By Tim Louie

PROM KING—Northern NJ

I got an email from a band called Prom King a few weeks ago to come down and check them out. I couldn’t make it down to the show, but I checked out their website! Now, when I first heard the name of the band, I have to admit that my first thought was “Oh man, not another nerdy Weezer-type band!” But then I heard their music, and was so far from what I thought! These guys were really good! The songs were very poppy and they had some killer melodies.

In the fall of 1999, after taking a long overdue break from the music scene, singer/guitarist Michael Czirjak decided it was time to start writing and form a new band that would become Prom King. Mike recorded some of his material on an 8-track, but felt that the music deserved better than that, so he decided to head into the studio to record a professional demo. While searching for the right studio, Mike was sent to Sound Spa owner/producer/musician Stephen DeAcutis, whose been on the scene for quite sometime himself, having produced and engineered artists like Gladys Knight, Cyndi Lauper, and Corey Glover from Living Color. Stephen liked the Prom King stuff so much that he not only wanted to produce it, but he also wanted to be a part of the band. So the story continues with Michael Czirjak and Stephen DeAcutis collaborating. In 2002, the lineup was finalized when this Prom King duo became a quartet with the addition of bassist Adam Small and drummer Joe Strasser. According to Czirjak, “From the moment we got together and played the first groove, everyone knew they were part of something different and special.”

In October of 2003, Prom King released their first full-length CD titled “Bound To Fall.” From the title track “Bound To Fall” to songs like “New Plane”, which was my favorite, to the very cool “Set Yourself Free”, this CD rocks! It’s not too heavy, the groove is perfect and the melodies kick ass, as do the vocals. Prom King has a great shot to get signed because they have a sound that labels would eat up! Check them out at www.promking.net.