Prong – X- No Absolutes (CD Album – Steamhammer/SPV)
Genre/Influences: Metal.
Background/Info: “X-No Absolutes” is again produced by Tommy Victor himself, with Chris Collier as a co-producer, who also collaborated on the “Songs From The Black Hole” all-covers album.
Content: Expectations were high after “Carved Into Stone” and “Ruining Lives”. Both were full of the raw Prong energy the fans have come to know and love.
On this album between them Tommy and Chris polished Prong to shine brightly; at the same time making it loose some of its idiosyncrasy. You could also call it “broadening Prong’s sonic horizon” of course.
“Do Nothing” is the culmination of the polishing. Let’s hope it’s the closest Prong will ever get to a ballad.
+ + +: The musical, technical, mixing and mastering prowess on this album is overabundant. This is one well-made metal/hard rock album.
– – -: The album builds on clean vocal melodies more than the signature Tommy Victor riffs and licks, making it more mainstream hard rock sounding.
Conclusion: This rather short (45 minutes) album can gain Prong fans from a younger more mainstream audience. Long-time fans might feel the album to be rather soulless; missing the grit; the rawness; the sharp edges.
Best songs: “Without Words”, “Soul Sickness”.
Rate: (SR:6)SR.
Band: www.prongmusic.com / www.facebook.com/prongmusic
Label: www.spv.de / www.facebook.com/steamhammerofficial
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
