Album Review: The Prodigy

The Prodigy: Invaders Must Die (Cooking Vinyl)

1. Invaders Must Die
2. Omen
3. Thunder
4. Colours
5. Take Me To The Hospital
6. Warrior's Dance
7. Run With The Wolves
8. Omen Reprise
9. World's On Fire
10. Piranha
11. Stand Up

Subtle is hardly a word you would use to define The Prodigy, so the brash, in yer face nature of new release 'Invaders Must Die' (even the title is aggressive) will come as no surprise to fans of one of the pioneering groups in the history of techno-electronica.

What will please the inconditionals is a return to the sort of sound we first heard on 'The Fat Of The Land', one of the benchmark albums in taking techno music to a higher, more lucrative level. After the relatively insignificant 'Dirtchambers Sessions' and the slightly disappointing 'Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned', 'Invaders Must Die' rolls up its sleeves and smacks you in the mouth.

The opening title track is a sinister warning to anyone who's thinking about invading. I don't know who it's aimed at, but I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. 'Run With The Wolves' is also frenetically harsh. 'Omen' signals the writing is on the wall with a crunching base beat. 'World's On Fire' follows 'Omen Reprise' - a welcome rest - and again blasts your ears.

On the whole, not an album for the faint-hearted. For the nostalgics, there's even a hint of "Top One, Nice One, Charlie" on 'Take Me To The Hospital'. The hairline may be receding, but the attitude is still there. The Prodigy have sent out a warning to all invaders... It's their fat, their land and they're living off it.

Top Track: 'Omen'
Album Rating: 8/10



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