Prong
Power of the Damn MiXXXer
13th Planet
Street: 05.12
Prong = Acumen Nation + Fear Factory (the Remanufacture album) – any artistic merit
Prong had an interesting career creating some classic post-thrash and even an OK industrial metal album before calling it quits, with such musical luminaries in its line-up as Paul Raven, John Tempesta and Ted Parsons. Well, much to the late Paul Raven’s dissatisfaction, Tommy Victor reformed the band roughly seven or eight years ago and it’s been all downhill since then. I sincerely feel sorry for any poor sap that spends money on these remixed tracks from Prong’s last full-length, Power of the Damager, that was boring and unpleasant to begin with. Why artists would remix songs that stunk to begin with is beyond me. Victor seems as though since he reformed Prong, he did it for his own glory and a paycheck. The remixes showcased here are full of redundant and awful-sounding beats, and who wants to listen to something that sounds like a CD skipping? Anyone reading this, please do me a favor: If you ever run into Tommy Victor, punch him straight in the nuts for being a douche. –Bryer Wharton

Psapp
The Camel’s Back
Domino
Street: 10.26
Psapp = Röyksopp + The Bird and the Bee + Stars
Psapp’s music sometimes gets nicknamed “toytronica” because of their tendency to make electronica using toys and toy instruments. This genre sounds twee and sugary enough to make your teeth hurt, right? Charming plinks and plunks and toylike sounds are sprinkled liberally throughout The Camel’s Back, and overall, the album has a light-hearted and poppy feel that seemed pretty childish to me upon first listen. But Galia Durant’s vocals are down-to-earth and mellow, and the lyrics she sings are surprisingly straightforward and sober at points. It makes for a good balance anytime the instrumentation gets too airy-fairy, and the end result is sweet without being saccharine. –Cléa Major

Psychostick
Sandwich
Rock Ridge Music
Street: 05.05
Pyschostick = Gwar + Sevendust + System of a Down + Dethklok – humor & intelligence
If this album is a sandwich, it’s a shit sandwich complete with extra stank. Pshychostick’s attempt at heavy metal/hardcore humor reminds me of the boatloads of stupid parody movies that are being released like the plague, i.e., Disaster, Scary, Date, Superhero & Epic Movie. The band pummels jokes in song form one after another in hopes that maybe a few will generate a chuckle or even a laugh out loud; admittedly, a couple songs gave me a chuckle, then it just got highly annoying really damn quick. If you enjoy recycled heavy chugga-chugga riffs, an annoying vocalist, lame talking in between songs that is supposed to be funny, and jokes inspired by 12-year olds, then Psychostick is right up your alley. I’ll stick with the glorious humor-infused artists such as Zimmer’s Hole or The Bloodhound Gang and of course, Gwar. If you actually have the patience to listen to this start to finish you’ll feel like taking a shower to wash its worthlessness off of yourself (05.16, Club Vegas). –Bryer Wharton