Search - Prong :: Rude Awakening

This Album Anything But A 'Rude Awakening'...Another Great A

M. Jarrett | New England, USA | 11/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Prong's CLEANSING is the definitive Prong album, and with cuts like "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck", Prong defined the importance of metal in the rock genre. No one had any doubt that CLEANSING was a powerful record, complete with heavy riffs, first-rate drumwork, and throbbing and tuneful bass. If you thought Prong could not match that album, RUDE AWAKENING is nearly just like it's predecessor: heavy, uncompromising metal that's in-your-face and downright brutal. Although some of the album doesn't seem as heavy, the production work of Terry Date only helps to intensify Tommy Victor's guitar.



The title track is without a doubt one of the best tracks on the album, and it's cutting shards of guitar and Tommy's vocals, along with Ted Parson's excellent drum fills and Paul Raven's tuneful basswork, just compliment the track even more. It remains one of their best songs, and it caught radio to a degree. Opening track "Controller" is brutal, heavy, and doesn't let go of its grip on you. "Avenue of the Finest" also continues the intricate, drilling guitar riffs, right on through to the closing bonus cut, "Proud Division", which is undeniably a catchy, compact metal song. Other songs like "Mansruin" and "Face Value" also scale up on the volume, never letting up the intensity and showing the metal that Prong truly perfected on CLEANSING and even PROVE YOU WRONG or BEG TO DIFFER. Not one weak track, this is truly a splendid album.



It's interesting to note that after this album, there was no word or news from Prong until the announced release of SCORPIO RISING, and even the 100% LIVE album, which to a degree still managed to entertain us Prong fanatics. Had RUDE AWAKENING been Prong's swansong, it would have definitely been a strong one. If you're a fan of CLEANSING, no doubt you will immerse yourself in the precision and masterful metal of RUDE AWAKENING."