successful than the underground-bred trio ever expected. The band’s “Snap Your Fingers Snap Your Neck” from Cleansing became Prong’s calling card.
“It felt like the world had finally caught up with us,” says Tommy. Prong’s influence was being felt in the scene around them. Bands from the likes of Pantera to White Zombie to Korn were taking notice of Prong’s purposeful, creative riffing and making that the template for platinum selling success. “I wasn’t jealous,” Tommy recalls. “But I could take a royalty check or two.”
At the beginning of the 2000’s, Tommy put Prong aside for a time to play with Danzig and Ministry. It was a much-needed time for Victor to refocus his energies. When Prong finally twisted itself back into form, they toured exhaustively both headlining and supporting the likes of Soulfly and Fear Factory. Slowly but surely, the songs and ideas that would become Carved Into Stone began to take form. “The songs I was writing felt more like Prong than anything I had written since Raven was in the band,” says Tommy, recalling the era when the recently deceased ex-Killing Joke bassist Paul Raven was one of his co-conspirators.
Prong’s Long Branch Records/SPV debut Carved Into Stone isn’t merely another chapter in the band’s many-storied career or the much clichéd “return to form”. It’s the sound of Tommy Victor and Company stating exactly who Prong is. Like it or not, they aren’t about to go away any time soon.
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„Carved Into Stone“ ist ohne Zweifel Prong pur! „Es war die härteste Studioarbeit die ich je für ein Album an dem ich beteiligt war vollbracht habe“ sagt Gitarrist, Sänger und Prong Gründer Tommy Victor über die Entstehung des Albums. Prong, deren Line-Up nun auch Bassist Tony Campos und Schlagzeuger Alexei Rodriguez umfasst, machen in der stetigen Entwicklung ihres Sounds einen weiteren Schritt vorwärts. Das Album führt den Hörer vom Fundament der frühen, rauen Jahre, in denen sich die Band in New York’s Lower East Side gründete, bis in die heutige Zeit in der Prong ein wichtiger Einfluss für die Post-Metal und Rock Szene sind. „Ich habe immer daran geglaubt dass es viele Facetten von Prong gibt“ sagt Tommy. „Auf jedem Album wurden wir mit verschiedenen Musikstilen assoziiert – Hardcore, Metal, Industrial und sogar Dance! Ich denke auf diesem Album vereinen wir alles miteinander und klingen gleichzeitig sehr modern.“ Produziert wurde „Carved Into Stone“ von Steve Evetts der bereits mit Künstlern wie Dillinger Escape Plan oder Suicide Silence arbeitete.
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Line Up:
Tommy Victor – vocals, guitar
Tony Campos – bass
Alexei Rodriguez – drums
PRONG “Beg To Differ” Tour
5/08/12 Colchester (UK) @ Arts Centre
5/09/12 Brighton (UK) @ Haunt
5/10/12 Sheffield (UK) @ Corporation
5/11/12 Glasgow (UK) @ Cathouse
5/12/12 Nottingham (UK) @ Rescue Rooms
5/13/12 London (UK) @Garage
5/15/12 Southampton (UK) @ The Cellar
5/16/12 Groningen (NL) @ Vera
5/17/12 Hellendorn (NL) @ Dauwpop Festival
5/18/12 Breda (NL) @ Mezz
5/19/12 Antwerp (B) @ Trix Hall
05/20/12 Frankfurt (D) @ Batschkapp
05/21/12 München (D) @ Backstage
05/22/12 Bochum (D) @ Matrix
