Zero Days

Zero Days frontloads what I believe to be its least compelling track, "However It May Ends", one of the heavier here to be sure, with a big brute Biohazard groove and some stock thrashing passages, but even there you can tell they're trying to round it out really well with a cool, melodic chord pattern behind the pre-chorus. That's not to forgive a lot of the vapid, boring chugging that fuels it, but I doubt too many people would hear this opener and feel like the band is in any way lacking an energy far beyond its years, even if you cannot stand the somewhat lackluster creativity of the riffs. While this is a symptom of a few tracks on the disc, I'm happy to say that overall this is the best of the albums since Carved Into Stone, and the effort that went both the production and variation is more than apparent.

Like X - No Absolutes before it, Zero Days plays like a sort of career retrospective packed into a singular experience that is streamlined through the loud, punchy production. You've got a lot of material here that is pretty much pure thrash, weighted by walls of dense palm muted riffs that are likely trying to keep it heavier and relevant with a lot of the popular styles of the 21st century. A lot of attention to detail is given to the lead guitars, and there are even obscure little tributes I noticed in a few of the songs. For instance, in the title track, there's a point where you're getting these hyper picked, dingy little guitar rhythms behind the bridge which remind me a whole lot of the tone and style on Force Fed. Some of the note progressions and structure of "Rulers of the Collective" feels a LOT like "Rude Awakening", almost as if they took that track and just remade parts of it, tucked it away on the latter half of this album to see if any of us were paying attention. These are probably too subtle details for many to pick out, but I just wanted to reiterate how cognizant this record is of the stuff Prong had written before it.

That said, they do try new patterns, catchy chorus parts we've not heard before like in "The Whispers", a cut that partly feels like it would have been a natural on Cleansing. "Interbeing" is one of my favorites, opening with a very Testament style thrash riff and delivering on some of Tommy's most interesting and almost robotic sounding vocals, with a pre-chorus and chorus that really paid off. "Divide and Conquer" is another fresh-feeling track with some nice bass effects, and a bit of a Helmet feel only through that more mechanical Prong lens...again, another very strong chorus which wouldn't be out of place on the alt rock radio. New bassist Mike Longworth fit in smoothly with a huge tone and plenty of moody lines that enhanced the tracks, primarily in the verses, although he would soon be replaced by Jason Christopher's return the following year. The lyrics are solid, Victor turning in the consummate professional performance all around, as he should with the massive level of experience he's got writing and touring in some pretty huge bands. Arturo Cruz, who ironically would be leaving himself after this, also has a flawless contribution, drumming that can flex with whatever style Prong is cycling through at any given instant, and emphasizing the groove and heaviness, even where it feels the most generic. And that's about my only real complaint, some of the heavier riffs here are just too bland, been there, done that, even predictably djenty in "Compulsive Future Projection"...and everything else just deserved better. But it's still a good album if you're willing to embrace its broad appeal.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Tommy Victor is somewhat of a legend within the circles of thrash metal, hardcore and crossover. Under his leadership, Victor has guided Prong through both the good and bad times and is the man solely responsible for the ever evolving sound of Prong through his vision. With yet another line-up shuffle in 2016 following the release of the previous Prong album ‘X – No Absolutes’, a process that will be familiar to all Prong fans, sees the arrival of former Ritual Sacrifice bassist Mike Longworth who replaces Jason Christopher after 5 years, with the arrival of Longworth meaning that he joins the ever present Victor and drummer Art Cruz to complete Prong’s 2017 line-up. Tommy Victor is a workhorse and never one to rest upon his laurels, 2017 has Prong releasing their 11th studio album ‘Zero Days’ through SPV/Steamhammer Records on July 28th.

As you would expect, ‘Zero Days’ begins in true Prong style with a typical Tommy Victor bellow and the more than decent crossover touches of ‘However It May End’. The opening track may have all the hallmarks of the thrash and crossover, but there is a hint of something else here, the half time sections would appeal to fans of groove metal and maybe even nu-metal with the throbbing beats and double bass blasts. As usual, Tommy Victor writes the best when he has a bee in his bonnet and with ‘Zero Days’, the bee has most definitely returned and is politically driven. Even on superficial listening, you get the feeling that Victor is not happy with the political climate in the USA; Donald Trump, race riots, fascist marches and the threat of nuclear war all hang over ‘Zero Days’ like an omnipresent mushroom cloud.

The album begins with the one-two punch of ‘However It May End’ and the title track. Both these tracks deal with the atomic holocaust lingering over our heads like the Sword of Damocles, as Tommy Victor preaches from his pulpit as a heavy metal doomsayer. Given the rather gloomy lyrical content of impending obliteration, both songs fit really well, however, at times, both Art Cruz and Mike Longworth add little more than garnish to let’s face it, the Tommy Victor show and both ‘However It May End’ and ‘Zero Days’ will make you sit up and think: “wow! Prong are back with a bang!” if you excuse the explosive pun.

With ‘Zero Days’, Prong provide a bit of everything, not just for new fans to the band, but for those just passing by and those long time Prong fans with ‘Off the Grid’, ‘Operation of the Moral Law’ and ‘Blood Out of Stone’. Each song provides that perfect high rhythmic tempo, complete with a gang vocal that not only lets you sing along but also provides the perfect backdrop for you to slam to, if you are of that inclination. There are also traces of the industrial sound which Prong also dabbled in with ‘Wasting of the Dawn’ – a song which begins with a fast paced drum machine introduction reminiscent of ‘Mein Land’ by Rammstein before descending into its own beast. Whilst ‘Interbeing’ is a song of modern day Killing Joke proportions minus Jaz Coleman’s trademark voice, it would appeal to any fan of that industrial sort of sound whilst ‘Wasting of the Dawn’ is an excellent way to close ‘Zero Days’.

All this however only serves to strengthen ‘Zero Days’ as it is the politically charged songs which steal the show; ‘Divide and Conquer’, ‘Forced Into Tolerance’ and ‘Self Righteous Indignation’ all show Tommy Victor at his most pissed off and therefore his best. ‘Self Righteous Indignation’ has all the bullish pig-headedness of the person it is clearly aimed at – the President of the United States, Donald Trump. This song, coupled with ‘Interbeing’ and ‘Operation of the Moral Law’ make ‘Zero Days’ the angriest of Prong’s albums to date, with all this being possible now that Victor has an outlet and a physical target to focus is hatred and rage upon.

‘Zero Days’ shows that Prong are back on top of their game, they haven’t sounded this good in years and what adds the final cherry on the top is the that ‘Zero Days’ has had fantastic production upon it courtesy of Tommy Victor and Chris Collier. ‘Zero Days’ is sleek and smooth without losing any of that raw anger and energy that seems to have been the catalyst in making ‘Zero Days’ a strong and excellent release.