Editing Prong (band) (section)

==History==
===Early days (1986–1989)===
The band was founded in 1986 by singer/guitarist [[Tommy Victor]] (then a sound engineer for the New York City music club [[CBGB]]) and bassist Mike Kirkland (doorman at CBGB), who recruited ex-[[Swans (band)|Swans]] drummer [[Ted Parsons]] shortly after.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> Prong independently released an EP, ''[[Primitive Origins]]'' (1987), and a studio album, ''[[Force Fed]]'' (1989), both of which were noted for their very raw sound.<ref name=":0" />

===Major label signing and underground success (1989–1995)===
Prong signed with [[Epic Records]] in 1989.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=October 13, 1994|title=PRONG BRINGS ITS SOUND TO DV8 MONDAY|url=https://www.deseret.com/1994/10/13/19136200/prong-brings-its-sound-to-dv8-monday|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Deseret News}}</ref> Their major label debut album, ''[[Beg to Differ]],'' was released in 1990.

In the following year, Kirkland left the band and was replaced by bassist [[Troy Gregory]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Prong - Biography by Eduardo Rivadavia|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/prong-mn0000363100/biography|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> Prong issued their fourth release, ''[[Prove You Wrong]],''<ref name="LarkinHR">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Heavy Rock]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1999|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0257-7|page=353}}</ref> which saw the band experiment with programming and electronic samples while still retaining an aggressive yet melodic sensibility.

By 1993, Troy Gregory was out of the band and was replaced by [[Paul Raven (musician)|Paul Raven]] and John Bechdel, both from [[Killing Joke]] and [[Murder, Inc. (band)|Murder, Inc.]]<ref name="LarkinHR"/> The new line-up released ''[[Cleansing (album)|Cleansing]]'' (Prong's fifth major release) in 1994.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> With a slight [[industrial metal]] influence, ''Cleansing'' contained songs that are still considered Prong classics ("Broken Peace" and "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck") and is Prong's most successful release to date. The videos for these two songs became staples of [[MTV]]'s ''[[Headbangers Ball]]''.<ref name=":2" /> The band toured America with [[Sepultura]] and [[Pantera]] as an opener for their respective ''[[Chaos A.D.]]'' and ''[[Far Beyond Driven]]'' tours. They also undertook a headlining European tour with [[Life of Agony]] and [[The Obsessed]] as their support.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

===Demise (1996–2002)===
Prong's 5th album ''[[Rude Awakening (Prong album)|Rude Awakening]]'' was released in 1996.<ref name="LarkinHR"/> It entered the charts at No.&nbsp;107<ref name=":3">{{cite magazine|title=Prong|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/352640/prong/chart|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718054131/https://www.billboard.com/artist/352640/prong/chart|archive-date=July 18, 2014|access-date=June 5, 2016|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> and sold 10,000 units in the United States in its first week.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 22, 2014|title=Interview with Tommy Victor of Prong {{!}} The Midlands Rocks|url=https://www.themidlandsrocks.com/interview-with-tommy-victor-of-prong/|access-date=November 14, 2020|website=Themidlandsrocks.com|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126154933/http://www.themidlandsrocks.com/interview-with-tommy-victor-of-prong/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite the good sales, Epic Records released the band from their contract three weeks after the album's release.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=October 7, 2019|title=PRONG – 'Blood Out Of Stone'|url=https://www.themetalchannel.net/video-reviews/prong-blood-out-of-stone/|access-date=December 7, 2020|website=The Metal Channel|archive-date=August 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810054742/https://www.themetalchannel.net/video-reviews/prong-blood-out-of-stone/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, Raven left prior to a tour supporting [[Type O Negative]] and was replaced by [[Rob Nicholson (musician)|Rob "Blasko" Nicholson]]. [[Mike Riggs]] later joined on guitar so Victor could focus more on vocals. This line-up later disbanded, with Victor joining [[Danzig (band)|Danzig]] as their guitar player,<ref name=":2" /> and Ted Parsons joining [[Godflesh]]. Parsons also played with Jesu and toured with [[Paul Raven (musician)|Paul Raven]] in [[Killing Joke]].

===Interim (2002–2006)===
In 2002, Victor reformed Prong with bassist [[Brian Perry (musician)|Brian Perry]] ([[Dirty Looks (Pennsylvania band)|Dirty Looks]], [[Jake E. Lee]]), drummer Dan Laudo and guitarist [[Monte Pittman]] ([[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]). In 2002, after a 42-date American tour that was recorded for a live CD (''[[100% Live]]'', Locomotive Music) Prong entered the studio and recorded their first studio album in seven years, ''[[Scorpio Rising (Prong album)|Scorpio Rising]]'' (2003), which was received with mixed responses.

Victor played on and off again with [[Glenn Danzig]] from 1998 to 2005 in between time with Prong. His final goal of playing and writing on a Danzig record was met with ''[[Circle of Snakes]]'' in 2004.

Prong released a live two-disc DVD in 2005 entitled ''The Vault'' which features performances from the Hulstsfred and [[With Full Force]] festivals and a full show in Amsterdam. This disc has Brian Perry and Mike Longworth on bass as Longworth replaced Perry after his departure in 2003. Dan Laudo left the band in 2005 and the band enlisted [[Aaron Rossi]], who used to be in the bands [[Strife (band)|Strife]] (Victory Records), [[Shelter (band)|Shelter]] (Century Media Records), [[John 5 (guitarist)|John 5]] (Shrapnel Records), and [[Ankla]] (Bieler Bros. Records)

Victor and Rossi joined [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]] in 2005 to write and tour in support of their 2006 album ''[[Rio Grande Blood]]''. The two also appear on Ministry's follow-up album ''[[The Last Sucker]]'' (2007), although in a more limited capacity.

===Reformation (2007–present)===
[[file:Tommy Victor mit PRONG.jpg|thumb|upright|Frontman Tommy Victor performing in 2020]]
In 2007, Prong signed to [[Al Jourgensen]]'s [[13th Planet Records]], who released ''[[Power of the Damager]]'' on October 2, 2007. The band embarked on the "Slicing Across America" and "Slicing Across Europe" tours supporting the album in 2007 and early 2008. Joining Tommy Victor for the tour were [[Monte Pittman]] and drummer [[Aaron Rossi]]; bassist Paul Raven had died of a heart attack in his sleep on October 20, 2007, at the age of 46.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Brandle|first=Lars|date=October 22, 2007|title=Killing Joke/Ministry Bassist Paul Raven Dies|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1047841/killing-jokeministry-bassist-paul-raven-dies|access-date=March 6, 2014|magazine=Billboard}}</ref>

Rossi joined [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]] as their new drummer on the "C U LaTour" which started in March 2008.

[[Alexei Rodriguez]] and Tony Campos from [[Static-X]] were on the lineup with Tommy supporting Soulfly on the "Blood Fire War Hate" tour in the fall of 2009. They were replaced by Jason Christopher (bass) in 2011<ref>[http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=13050 "OVERKILL And PRONG Live in Cleveland, OH With Photos!"] By Geoff Ketler, ''KNAC'' September 26, 2014</ref><ref>[http://music.mxdwn.com/2015/05/02/reviews/prong-songs-from-the-black-hole/ "Prong – Songs From The Black Hole"]. ''Music Mixdowns'', May 2, 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=12558 "PRONG Live In Dublin, Ireland"] By Larry Petro, News Monkey, Friday, August 8, 2014 via KNAC</ref> and [[Art Cruz]] (drums) in 2012.

The band supported [[Fear Factory]] on their tour which ended on June 6, 2010. Prong released a new album, ''[[Carved into Stone]]'', on April 23, 2012, with Long [[SPV GmbH|Branch Records/SPV]]. It was produced by Steve Evetts. The band toured as a headliner and with acts such as [[Crowbar (American band)|Crowbar]] in the US, and in May 2012 performed ''Beg to Differ'' in its entirety during a two-week tour in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/prong-carved-into-stone-track-listing-cover-art-unveiled/ |title=Prong: 'Carved Into Stone' Track Listing, Cover Art Unveiled |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=February 9, 2012 |access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalinsider.net/touring/crowbar-and-prong-announce-us-tour-dates-together |title=Crowbar And Prong Announce US Tour Dates Together |publisher=Metal Insider |date=February 14, 2012 |access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref>

In the summer of 2013, the band performed an extensive European festival and headline run and also recorded a self-released "Official Bootleg" entitled ''Unleashed in the West – Live in Berlin'' via [[Bandcamp|Bandcamp.com]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/prong-unleashed-in-the-west-live-in-berlin-official-bootleg-released/|title=PRONG: 'Unleashed In The West: Live In Berlin' Official Bootleg Released|date=March 17, 2014|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref>

After spending November and December 2013 in the studio, Prong released their ninth album, ''[[Ruining Lives]]'', on [[SPV GmbH|Steamhammer/SPV]] in April 2014 and toured extensively in its support. [[Blabbermouth.net]] called the album "Tommy Victor's personal liberation."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/ruining-lives/|title=CD Reviews - Ruining Lives|date=June 10, 2014|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref> The album was produced by Victor and mixed by [[Steve Evetts]].

The band started a second wave of touring behind ''Ruining Lives'' in July 2014, with European festivals and headline shows. They also toured in North America, both as headliners and as support to [[Overkill (band)|Overkill]], followed by a tour in Europe as main support to Overkill in October and November.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/overkill-to-tour-europe-with-prong-enforcer-darkology/ |title=Overkill To Tour Europe With Prong, Enforcer, Darkology |publisher=Blabbermouth.net |date=May 5, 2014 |access-date=October 19, 2015}}</ref><ref>[http://www.abqjournal.com/460668/entertainment/albuquerque-metal-6.html "Ruining lives: It's the name of Prong's latest effort"]. ''ABQ Journal'', by Rozanna M. Martinez  September 12, 2014</ref>

In 2015, the band released the cover album ''[[Songs from the Black Hole (Prong album)|Songs from the Black Hole]]'', followed a year later by their eleventh studio album ''[[X – No Absolutes]]''. Another album, ''[[Zero Days (album)|Zero Days]]'', was released in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=PRONG: 'Zero Days' Album Details Revealed|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/prong-zero-days-album-details-revealed/|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=May 18, 2017|access-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> In 2017, at the beginning of August, they played a concert in Polish Woodstock Festival. Prong's next release was the EP ''Age of Defiance'', released on November 29, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=PRONG To Release 'Age Of Defiance' EP In November|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/prong-to-release-age-of-defiance-ep-in-november/|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=September 15, 2019|date=September 15, 2019}}</ref>

The band's thirteenth studio album, ''State of Emergency'', was released on October 6, 2023.<ref name="BM"/>