The North American trio PRONG doesn't need further introductions. The trio (specifically, the band's guitarist, vocalist and mentor Tommy Victor) is one of the forefathers of everything that is modern and experimental in Metal. It awakens contrasts of feelings on many fans: a great part loves the band, the other one hates (those who claim themselves as old school head-bangers, those who ignore that the trio started back in 1986). Every new album of PRONG really calls the attention of us all. So what is the band about with "Zero Days", their latest album, released just one year after "X - No Absolutes"?

The first thing that really calls the attention is the change of bassist (it seems to be a curse that torments the band since their first bassist, Mike Kirkland, left the band in 1990): Mike Longworth replaced Jason Christopher. But PRONG's musical style is the same: that same fusion between Thrash Metal, Hardcore, and Industrial Metal with influences from Groove Metal. Their work is aggressive, modern and really filled with some excellent melodies. The energy of their songs is something amazing. But let's speak the truth: their musical style never gets outdated; it's always fresh, new and different.

As always, Tommy Victor produced the album, and this time he had Chris Collier helping on the production and engineering. We can say that they took a lot of care with the sound quality's aesthetics, because the album has a more clean and aggressive sound, with very good instrumental tunes. But you better beware with your ears, because my words don't mean that they became more accessible, for their sound is sharp and truly rough! What an oppressive and great art work on the cover as well! Well, PRONG is always amazing, and "Zero Days" is here as great and strong as their classical albums. Yes, you read well, because the band is in a great and creative moment, using 12 short songs (only one of them lasts more than four minutes), 12 ways to make complainers and stinking shit speakers shut their fucking mouths!

Take a listen to the modern and truly aggressive "However It May End" with its not so fast tempos, the very good and fast "Zero Days" and its aggressive and excellent guitars, the mix between Hardcore and modern sound on "Off the Grid" (that creates an abrasive sensation, with excellent punctual Industrial influences and fine bass guitar and drums works), the excellent catchy melodies of "Divide and Conquer", the nasty and brutal Crossover blow of energy that "Forced Into Tolerance" forces down our throats (I love this chorus, and the vocals, spiting the lyrics with irony and fury, are amazing, and this one a strong candidate to be a hit), the melancholic and introspective feeling that permeates the melodic lines of "Blood Out of Stone", the shrapnel of hooking riffs on "Operation of the Moral Law" (Tommy is amazing and creative with his guitars), the modern accessibility shown on "The Whispers" (but don't ask them more accessibility than we hear on this song, with fine and great tempos from bass guitar and drums), the dirty and raw scent of "Self Righteous Indignation", the fine melodic lines of vocals on "Compulsive Future Projection" and on "Wasting of the Dawn". On the CD version, you'll have a bonus called "Reasons to Be Fearful". This barely is a list of the best songs, because there aren't such things here, because PRONG is here to break your bones and to make you eat your spines by force!

This is PRONG, so enjoy "Zero Days", one of the finest albums of the year (and fanboy is your assholes, motherfuckers). PRONG is life.