Rodan perhahps best known for his work with MF Doom, KMD and the Monsta Island Czars releases an album high on the adreneline and low on the production.

The album starts out with a quote from the movie 'The Prophecy':

Did you ever notice how in the Bible, when ever God needed to punish someone, or make an example, or whenever God needed a killing, he sent an angel?
Did you ever wonder what a creature like that must be like?
A whole existence spent praising your God, but always with one wing dipped in blood.
Would you ever really want to see an angel?

The Prophecy

Then Rodan comes in the like the angel of death, raw fast and relentless. Rodan's delivery is fast without a pause an almost monotone, sort of like Guru at double speed. Even on the slower song "Century 21" his speed never lets up, the fast pace can make it hard to follow; but this just means on repeat listens you pick up something new.

A lot of the songs contain an obscure sample from a movie or T.V show, the best use of samples is probably on War in Heaven Pt I & II with the Transformers (1984) theme song samples.

The production is very raw and is not studio sugar coated which may give it a 'budget' feel to some listeners, but to me it works very; I like the granularity of it and in some ways it reminds me of some earlier RZA production. Most of the production is done by X Ray, with a few tracks by RAVAGE. Rodan, B Wize and Heat Sensor also produce a track.

As you would expect the Monsta Island Czars members make a few guest appearances, most notably on the tracks "Century 21" and "Run The Sphere v2.3".

Overall this is a solid album, but it isn't very accessible both in terms of listen-ability and availability. I believe it's out of print and I had to order mine (and pick it up) from Japan. What the album lacks in production is made up for in its raw energy, so check it out ... if you can.

Track Listing

1. Intro

2. The Conqueror

3. F.E.D.'s

4. No Snakes Alive Pt. II feat. Shaman

5. Roll Call feat. Kong,
Kamackeris and Gigan

6. War In Heaven Pt. I

7. Erotic Peaks

8. Flight Lessons

9. Sumthin To Prove (Remix)

10. No Degrees

11. War In Heaven Prt. II

12. The Wilderness

13. G.O.D.

14. Human Inquisition

15. Outro

16. Century 21 featuring Megalon

17. Run the Sphere v.2.3 feat. Kong,
Loch Ness, Megalon, King Ceasar,
Kamackeris, MF Doom and MF Grimm

18. Ability to Speak