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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Return Of A Favourite, 23 Feb 2009
The Prodigy are back, and with Keith Flint, Liam Howlett and Maxim all back in ranks, this has to be one of the most exciting comebacks - especially after the disappointment of "Baby's Got a Temper", which I quite enjoyed personally, it seems other fans didn't really take to it.
Invaders Must Die has the grittiness and power of The Fat of The Land, the excitement of rave from Experience and the more grungy sound that was introduced in Always Outnumbered. Tracks like Thunder bring back the more darker side of the band, and reminds us of Out of Space - it's raw energy will transfer well on the stage when they gig later this year. Take Me To The Hospital also sounds typical of stuff you'd find on Experience, with the added vocals that you'd find on Music For The Gilted Generation.
Other excellent tracks include the hit "Invaders Must Die", it's prominent synth line reminding us why they are considered top of the electronica tree, and Omen, with it's simple "Out Of Space" sound, breaks, and single finger xylophone lead, really brings me back to 1992, in a good way too.
It's also nice to see Dave Grohl on this, doing live drums for the boys.
This is a top album, I was really glad to get it today and discover the sound that I loved about The Prodigy was back. I enjoyed Always Outnumbered, so I wasn't worried if they had kept to that formula, but the fact they have re-grouped and done a mixture of old and new style really does wonders.
This limited edition box set is great too, 5 7" singles - all coloured and has the whole album on, a CD/DVD (hybrid) which has the album on it, and the DVD side has the video of Omen, and Invaders Must Die. There is also a bonus CD with 4 tracks. It also has two films on there, World's On Fire, and Warriors Dance. Not only that, you get a stencil, Prodigy stickers and a poster.
For me this was worth every penny, excellent.
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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Back To The Oldskool, 23 Feb 2009
Firstly i must say i was a little apprehensive about the new album. After the release of Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned i thought the prodigy were taking their music in a completely different direction. Don't get me wrong i still think that was an excellent album, production was great, everything hit the right spots, but especially when hearing the tracks live, it didn't really work with the rest of their material.
Now to the new release, Invaders Must Die!
The first thing you notice when listening to this album is the quality of the production, Liam has proven once again that he is the master when it comes to hard hitting beats, insane synths and massive breakdowns. Everything sounds clean and polished, and you can tell a lot of time has been spent making everything work.
No doubt you've heard the opening track a hundred times already on the radio, but it was nice to hear a few changes to the version you might have already heard. This tracks kind of a nod to the last album, and maybe Liam's trying to show us how it should have been done last time.
The second track Omen is our first glimpse back into the oldschool, hard hitting beats, and a piercing synth that takes you right back. I do have one gripe with this track tho, the version they played on radio 1 for the first time a few weeks ago had a slightly different break in it, which i prefer to the one on the album. It does work with the rest of the album though, so it's not necessarily a bad thing.
Thunder is a nod to electro/house but still keeps to the roots of the prodigy's sound, oldschool stabs and a ragga vocal reminiscent of Out Of Space. I expect to hear this one out in the clubs a fair bit.
Next up, Colours, which is more or less a sped up dubstep track, with some decent lyrics from Keith. I like the keyboard work in this track, which sounds very much like something off Experience.
Take Me To The Hospital takes it back to the breakbeat, and sounds like something you would have heard at a rave in the early nineties, but again brings it back up to date with some slicing beats and some quality production.
Next Up, Warriors Dance, which is my favorite track off the album. This track is truly for the prodigy fans who have been their from the start of the prodigy's career. I expect this will be an amazing track live. The breakdown three quarters into the track will have all the cheesy quavers putting their hands in the air.
Run With The Wolves brings us back up to date, with a drum loop that wouldn't have sounded out of place on The Fat Of The Land. It sounds dirty (which is a good thing), and Keith's vocals are quite reminiscent of Firestarter. I love the synth near the end which sounds like it's been lifted straight off a Commodore 64.
Omen (Reprise) truly takes you back to the hysteria years. At a festival this would make the perfect opener to Omen. This wouldn't sound out of place on an Commodore Amiga game. It's a decent filler.
Worlds On Fire is where the album firmly sets it's place as an oldschool/newschool mix. The stabbing synths and jumpy keyboards make sure this will get the entire crowd jumping at a live gig. The keyboards especially sound like something off Experience.
Piranha is the most 'band' sounding track off the album. Haunting synths straight from Scooby Doo, mixed with some oldschool stabs. The vocals work well to bring the whole track together too.
The last track, Stand Up, Is a nod to the narcotic suite from Jilted Generation. Some people may not like it's slow pace, but if you loved tracks like 3 Kilos off Jilted, then you'll take this one to heart too. An upbeat end to a brilliant album.
Overall this album works really well as a whole. I can honestly say i like every track off this album. It defiantly brings the Prodigy sound up to date, but will please fans of the early nineties material too. I never lost my faith in the prodigy like many people did, but this albums proves they can still do it like they used to. The Prodigy are defiantly back!
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Are They Experienced?, 27 Feb 2009
I put up a 4 star review of the `Omen' single last week full of anticipation for this release. It remains an inspired choice of first single that really forces you to prick up your ears and pay attention. So now that the Prodigy boys have got our attention once again will it be rewarded with a barnstorming return to form full length? Well, the answer is a resounding... kind of.
`Omen' is one of a clutch of powerful early tracks that really make you believe that this album is going to be something truly special. The title track opens proceedings and is a scene setter, a bit of a grower that leads you into the album edit of the aforementioned `Omen'. Needless to say it still sounds the business. Next up is the stomping rave and cut up vocals of `Thunder' - another highlight and likely second or third single. `Colours' brings you back to earth with a bump as Keef sends us into Mockney overload but the memory is swiftly erased by the most enjoyably dumb song on the album - the retro rave of `Take Me to the Hospital', complete with `Outer Space' style treated vocals. `Warrior's Dance' is another excellent stand alone track and highly reminiscent of the `Music for the Jilted' sound.
Unfortunately the second half redresses the balance of the album by being more miss than hit. `Run with the Wolves' is a decent enough `Fat of the Land' throwback - Keef's vocals are sure to raise a smirk but we are talking filler material, which is pretty much the story for the rest of the disc. `World's on Fire' is nearly something special but just misses the mark by being that bit too repetitious (even by latter day Prodigy standards!) and `Piranha' is similar to `Colours' (read `a bit irritating') and falls back on that dreaded filler material staple - the haunted house keyboard effects (see also the work of Pendulum!).
The album finishes with a cheeky celebratory wink in the form of closing track `Stand Up' and you know what - I'll let them have this one. `Invaders' may not be a career defining high water mark but it is also far from being either a cynical comeback cash in or an abject legacy spoiling disaster and for that the band should be applauded. A decent effort.
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