20 Best Metal Albums Of Summer 2017
8. Prong - Zero Days
Easily their best release since the power trio's return from hiatus in 2002, Prong's Zero Days is a record that balances elements of thrash, hardcore, punk and radio rock into a taut and accessible, yet also abrasive, ride.
As the album begins, it is a full-on bombardment of relentless speed, with the intense trifecta of "However It May End", "Zero Days" and "Off the Grid" welcoming listeners with a barrage of blinding riffs, before the anthemic single "Divide and Conquer" slows the pace with endless melodies and clean singing from frontman Tommy Victor.
The rest of Zero Days is a middle ground on the spectrum established by those two poles, at times returning to relentless thrash, as is the case on "Operation of the Moral Law" and "Forced into Tolerance", and at others, like with "Blood Out of Stone" and "The Whispers", being radio-friendly and heavily melodic.
But, no matter the approach, Zero Days is one of Prong's strongest ventures to date, with enough brilliant guitar-work and brutality to satiate long-time followers, as well as a plethora of accessible harmonies for newcomers.