Legendary British dance-punks return in typically abrasive style
TRACKLISTING:
1. "Invaders Must Die" (4:55)
2. "Omen" (3:36)
3. "Thunder" (4:09)
4. "Colours" (3:28)
5. "Take Me To The Hospital" (3:40)
6. "Warrior's Dance" (5:13)
7. "Run With The Wolves" (4:25)
8. "Omen (Reprise)" (2:14)
9. "World's On Fire" (4:50)
10. "Piranha" (4:05)
11. "Stand Up" (5:30)
When reading this, bear in mind that I know nothing about dance music whatsoever. Lol.
Rarely has a title made as bold and uncompromising a statement as Invaders Must Die, the name of the brand new album from Essex dance trio The Prodigy. It is a title that suggests the band, whose members enjoyed an unprecedented degree of success and infamy in the past, has undergone a period of intense pressure that could so easily have resulted in obscurity, but also that the controversial group has found a new lease of life, and only a fool would even consider standing in their way. The title track most certainly reinforces this message. A dark crescendo dramatically builds towards a pulsating wave of edgy riffs and a corrosive dance beat, a combination that attacks and jumps out at the listener to an extent that only The Prodigy ever seem capable of achieving. Liam Howlett is the true epitome of a magician; unquestionably one of the greatest DJs in the world, the man has a unique knack of creating such a vicious sound in his work where he brings in a whole host of musical influences, and this track is a great example of how he effortlessly brings together the contrasting worlds of dance and rock so perfectly.
Often regarded as the most important and influential dance act of all time, The Prodigy was undoubtedly one of the most dominant forces in music in the 1990s. In particular, the groundbreaking 1997 album The Fat of the Land was seen as a revolutionary piece of work that united fans of dance, rock, and everything in between, a landmark that brought a more brutal and abrasive sound to the mainstream than anything had ever done before. New material has been few and far between since then, however, and while 2004's Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned was met with vast praise, neither Keith Flint nor Maxim Reality, The Prodigy's charismatic co-frontmen, featured on the album at all, prompting speculation that the end was nigh for the band. All of this, however, simply makes Invaders Must Die even more of a joy to behold. This is an album that takes no prisoners; packed with punk-fuelled attitude, uncompromising beats, delightful sampling, logic-defying bursts of melody and, perhaps most significantly, vocals, the album seems destined to propel The Prodigy back to the top of the tree where they belong.
Lead single Omen is indeed a very accurate representation of all of these factors. The track is layered with blaring synths and intricate melodies that beg to be played at maximum volume, but it is Reality's impressively catchy vocal cries that enhance the track's inevitable status as a modern dance-rock classic. Reality's partner in crime Flint does an equally formidable job on the high-octane Run With The Wolves, where his enthusiasm is most certainly apparent throughout, judging by the ferocity with which he spits his provocative lyrics. The track itself is perhaps the most rock-inspired song on the album, which is largely down to the presence of some seismic riffs, as well as guest percussionist and long-term fan Dave Grohl, who adds a unique dimension to the track with his typically mesmerising drumming style. The legendary Foo Fighters and Nirvana man also appears on closing track Stand Up, where Howlett adopts something of a chilled, old-school soul vibe. This melodic piece is an intriguing listen, but moments where Grohl's trademark percussive sound is heard are all too brief.
There are, in fact, a whole host of tracks on Invaders Must Die where fascinating melodic elements are prevalent. The excellent Colours, for instance, could not be more appropriately named, as the mind-bending synth scales really do provide an all-encompassing image, a colourful image if you will. Thunder is just as enjoyable, where Howlett uses a low-key reggae sample to create a dynamic contrast with some incendiary beats. Piranha contains a bizarre, dissonant brass influence which may take the listener by surprise at first, but such is the wizardry of Liam Howlett that he manages to build such an unorthodox yet epic sound around the sample, which culminates in a very interesting piece of music that also shows Maxim Reality on absolutely blistering form. Take Me To The Hospital combines The Prodigy's old-school dance roots with their contemporary edge very effectively. It may not be one of the album's highlights, but is worth listening to nonetheless. What follows is the truly awesome Warrior's Dance, a track that is even more firmly steeped in the band's house-inspired distant past. A guest appearance from a female vocalist adds an extremely euphoric dimension to the track, which continuously erupts into blissful old-school dance choruses.
A haunting, ominous reprise of Omen paves the way for World's On Fire, surely one of most memorable moments from Invaders Must Die. Without question, this track contains more energy and vigour than any other track on the album, layered with thumping basslines, pulverising percussion and melodic refrains that are nothing short of breathtaking. Reality puts in yet another brilliant vocal performance, which makes for an especially infectious chorus. It could be argued that this track effectively represents Invaders Must Die as an album, and reflects the stage of their career at which The Prodigy currently find themselves. The raw power let loose on World's On Fire unmistakably transmits the message that Liam Howlett, Keith Flint and Maxim Reality have found the desire to unleash their fierce, brutal and completely unique sound once again, and when taking into consideration the album as a whole, no one can possibly deny that the band have succeeded. Perhaps the greatest thing about Invaders Must Die, however, is that it will undoubtedly introduce a new generation of fans to The Prodigy who are certain never to look back, and the fact that such an iconic band continues to live on, having already enjoyed almost twenty years at the very top, is something that has to be celebrated.
BEST TRACKS: "World's On Fire", "Warrior's Dance".
OVERALL ANALYSIS:
Song structure: 8/10.
Originality: 8/10.
Diversity: 9/10.
Progress from previous material: 9/10.
Album structure/consistency: 7/10.
Production/mixing: 7/10.
Lyrics/artwork: 6/10.
Staying power: 8/10.
Overall musicianship: 16/20.
SCORE: 78%.
"Invaders Must Die" is out now via Take Me To The Hospital Records in all good music stores.
UPCOMING REVIEWS:
Malefice - "Dawn of Reprisal",
Mastodon - "Crack the Skye".
Cheers for reading,
JJ.
The ProdigyInvaders Must DieThe Chemical BrothersMaximThe Crystal MethodPendulumApollo 440Fatboy SlimOverseer
Apollo 440
