The first time I saw Prong live was when they opened up for the Bad Brains live in 1993. They blew my mind as I never heard the type of music they were making at that period. Their sound was like a slower, more grinding mesh of Killing Joke & Ministry.

Prong were completely ahead of their time, that is the only way I can make sense of why they never went above their underground popularilty. Their sound was a fusion of metal, industrial, & hardcore, especially in the earlier years in the late eighties (their first two independent records were very hardcore in sound & attitude). Even bands like Nitzer Ebb & Front 242 hailed them as the leaders of the industrial movement back in the late eighties & early nineties.

Prong took alot of their influence from Killing Joke, especially on the later albums like Prove You Wrong, Cleansing, & Rude Awakening.  The connection between Prong & Killing Joke was deep as Paul Raven (bassist) & John Bechdel (keyboardist) from Killing Joke joined Prong in 1993. Long after Prong broke up, Ted Parsons joined Killing Joke as their drummer in 2004.

Tommy Victor has been the main songwriter & leader of the band since inception & his guitar sound has influenced countless bands, especially in the nu-metal movement like Korn & Slipknot. Prong did tour by opening up for bands like Type O Negative & Pantera before calling it a day. Tommy Victor resurected the band back in 2003 & is still keeping it going, but it is kinda bittersweet as their long time drummer Ted Parsons is not in the band. It’s too bad as I always pictured Prong as the team of Tommy Victor & Ted Parsons. Though I have to give Mr. Victor credit, as the last release of Power of The Damager is a very powerful record & could have easily been released after Rude Awakening (My fave Prong album).

So if you missed Prong the first time out & want to take a history lesson on where it all came from, check them out live as they are now out on tour with Soulfly.