This old thrasher goes a bit soft when he hears something like this. Can you believe it? A young Italian band that sounds as if they had been snorted out of Tommy Victor’s mostly likely tried and tested nostrils?! Is it a coincidence that this EP features a song entitled PRONGed Tongue? I think not. And can anyone disagree with me when I yet again claim that the so-called nu metal would not have come into existence had it not been for Prong?

First track, Get Prepared to Syndicate, in particular has the trademark late eighties/early nineties Prong sound, cemented by singer Francesco’s not exactly fabulous voice – it is not unlike Victor’s ditto. But characteristic it is, and it works with the music. This is also the case with second tune, the aforementioned Pronged Tongue.

The first two tracks of this EP are in my view by far the best, mainly because this is where Francesco fits in best. The three last tracks are despite a couple of nice and heavy passages the less strong tracks of this release and therefore demand a really cool singer to bring them to a decent level.

A good start for a young band – but more work must be done. (And yes, Soundstrike does include a beautiful female bassist, so that nu metal element is in place, if anyone should wonder…)