PRONG
Live And Uncleansed
Steamhammer Records

PRONG is a band that effortlessly flows through different genres and sound at home in all of them. 80’s crossover-check. Hard Rock-check. Metal-check. Industrial-check. And while I believe it plays to band leader Tommy Victor’s strengths, to some of the gatekeepers out there that’s considered a weakness. It does give PRONG the advantage of being able to tour with different bands and also work up a setlist from their sizable catalog that fits into and impresses whatever said crowd might be into.

The story of PRONG goes all the way back to 1986 believe it or not, when PRONG was formed in NYC. They put out a couple of demos before they released their ‘Primitive Origins’ EP in 1987, and they were off. Their first full-length, “Force Fed’ came out in 1988, but their major label debut “Beg To Differ’ on Epic Records in 1990 is when things really started happening for PRONG. Of course you had the major label promotional machine back then that was very formidable, but the music was starting to grab people’s attention as well. Let history show in fact that “For Dear Life” was the theme music for Mtv’s Headbangers Ball Theme during this period, which held some pretty big clout in those bygone days.

And of course like every band who’s been around for multiple decades. the labels have come and gone, as have the members. They’ve included the late Raven from KILLING JOKE, Troy Gregory ex-FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, and my old bud Phil Zeller ex-TOXIC HOLOCAUST amongst many more on Bass, and John Tempesta ex-TESTAMENT, Ivan de Prume ex-WHITE ZOMBIE and Art Cruz ex-OVERKILL and current LAMB OF GOD skinsman among just as many on drums. As I always say, there’s usually only room for 1 captain on a ‘RnR’ Ship, and Tommy Victor is PRONG’s El Jefe. But it’s not the only gig Tommy has, as he’s Glenn Danzig’s guitar man main when DANZIG is terrorizing The States. And he’s also played in Al Jourgensen’s MINISTRY. Both of these things might well relate to why PRONG has had, and continue to have such a musically varied career.

All this buildup leads us to why we’re here, the release of the latest slab of PRONG-ness, their newest all LIVE album, ‘Live And Uncleansed’. Recorded over seven nights in July & August of 2025 on their European tour. Club dates along with Festival gigs at the granddaddy of them all Wacken, also Dynamo, Alcatraz and Brutal Assault festivals. It indeed makes for a variety of shows, which mixes keenly with the variety of music included. PRONG were celebrating the 31 year anniversary of the album, ‘Cleansing”. According to Tommy, it’s the band’s most popular album and includes their biggest track, “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck”. Even if you’re not familiar with PRONG, you had to have heard that cut, which made its mark in the 90’s even as Grunge changed the face of music. And considering what shitty tunes now constitutes popular music, I’d welcome Grunge back with open arms like a long lost relative. But even if you’re NOT familiar with that song, or even that album, take heart! Because PRONG were celebrating ‘Cleansing’ in all its glory, they were playing most of the album, so here’s your chance to catch it if you missed it. Of course there’s a few deep cuts in there as well. Since we’re reliving the 90’s, if you remember the movie ‘Airheads’, PRONG had a song on that soundtrack called “Inheritance”. That makes an appearance on this album. And something else interesting about this album for me was that some songs reminded me of the JUDAS PRIEST ‘Unleashed In The East’ album, where the band is so powerful that the crowd is almost non-existent. I actually had that album on 8-Track before I bought it on Vinyl, and the Japanese crowd was so quiet I thought it was a half live, half studio album. True story.

The album itself is a real banger, and it sounds like what Tommy says it is, a REAL live album. Punchy and loud, no overdubs or ‘retouching’ of the tunes. It is just the way it came out. The rhythm section on here is Tyler Bogliole from ELECTROCUTIONER on drums, and Christopher Dean on drums, who has played with NITA STRAUSS Live. If you’re an older PRONG fan, or a newer fan of the band I think you’ll really dig this album. It sounds phenomenal, like the CIRITH UNGOL ‘Live at The Roxy’ album. And if you’re not really familiar with the band, what better way to see what they’re about than to hear them Live in all their glory. The version I have is 14 songs and over an hour of music. Definitely value for your hard earned money. Put it on, turn it up, snap your fingers, snap your neck!!

And for my Wax fam, there is going to be a Vinyl version of this. So get it early, or cry on eBay later when the price is just plain annoying.

4.7 Skulls Out Of 5.0