In 1988, nothing mattered to me - except for my skateboard, my cassette collection, my woman, my weed, & my next issue of Thrasher Magazine.
Each month, I used to read & re-read each issue of that legendary skateboard magazine - (who didn't?). In those days, Pushead did the music writing for them - and like many of you who are of my generation - I found myself delving deeper & deeper into the underground hardcore / metal scenes around the world via the "Puszone" column each month.
Thusly, that is where I first discovered Prong.
The guitar riffs on this thing are all so fucking strong; compelling you to bang your head one minute, & then circle-pit your ass off the next. The bass is bottom heavy w/ a resounding thud, and the drumming is fucking epic - heavy & on-point - yet full of subtle nuances that transcend much of what the crossover scene was doing back then.
The cover art upon first sight was so stark and burly to me - I was heavily into Cro-Mags & Agnostic Front & C.o.C. at this time, so this was a logical next-step (musically) for me. It sounded like nothing else I'd heard before.
Prong did one more record after this that I (sorta) liked, 1990's "Beg to Differ", which contained a cool Pushead cover, a few rippers & a bunch of polished, homogenized tunes that didn't hold that same raw & unbridled power - it was a sign of what was to come for the band - and I didn't bother to follow them any more after that.
This record still holds its own as a unique-sounding NY crossover gem that gets overlooked at times. For a little indie-released record that didn't have much (if any) budget behind it, the mix is very strong, everything is loud in the mix, yet balanced nicely. Certainly grab this if you don't have it already.
