Prong

One of the most distinctive guitarists ever to play thrash, Prong founder Tommy Victor should by all rights go down in history alongside the likes of Scott Ian, Piggy and Tom Warrior for the numerous innovations he has contributed to the form. Maybe someday he will, but in the meantime, he faces the rather daunting challenge of having to resurrect his band’s vibe without the services of Ted Parsons (now with Jesu and Killing Joke) and Killing Joke’s Paul Raven. When Prong broke up prematurely in 1996, it left behind a string of classic, groundbreaking works, including Primitive Origins, Beg to Differ, Prove You Wrong and Cleansing. Over the course of those records, Victor not only led the band in a deft transition from raw hardcore to precision thrash but also managed to incorporate electronic-industrial elements without succumbing to clichés or compromising Prong’s urgency. In fact, Prong’s industrial-thrash hybrid has aged remarkably well. Fans will have to wait till after the show to see how the material from latest album Scorpio Rising measures up; the current setlist pounds out cut after cut from the back catalog. Whereas other aging metal acts seem a little sad trolling down memory lane, Prong keeps its older material sounding fresh. It has the decisive air of a band taking care of unfinished business.