It’s been four years since heavy metal stalwarts PRONG released their acclaimed “Age Of Defiance” EP, and this fall, they make their eagerly anticipated return with the arrival of their thirteenth studio album, “State Of Emergency”, due out October 6, 2023 via Steamhammer/SPV.
The earned experience of having sat at the forefront of the heavy metal scene in the U.S. and around the world for many decades now has given frontman Tommy Victor and the band the foresight to know what’s ahead, and to and to keep churning out that impeccable recipe of punk, metal, post-punk noise, doom, blues and thrash that makes up PRONG‘s sound.
“State Of Emergency” is a furious tableau of East Coast aggression, enveloped in that classic PRONG sound that never goes out of style. The album’s first official single, “Non-Existence”, is a perfect picture of its overall sound.
About the track, Victor comments: “‘Non-Existence’, with its techno-style noise guitar that’s omnipresent on this album, is a bit like my retrospective glance at ‘Rude Awakening’.”
Watch the lyric video for “Non-Existence” below.
Victor outlines the stylistic direction of the eleven songs that make up “State Of Emergency”: “It’s a very PRONG record. I think it’s totally genre-transcending and definitely ignores what’s going on out there these days.”
Commenting on his artistic approach, he says: “I like all kinds of music. This record totally reflects that because it covers lots of different angles. At the same time, ‘State Of Emergency’ is very guitar-oriented and a typical example of my style.'”
Produced by the skillful hands of legendary producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN),“State Of Emergency” surprises on the post-punk track “Disconnected” and then grooves on the title track. Originally released as a standalone single in early 2023, “Breaking Point” takes no prisoners with honest lyrics and cutting attitude, while hard hitting “The Descent” is a lightning quick, classic ripper.
“Back (NYC)” has Victor saying: “To me it’s as if Jimmy Page wrote a song playing through Dimebag‘s amplifier, with Henry Rollins singing. Kind of a weird experiment, for sure!”
The album closes with a cover of “Working Man”, originally written and recorded by the legendary RUSH.
“RUSH was the first power trio I ever saw live and I was blown away by them,” Tommy says. “‘Working Man’ is so simple and it’s so heavy. I also love the lyric. I thought it would be great tuned down a bit and slowed down, and I think we nailed it.”
“State Of Emergency” arrives perfectly in time for PRONG‘s upcoming headline tour and subsequent November dates with LIFE OF AGONY in Europe.
“State Of Emergency” track listing:
01. The Descent
02. State Of Emergency
03. Breaking Point
04. Non-Existence
05. Light Turns Black
06. Who Told Me
07. Obeisance
08. Disconnected
09. Compliant
10. Back (NYC)
11. Working Man (RUSH Cover)
Photo credit: Nathaniel Shannon
