I've got EVERYTHING he's done. Originally released in '84, this was the beginning of his mid-eighties trend with the backup vocals and digital synths and the first album on his own NUMA label. I was sold on it the first time I caught a glimpse of the blue hair. Though Berserker may not have the highs of The Fury or Strange Charm it does maintain a high level of quality, with the exception of My Dying Machine (not one of my favorites).

Yes it has to be Berserker. This was his last truly great album and i will be very unpopular with many of his fans i know. Following on from the excellent "Warriors" and "I,Assassin" of the previous years this was his masterpeice.

I have an eternal argument with a colleague at work on when was his finest hour. He thinks it is the 1980 "Telekon" - and there were some outstanding tracks like "I Dream Of Wires" and "Remind Me To Smile". But for sheer completeness it has to be Berserker. I think you have to appreciate also that Numan's popularity was on the wane in 1984. The singles released from Berserker did not set the charts on fire and appearance with Leo Sayer did little to enhance his talent.Also, his friend Paul Gardiner who played bass with the Tubeway Army died of a heroin overdose close to the Berserker sessions. This bereavement had a massive effect on the album - alienation, angst and atheism abound.

Yet out of this comes outstanding music. From the blistering title track to the end he is on top form. The complete fusion of electronic bass,synthesizer funk, and cracking percussion. Outstanding tracks are "This Is New Love" (all of 8.45 minutes long), "The Secret"(why this track was never released as a single beggars belief),"Pump It Up" and "The Child With The Ghost".

This album was before Numan consumed his music with heavier basslines which snuffed out his synthesizer genius of earlier work. Later work did not have that certain "Je ne sais quoi" you could say. Here he achieved a balance which was nearly there on Warriors but superbly defined on Berserker.

I have every one of Gary Numan's studio albums, so that should warn the reader about my bias regarding this artist. There are so many high points during his career that it is difficult to single out one effort as his best, but Beserker is unique among his outings. There is an impressive wall of sound from the title track, which invites the listener with the beguiling "Do you want to come with me now." A chorus of innocent-sounding women intone that they question everything, and indeed Numan creates an interesting tension between lyrics that express alienation and self-doubt with music that is precise and virtuosic.

"This is New Love" is spectacular. Frankly, it's hard to describe, very driving, stick bass and numerous changes of instrumentation and rhythm. The bass line of "The Secret" recalls earlier, mechanistic Numan rhythms, and the song features a soaring electric guitar line. The words are compelling here: "We'll show you religion, we'll show you a new God, we'll show you the secret of love." By the end of the song, the secret revealed is that of fear.

"My Dying Machine" is the culminating point of the album, and feature some of my favorite Numan lyrics: "No more questions, no more answers, all that is left is the fear. Why give orders? Why give speeches? Give me a reason to die. I've no plan to run. I've no plan to hide." And this is embedded in one of his best dance songs ever. Just delightful, and again that devious interplay of celebratory melody and dark themes, but in this song, optimism seems to gain the upper hand.

"Cold Warning" presents a stark contrast to the complex percussion of "My Dying Machine," opening with a lonely-sounding fiddle. It is another very danceable tune, less manic and much darker. "Pump it Up" provides a lighter relief, a lively and fun song. "The God Film" is a slower interlude that leads to "A Child with the Ghost," a mournful and atmospheric elegy. The original vinyl album ended with "The Hunter," an excellent rocker. Just as the record opened appropriately with an invitation, this song bids the listener farewell: "Now I know it's all over." The CD re-release includes five bonus tracks, some of which are excellent. "Empty Bed, Empty Heart" is a bluesy, slow complaint, nice and atmospheric. "Here Am I" is also a very deliberately paced song, much better than the first bonus track, even if it is not related thematically to "Beserker." "She Cries" is a real gem, reminiscent of the mood and sound from "Dance." "Rumour" is also excellent, even if the sound is a bit distorted. It's worth some fuzziness to hear another example of Numan when he's moving and lyrical. The last bonus track is a bit of a throw-away, but who's complaining after such a great collection of songs?