Beg to Differ is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Prong, released in 1990 via Epic Records. The album features a live cover of Chrome’s "Third from the Sun," recorded at CBGB's in 1989, with artwork by Brian "Pushead" Schroeder. Marking a shift towards thrash, speed metal, and hardcore influences inspired by bands like Bad Brains and Suicidal Tendencies, it is also considered one of the earliest groove metal records, predating Pantera’s Cowboys from Hell. Vocalist Tommy Victor has recognized its pioneering status in the genre.
Reception
Professional ratings| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | 7 |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 6/108 |
| Rolling Stone | 9 |
Beg to Differ has received mostly positive reviews. Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic wrote, "Prong's once diffuse, post-hardcore rumble solidifies into a tightly disciplined thrash metal attack on their first major label release, Beg to Differ. Also a more democratic affair than later efforts, the album finds guitarist Tommy Victor and bassist Mike Kirkland alternating lead vocals as well as writing credits. And drummer Ted Parsons is equally impressive, providing a thunderous rhythmic foundation of Neil Peart-like diversity and precision."10
Adam McCann of Metal Digest referred to Beg to Differ as "the superb 1990 album", and wrote, "When it comes to heavy metal, Prong may just be one of the most underrated and overlooked bands ever. With Beg to Differ, Prong delivered riff after riff of not only thrash metal, but thrash with the uptempo pumping riffage of crossover thrash whilst also deliver the meat and potatoes offered from the then burgeoning groove metal scene with both Exhorder and Prong laying the foundations for what would come very, very soon with Pantera".11
Track listing
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "For Dear Life" | Tommy Victor | 3:26 |
| 2. | "Steady Decline" | Mike Kirkland, Victor | 4:13 |
| 3. | "Beg to Differ" | Ted Parsons, Victor | 4:15 |
| 4. | "Lost and Found" | Victor | 4:05 |
| 5. | "Your Fear" | Kirkland, Parsons, Victor | 4:51 |
| 6. | "Take It in Hand" | Victor | 3:43 |
| 7. | "Intermenstrual, D.S.B." (instrumental) | Parsons, Victor | 3:12 |
| 8. | "Right to Nothing" | Victor | 2:57 |
| 9. | "Prime Cut" | Parsons, Victor | 3:49 |
| 10. | "Just the Same" | Victor, Kirkland, Parsons | 4:41 |
| 11. | "Third from the Sun" (live, Chrome cover) | Helios Creed, Damon Edge | 5:56 |
| Total length: | 40:58 | ||
Personnel
- Tommy Victor – vocals, guitar
- Mike Kirkland – bass, vocals
- Ted Parsons – drums
Production
- Produced by Prong (Mike Kirkland, Ted Parsons, Tommy Victor), Mark Dodson
- Executive producer: Bob Feineigle
- Engineers: Mark Dodson, Steve McAllister
- Assistant engineer: Jamie Locke
- Mixing: Mark Dodson
- Mastering: Greg Calbi, Roger Lomas
References
"Rediscovered Steel Prongs Beg to Differ". NoiseCreep. June 11, 2009. https://noisecreep.com/rediscovered-steel-prongs-beg-to-differ/ ↩
Chris Dick (August 16, 2017). "Beg to Differ Decibel Review". Decibel. Retrieved May 22, 2019. https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2017/08/16/prong-beg-differ/ ↩
"Prong – 'Beg to Differ' – Metal Digest – The Normless Magazine". metal-digest.com. Retrieved April 23, 2022. https://metal-digest.com/2022/03/12/prong-beg-to-differ/ ↩
"Rediscovered Steel Prongs Beg to Differ". NoiseCreep. June 11, 2009. https://noisecreep.com/rediscovered-steel-prongs-beg-to-differ/ ↩
"Prong – 'Beg to Differ' – Metal Digest – The Normless Magazine". metal-digest.com. Retrieved April 23, 2022. https://metal-digest.com/2022/03/12/prong-beg-to-differ/ ↩
"Every Prong Album Ranked From Worst To Best By Tommy Victor". Kerrang!. November 27, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2022. https://www.kerrang.com/features/every-prong-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best-by-tommy-victor/ ↩
"Beg to Differ - Prong". AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r15866 ↩
Popoff, Martin (2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 350–351. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9. 978-1-894959-62-9 ↩
"Prong Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070703111709/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/prong/albums/album/210598/review/5942969/beg_to_differ ↩
"Beg to Differ - Prong". AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/album/r15866 ↩
"Prong – 'Beg to Differ' – Metal Digest – The Normless Magazine". metal-digest.com. Retrieved April 23, 2022. https://metal-digest.com/2022/03/12/prong-beg-to-differ/ ↩