Four years after the for some great, for some crappy, Scorpio Rising, PRONG are back with a brand new album. The US metallers show that they are still alive and they can still forge some pure Metal. The band managed to confuse its fan base with its musical evolution in the past, but PRONG seem to have decided what kind of music fits them better. If you are a devoted old school fan of this band and hate its latest releases better start reading something else, because this review will not please you for sure.

Even though PRONG started as a Thrash/Crossover act, they soon started experimenting with their sound and added many new elements like Hardcore, Industrial and PANTERA style groovy stuff. That's where many old school fans were disappointed with the path the band chose to follow. Not only that, but PRONG have gone through so many line up changes that I need five pages to write them down. Some indicative names of the band's quality are Paul Raven (GODFLESH, ex-KILLING JOKE), John Tempesta (TESTAMENT, HELMET, WHITE ZOMBIE) and John Bechel (FEAR FACTORY, MINISTRY).

With such kind of musicians having lived in the band's ranks, you can easily understand that we are talking about a musical monster here. Let's also not forget that vocalist/guitarist Tommy Victor is the guitar player for MINISTRY and has also played for DANZIG. How can you maintain a classic Metal style when you have such diverse musicians? That's what PRONG thought and composed one more heavy and electric album like Power Of The Damager. Their brand new work is pretty similar to their 2003 Scorpio Rising, an album which I actually adore.

Power Of The Damager is exactly where melody meets with heaviness and groove. Wouldn't you like a combination between FEAR FACTORY's Industrial feeling and PANTERA's catchy Thrash Metal? PRONG are here to offer you this mixture and you just have headbang to the nice tunes Tommy Victor and his fellows have created!  In case you can't imagine their style, try to recall HELMET's music, it will definitely help.

The production really takes the music one step further (I don't really know who was behind the console), offering the sound the heaviness it needs. PRONG are back 3 years after their last album (Scorpio Rising) and they have managed to prove that they are still alive and kicking! No one can deny that! Old school metallers... keep away!