Yeah, industrial-tinged riff-metal monsters Prong are back -- or at least frontman Tommy Victor is back with two new guys and he's calling the band Prong -- but it's not the first time that's happened. After the group's last album for Sony, 1996's Rude Awakening, Victor disappeared for six years then resurfaced with a new lineup and a live album that got old-school fans all excited. He even followed with a studio record, Scorpio Rising, a year later before dropping out of sight again for four more years. So, what makes this re-emergence different?

First, Prong's new album, Power of the Damager, rivals the heaviness, intensity and scream-along hooks of the band's early '90s material (before Victor got delusions of the tragically commercial kind). Two, Victor worked on the new album with Ministry maverick, Al Jourgensen, who stuck him with a meatfork whenever he leaned too far to the right. And third, we can tell Victor is serious this time because he's finally doing videos again, and, as anyone who's seen Prong's clips for "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" or "Beg to Differ" can tell you, that's a damn good sign.

Prong's latest video venture is for the title track of their new record. The clip features live footage that looks like it was shot during an earthquake and lots of TV camera images of a mental patient and the authority figures that abuse him. The whole thing seems to be making some sort of commentary about police brutality, and, well, heavy metal brutality in general. Judge for yourself below, and catch it again on Saturday night's Headbangers Ball on MTV2:

Our favorite NWATM (new wave of American thrash metal) band, by far, is Warbringer, who conjure the savage spirit of mid '80s Exodus and Slayer and filter it through a screen modern rage. There's no question that these guys can play, but another reason they're so good is because they know their '80s metal as singer John Kevill proves with a list of his favorite 10 metal albums of all time. And while you might not agree with the absence of Metallica, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, you've got to admire his taste in thrash and death metal.

Warbringer Singer John Kevill's 10 Favorite metal Albums:

10) Obituary- Cause of Death
Probably my favorite album by these guys. To me, this style of death metal sounds like being bludgeoned in the face by cavemen or something. Plus, vocalist John Tardy is totally one of a kind; nobody "arrrargh"s like him. He remind me of a zombified pizza guy. Honestly, I think this is way more brutal than anything by any modern ultra-triggered brutal death metal band.

9) Morbid Saint- Spectrum of Death
Some of the most flat out vicious thrash I've ever heard. Nonstop aggression. The sound is razor-sharp and messy at the same time, and its all riffs all the time! Special mention to Pat Lind's vocals, which sound like voices in a crazy person's head gone all berserk.

8 ) Burzum - Filosofem
Love to put on this band to trance out to. I picked this album because it has probably my favorite Burzum songs on it, "Dunkelheit" and "Jesus Tod," but I think the two discs before it are just as good. Listening to this is like getting lost in some dark swirling mist or something. Excellent atmosphere.

7) Blind Guardian - Somewhere Far Beyond
Probably my favorite power metal band, I like this album best because it's got the epicness of their later sound but is still very speed and riff-oriented like their earlier stuff. Love the way this band puts songs together. The verses will twist and turn all over before resolving in one of those awesomely anthemic Blind Guardian choruses. This is one of the first bands that really got me into metal and I've never really gotten sick of them.

6) Hammer- Contract with Hell
Not too many people know this one, but I'd prolly count this as my favorite NWOBHM album. The songs have a good variety, from almost speed metal to 80s bar-rock/classic metal. There's even a nice epic part at the end. One of the few metal albums I really like the keyboards on, too. Great stuff from start to finish.

5) Judas Priest- Painkiller
Tough to pick a favorite from the metal gods, but this is the one where they take everything about their style and turn it to 11 -- for an entire album! Every song on this one is killer and completely over the top. I might choose this album as the very definition of metalness. Godly solos, too. No other album has guitars that scream quite as much.

4) Demolition Hammer- Epidemic of Violence
BRUTAL! This one is a nice middle ground between the crushingness of death metal and the sheer ferocity of aggressive thrash. Great riffs, great vocals, and one of the heaviest drummers ever. This album eats alive most albums that try to be heavy.

3) Slayer- Reign In Blood
Yeah, everybody puts this one on best of lists, but I honestly think this is just about the best thing ever. No matter how many times I hear it, I'm still really impressed by how well all the riffs fit together and how good the vocal lines are. Even those complete chaotic nonsense solos totally fit. I see this as being way more aggressive, intense, and well written than anything else any of the "Big four" ever put out. Not just the first and last songs, the whole thing!

2) Manilla Road - Crystal Logic
It took me a long time to get into this band, but something about them kept me coming back and listening to them more. Traditional metal with a pretty unique style to it without really abandoning any of the genre's conventions. This album in particular has a sort of magic to it that's totally mystical and majestic and has a real sense of wonder about it.

1) Bathory - Twilight of the Gods
For me, there's just nothing out there that captures the same massive, majestic feel that Quorthon had on the viking-era Bathory stuff. It's like the song of the mountains and woods, themselves. So many great moments on this album: The beginning buildup to the title track, the acoustics at the start of "Blood and Iron" going into those huge, lumbering riffs, the ethereal chants on "Under the Runes." In my mind nothing else really comes close to this one.

Serious blood-drinking black metal warriors like Watain and Gorgoroth don't really take Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir all that seriously. But there was a time when both instilled fear in the hearts of ordinary mortals and provoked controversy and protests wherever they went.

Cradle came first, of course. The band formed in 1991, and by 1994 released the pernicious album The Principles of Evil Made Flesh, which heralded a new wave of symphonic black metal. The record was a template for the gothic arrangements and poetic lyrics the band would continue to explore as they developed further into their career. But what truly separated Cradle from their peers was their theatrical stage presentation, which was like a cross between an Alice Cooper show and a black mass. The icing on the cake was the group's keen sense of marketing, a factor that both increased their popularity and caused naysayers to scream, "sell-out." Either way, who could forget the band's inflammatory "Jesus is a C---" t-shirt design, which remains one of the most offensively successful pieces of heavy metal promotion of all time.

While Cradle arose straight outta England, Dimmu Borgir came from Norway, like most face-painted black metal bands. They formed in 1993 and debuted a year later with For All Tid, which was sung completely in their native tongue, thus limiting its international appeal. Actually, the band didn't start writing in English until the 1996 EP Devil's Path. Their greatest move came when they hooked up with producer Peter Tagtren (Hypocrisy) for 1997's Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. But as they progressed, Dimmu Borgir's songs became less heavy and more structurally complex and operatic. The turning point for the band's critics came when they played on 2004 Ozzfest.

But even if they're dismissed by the hardest of the hardcore black metal hordes, both Cradle and Dimmu still have a lot going for them. Both have an uncanny ability to mix infectious melodies with unbelievably brutal vocals and guitars, both have retained their visual flair and theatricality without becoming a complete parody and both have proven that black metal (or black metal-lite as the case may be) could effectively be presented with embellishments by a full orchestra. And while neither band is as heavy as they once were, they're both way more sonically intense and creative than the majority of heavy metal bands out there. Still, in the final analysis, one has to be deemed heavier than the other, so we ask you, who rocks harder, Dimmu Borgir or Cradle of Filth?

Consider us your Bad Brains connection -- at least for a couple more days.

The band is, of course, MTVs Artist of the Week, and today we've got clips of Brains guitarist Dr. Know jamming for us in Los Angeles with System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian. In the first clip, the musicians play a little reggae ditty. Then, in the second spot, Dr. Know gets crazy and lets his fingers fly.

Don't miss our earlier interview footage with the Brains here and here.

This week, evil artist Mike Hrubovcak presents the cover for the upcoming Sinister album The Silent Howling. The disc, the follow-up to the Dutch death metal band's 2006 reunion album, Afterburner, will be recorded in May and is tentatively scheduled for release this fall.

Now, here's Hrubovcak to explain the method to his madness: 

I've been in touch with Sinister singer (and former drummer) Aad Kloosterwaad for years. We wrote letters through snail mail back in the day when I was first in  the band Divine Rapture. Since then, we've chatted a bunch, and he hired me to do a logo for his other band Infinited Hate. I had the chance to meet him at the FTC festival in Germany last year when the band I sing for, Monstrosity, co-headlined the first night with Sinister. However, I was so sick that weekend from the flight over that I spent most of the time
sweating my ass off with a fever in my sleeping bag and never got the chance to actually hang out.

Even so, he asked me to do Sinister's newest cover for Massacre Records, and I was more than happy. I've always been a big Sinister fan, so this was a real honor. Aad said he wanted the art to depict two demons in a graveyard huddled around the graves with corpse's hands holding crosses coming out of the ground. The religious people dead and buried are the "silent howling." Like most of my artwork, this was done digitally in Photoshop using mixed media / photo manipulation / airbrush with the wacom tablet.

In part two of our exclusive video interview with metal/punk/reggae icons, Bad Brains, bassist Darryl Jenifer and guitarist Dr. Know shed more light on the extended Brains family, the punk rock underground, the camaraderie of the early hardcore scene, musical influences and their seemingly eternal light.

Read more about Bad Brains on MTV’s Artist of the Week feature here, and come back tomorrow for some exclusive performance video.

Protest the Hero gettin' loaded yet again

Rody Walker, the singer for experimental, progressive emo/thrash band Protest the Hero isn't your typical metal maniac. For those who follow the band, that's hardly a revelation. Sure, Rody loves his metal, and he screams with the best of the metal belters, but when he's not metaling out, there's a good chance he's listening to country music. We'll let him explain:

I'm sick of all these idiots on the Internet who claim they listen to every type of music "except country." Those people are stupid liars. Obviously you don't listen to everything if there's an exception. On top of that silly mistake, country is awesome.

Old country, new country, rockabilly, country rock, honky tonk -- I don't give a f---. Give me some twang and a pack of butts and I'm a happy boy. It's like well written pop music with a southern drawl and hilarious lyrics. Anyone who appreciates good melodies and outrageous harmonies, should love country music. If they don't, they're a bunch of sniveling f---ing liars. On a more superficial level, all the female vocalists are totally smokin' hotties -- hah.

Conversely, all the male singers do is sing about getting drunk and laid -- well, sometimes they sing about the war in Iraq, but they're probably just talking about getting drunk in the trenches and sexin' up the other soldiers. It's irrefutably sweet and there's nothing anyone can say or do to convince me otherwise. Yes, I realize I've just written a "blog" for a metal-oriented audience about how sweet country is.... I don't give a f--. "I'm not talkin' 'bout hookin' up and hangin' out, I'm just talkin' 'bout a little bit later tonight." Peace.

Now, check out Protest the Hero's totally non-country video for "Bloodmeat":

For his Bang of the Week, '80s theatrical metal dude Lizzy Borden actually did something predictable. He gave props to another dramatic, horror-themed rock band, Lordi, and their monster movie homage "Would You Love a Monsterman?"

"They took a classic scene from 'Frankenstein' and turned it into a video; great idea," enthuses Borden. "I really like the set. The shadows are great, very reminiscent of Tim Burton, and they help create the perfect world for Lordi. I like the twist at the end where the seemingly innocent little girl either turns into a monster or already was one all along. I Love the song as well, especially the catchy chorus."

There's no denying the Bad Brains. Time and again they've been uprooted,  and on numerous occasions they've disappeared for years. Their singer, HR has even been in jail for assault. But give them enough time and they'll always bounce back.

That's because the Bad Brains are doing what they were meant to do and they're doing it for the right reasons. They've never had a platinum album, their music isn't on Nike commercials or played in baseball stadiums, yet they remain one of the most gifted and influential bands in rock music. Henry Rollins, System of a Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and P.O.D. were all influenced by the music of the Brains, be it their old-school hardcore, in-your-face punk, acrobatic metal or cannabis-saturated reggae.

The band's latest album, Build a Nation, is as old-school as it gets -- a blazing punk manifesto reminiscent of the group's first two classic recordings, 1982's self titled ROIR cassette and 1983's Rock For Light. And while it'll never go gold or platinum, it exemplifies the purity and talent of one of rock's most visionary bands.

Headbangers Blog recently got bassist Darryl Jenifer and guitarist Dr. Know in front of the camera to talk about remaining progressive, working with different producers and the tools needed to truly build a nation.

Read more about the band on MTV's Artist of the Week feature here, then check out our exclusive interview clips. And come back tomorrow for more Bad Brains wisdom:

Darryl Jenifer talks about staying progressive:

Jenifer discusses the differences between working with producers Ron St. Germain, Ric Ocasek and Adam Yauch:

Dr. Know addresses following your calling and how HR almost didn't make it onto 1989's Quickness:

When it comes to instrumental atmospheric Chicago metal quartets, there's no one like Pelican. Actually, Pelican blow away lots of bands that aren't quartets and aren't even instrumental. Like Isis and Neurosis, Pelican navigate the slippery road between subtlety and savagery with unwavering skill. This live clip of "Sirius" from the new Pelican DVD "After the Ceiling Cracked" should show you what we mean. If you can't get enough, check out our interview with the band. And don't miss our guest blog with guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec, which follows the clip.

Obscure Metal Is Just a Click Away
by Pelican guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec

I've been an obsessive metal fan since I was 11 years old (so, that's 1988 -- the end of metal's first true glorious decade). It's been a daily ritual ever since this older kid, Tommy, got on the bus and introduced me to Lizzy Borden, Flotsam and Jetsam, Warlock, older Scorpions, Forbidden, etc. Right away, I loved traditional metal and the Bay Area Thrash phenomenon. Yeah, I've broadened my palette considerably over time (uh ...Emmylou Harris, the Dead Kennedys, Slowdive) but it's always metal I feel aesthetically most connected to.

Because of Pelican's travels, I've had the chance to pillage way more record stores than I ever imagined I'd hit in this lifetime. And my bandmates can confirm that the cargo I stress to send home in a well packaged box on tour is considerable. Just this last tour I scored true gems by Living Death, Eloise, Glory Bells, Crimson Glory, Steeler, Destruction, etc. Not familiar with those bands? I wasn't with a lot of them either. I thought my knowledge got
exponential after 20 years, but Martin Popoff's metal guides helped me see that I don't know s--t, first off, and there's also enough metal to check out for the rest of my life, basically. And that's just stuff from the '70s and '80s. Read more...