Album Review: Prong – Zero Days

  • Phinky posted
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Prong

Zero Days - Steamhammer/SPV

Ever since their debut EP, Primitive Origins, was released back in 1987 Prong have been constantly incorporating heavier influences and moving forward from their hardcore punk origins. Prong have now been now been around for a shade over thirty years and with Zero Days they have now unleashed their twelfth studio album, and when you consider that their existence includes a six year hiatus they’ve been dropping an album of new material on average almost every two years, although they do seem to be becoming increasingly prolific as the years pass, with each release marking them out a consistent and constantly evolving outfit. 

From the intense opener, However It May End, onwards it’s clear that Prong haven’t lost any of their aggression or energy, the hardcore punk attitude and delivery is still present, but this is combined with the technical flourishes and aggression adopted from thrash metal. There are moments when their hardcore roots come to the fore, tracks like Off the Grid and Operation Of The Moral Law are a reminder of their origins but for the most part this is an album of crossover with respect being paid equally to their punk roots and their thrash influences, tracks like Divide and Conquer, my personal highlight from Zero Days, shows just how crossover should be done.

Zero Days is a brutal and relentless album that I’d recommend equally to fans of hardcore punk and thrash metal, given Prong‘s lost history I’m probably preaching to the converted but it’s worth stating again as they are one of the most persistent purveyors of crossover out there. Prong have delivered another fine album that continues their tradition of brutal crossover, and with their latest release they have delivered another album that builds on their legacy, and is the perfect follow up to their 2016 album, X – No Absolutes.

Zero Days is due out tomorrow, the 28th July, via Steamhammer/SPV Records and can be pre-ordered here