“Invaders Must Die” was the Prodigy’s eighteenth single and a return to form. The band successfully brought the rave to the mainstream in the ’90s and saw no reason to toy with a formula that worked. The eponymous single was the first release from their 2008 album Invaders Must Die. In a nod to the changing times, they even put it up as a free download on their website.
Movement on the Rise
Still, when the English group released the track, a youth culture movement was brewing. The burgeoning scene was similar to the one that initially threw Liam Howlett, Keith Flint, and Maxim together in 1990. Blog house, was the hipster neon predecessor to EDM. It took the distorted volume of punk rock, the attitude of hip-hop, and the swinging funk of house music and put it all in a blender.
Blog house was the millennial answer to big beat, the genre that the Prodigy helped create. So, maybe it was the perfect time for the boys to revisit the sound that catapulted them into the mainstream.
"'Invaders Must Die' contains all the hallmarks of a classic Prodigy: a blistering synth hook, heart-stopping guitar riffs, and the smack of the Roland TR-707."
TR-707 Heart
Co-produced by James Rushnet of Does It Offend You, Yeah?, “Invaders Must Die” contains all the hallmarks of a classic Prodigy tune. A blistering synth hook chirping with the nostalgia of old-school hardcore. Heart-stopping guitar riffs, off-kilter vocal snippets, and the smack of the Roland TR-707.
Interestingly, in 2011 Howlett auctioned off the same 707—signed by the band—he used to produce the drums for “Invaders Must Die.” The proceeds went to victims of the tragic tsunami and earthquake in Japan.
A Debated Release
As Howlett told Time Out Dubai in 2009, “The first tune on any Prodigy album has to be got to be something that just smacks you ’round the head. Yet, many critics and fans panned Howlett and company for failing to be as innovative as in the past. The producer disagreed. “It’s a very abrasive-sounding electronic track, kind of different to anything we’ve done before,” he explained.
However, the track achieved what the group envisioned. It was an amalgamation of their previous work, with a touch of modern sound design. Furthermore, although the single wasn’t a commercial release, it was still an overwhelming success.
Love Letter to the Rave
When it first aired on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show, it took the spot of “Hottest Record in the World.” “Invaders Must Die” went on to chart at #49 in the UK singles chart. Additionally, the Chase & Status remix reached #53 in the Australian Aria Singles Chart and #7 in the Aria Dance Chart.
"The track achieved what they envisioned: an amalgamation of their previous work, with a touch of modern sound design."
“Invaders Must Die” was the opening phrase to the Prodigy’s love letter to the rave. They were among the first to push underground dance music to the masses. As such, one can’t undersell the group’s contributions to the culture. Thanks to the Prodigy, rave is less of a dirty word, and the song’s crushing groove continues to invade our consciousness.
