POP MUSIC REVIEW : Good Sound, Bad Jokes From Prong

New York’s Prong had fans gyrating to its groove-smart grind on Wednesday at the Whisky, giving metal a danceability beyond fist-pumping and headbanging. The quartet mixes dark and heavy thrash with synthesized, industrial noise and slightly funky bass lines, then pares it down to simple but solid grooves.

The blend is strong and original--not surprising, considering that the group’s members come from the seminal and daring underground bands Killing Joke and the Swans. Singer-guitarist Tommy Victor added to the groove with rap-meets-metal roars, but he nearly negated the unique sound with his attempts to become Andrew Dice Clay or Howard Stern between the songs.

He constantly rambled on in a heavy Brooklyn accent, proudly declaring himself “non-PC” and alienating half the small audience with the old New York vs. L.A. shtick and a particularly cold joke about the suicide of Kurt Cobain. Audience members groaned and shouted back obscenities, and some left early.

Prong’s thick and gritty music was able to pull the remaining fans back in for most of the show, but by the set’s close, Victor’s quips had become unbearable. Prong’s music is probably best experienced on album, where Victor’s loud mouth is confined to singing.