Maxim
         Maxim
         Released: 02/10/2000
         Label: Beggars Banquet
 

And you thought The Prodigy were as dark and gothic
as dance music could get. Well, here comes their head
rapper Maxim Reality with his own apocalyptic vision, all
environmental disaster and man falling from grace.
Maxim takes Liam Howlett's template of hard beats
and adds more rhymes. He takes on the invention and
power of Busta Rhymes and The Wu Tang Clan but is
not match for either. Although an essential component
of the Essex band, his rhymes lack conviction and his
numerous guests fail to rescue him. Maxim's
Prodge-does-hip hop production sounds pedestrian
and weak in comparison to the grandeur of later
Prodigy material. Exceptions are Soul Seller with its
roaring guitars and he single Carmen Queasy that has
the one strong tune and Skin's still stronger vocal. But
the real stand out track is Scheming, which benefits
from Howlett's original fusion of breaks and bouncing
garage bass. It's a beguiling taster for the next Prodigy
album, though not even the breaks master can save
My Web. To work well in Hell's Kitchen, Maxim needs
some more cookery lessons.