The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers’ acclaimed third album ‘The Holy Bible’ consists of fast paced, heavy music and dark lyrics. Occasional rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards wrote insane lyrics and that mixed with haunting guitars created an album that truly reflects human nature. It isn’t elegant but that is what makes it so effective. Each track is a poetic masterpiece in itself. The opener ‘Yes’, which is the highlight of the album for me, compares Richey’s life to that of a prostitute and describes the feeling of being cheapened by exploiting your mental health and coping through self-abuse. Being the opening track, it sets the tone for what is a journey into the cruelty of humanity. ‘Ifwhiteamerica...’, mostly written by bassist Nicky Wire, discusses American consumerism and how images of a perfect country contrast with violence and racism. The media’s glorification of serial killers is highlighted in ‘Archives of Pain’ and evokes controversy through its seemingly pro death penalty stance. ‘4st 7lb’ consists of a harrowing tale of a girl who suffering from anorexia and believes that, by starving herself, she is degrading into a purer and better state; this is reflected in Edwards’ own struggle with anorexia. ‘Faster’ examines how Richey lived his life amongst a judgemental society, who did not understand him. The chugging drums in ‘The Intense Humming of Evil’ mirror the train tracks of victims being sent to concentration camps in the Holocaust. ‘Die in the Summertime’ is an intense track reflecting how the narrator wants to die in their youth, the prime of their life (Richey Edwards went missing at the age of 27). It is hard to talk about ‘The Holy Bible’ without mentioning Richey’s disappearance in 1995. Some say ‘The Holy Bible’ is, in a way, a last will and testament for a man who was spiralling into oblivion and couldn’t live with the world around him. His disappearance only makes the album more upsetting to listen to. The music itself, written by drummer Sean Moore and vocalist/guitarist James Dean Bradfield, accentuates the narrative behind the lyrics. Paranoia-filled, intense guitars, a heavy bass and chugging drums perfectly capture Richey’s vision and genius. The audio samples featured in some tracks (such as ‘Yes’ and ‘Mausoleum’) only add to the soul-stirring atmosphere, each fitting the tone of the track flawlessly. It’s unsettling, cruel, heavy, brutal and, at times, difficult to listen to (‘4st 7lb’ for example) but that is what makes this album so perfect. Racism, the death penalty, the Holocaust, anorexia, suicide, prostitution and political correctness are just a few of the topics discussed in just 56 minutes and 17 seconds. Nothing is off limits. This is the greatest album of all time.

music i would lie about liking to seem edgier as a teen

Welsh poli-punks hate Reagan and Thatcher as much as me, but they don’t share my fondness for melody or hooks.

Not even Bono would have the audacity to name a U2 album "The Holy Bible." But what the fuck? I just had to listen to these dildos the other day, now I have to do it again? The second track is hilarious, it's some sort of a critique against American culture...you know, the rock n roll culture that these Welsh dipshits are glad to adopt. But yeah, nothing like a group of white guys from across the pond acting like they're morally superior. What a fucking eye-roll. Loved this verse from the third song: Mussolini hangs from a butcher's hook Hitler reprised in the worm of your soul Horthy's corpse screened to a million Tiso revived, the horror of a bullfight Ohhh, Hitler! Mussolini! Edgy! Wow, mom and dad won't like this! What are they gonna do next, put a painting of a morbidly obese woman in her underwear on the cover? Wait, they dropped Dahmer's name a few songs later, how much more daring can they get?! Calling Stalin bisexual, whoa!!! The eating disorder song 4st 7lb ends with the line: I've finally come to understand life Through staring blankly at my navel Which just summarizes everything about these assholes....navel gazing being confused for revelation. The most liked review of this album claims that "this is the greatest album of all time" which is complete bullshit. Just because it deals with a bunch of issues the pseudo intellectuals love it...but this is music for teenagers who think listening to it makes them profound and convinced of their own importance. Which is exactly who must have written that review; an idiot teenager. Fuck that guy's review and fuck this band. I never want to hear this shit again. I'm only giving it a 2 because I'll admit to liking some of the guitars, bass and drums....but as far as the lyrics, the singing, the "messages", the album title and the album artwork, go fuck off.

A disturbing and brutal masterpiece - my favorite album of all time. I'm not very good at writing sincere positive reviews, so I'll just say that I love every song on here. I recommend reading up on Richey Edwards before listening to this. It might seem like an album written by a whiny edgelord at first, but you'll understand that it's essentially a broken man's suicide note. The lyrical structures might not be for everyone. There's not many rhymes here and at times it feels like the singer is really struggling to make the lyrics fit. (Big props to James Dean Bradfield for somehow making it all work). I think it adds to the brutality of the whole experience. There isn't much to latch on structurally, so you're just kind of on a bumpy ride to Fuckville, or whatever. It's like reading a block of text with no punctuation in musical form. (And pretty sure that's how they printed the lyrics as well) I'm rambling here. I don't even know what half of the words I just wrote mean, so I'll stop now before I get super obnoxiously pretentious. Listen to this damn album, man. Stop reading the reviews, MICHAEL. A big ol' 10/10.

An absolute masterpiece. One of the most quotable albums ever, with lyrics by two of the very best to ever write. Songs are lyrically heavy, musically appropriate to the words, with flashes of genius every few seconds. Almost unfair that one band would have two such poetic lyricists, and two genius all-round musicians, and one of the very best vocalists ever, and a drummer who is such a good all-rounder, and as a band they would even design covers/videos/artwork. That that they would combine to collaborate with such a clear vision is almost unbelievable. Favourite tracks are ... All of them! We miss you Richey

First off, stop the presses! There is a UK band from the 90’s on this list with actual fire in their bellies….a band that’s not content to comb through the Beatles’ scraps, reheat them and try to pass them off as their own. This sounds closer to a Superchunk record or something their label, Merge Records, would’ve put out than anything those droll Britpop weirdos could ever conjure up. Second, in previous reviews, I’ve alluded to the fact that I am not a very smart guy. Well, add this to the pile of evidence: I had always thought the band was *Manic Street* Preachers, as in Preachers who reside on Manic Street. It didn’t occur to me until today that it’s probably “Manic Street Preachers” as in Street Preachers who are Manic. I’m learning all kinds of lessons today.

Cool music. I can't understand a word they say.

“The Holy Bible” by Manic Street Preachers (1994) Hateful, foul, cruel, profane, Here’s an album that takes some pretty nasty passions and puts them on public display. This artistic impetus is well informed, intelligently constructed only occasionally losing its poetic footing. Lyrics are meaningful, erudite, expansively referential, and horrifying. The title is a bit of misdirection, generating within the potential listener a vain wish for some serious anti-Christian attack. But what one gets is merely anti-human. "Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart" is a song marred by the improper use of the apostrophe.

This album was a nice surprise. The songs are different enough that you don't get bored but the overall theme is still there. I enjoyed it more than I expected, and most of the songs.

A great introduction to a band I've heard of, but never actually heard.

My favourite album when I was 12 years old, my favourite album now and almost certainly my favourite album on the day that I die. This was a cultural rabbit hole for 12 year old me that opened up a vast world of music, books, art, movies and politics. It's a dark has hell (The Intense Humming of Evil), grim and sneering (Yes), smugly intelligent (well, the whole album really), incredibly beautiful (This Is Yesterday) and it fucking rocks (Faster). It's a juggernaut of an album. An utter masterpiece.

Incredible songwriting, performance, and message. Not to mention the sad, sad story behind the album that only enhances it. A gem who's influence is plain to see in much of the music of the next decade.

Manic Street Preachers' dark and jagged masterpiece. Every track is a banger yet incredibly dense and could have an essay written about it. At this time the Manics had an interesting approach to songwriting. Richey and Nicky would write the full lyrics to each song then present them to James and Sean to put to music. Just what JDB must have made of the diatribe handed to him is difficult to fathom. However, he did an incredible job in matching the spiky energy of the music to the bleak world view of the lyrics, whilst somehow finding accessible melodies with which to spit out the bilious words. It is this that elevates the album from a poetic rant to a genius work of art. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: Faster Date listened: 25/03/23

This is your ex boyfriend's favourite album. That's just a fact. It's ok, but it belongs to a certain time and place and if you were on board back in '94, it's hard to hitch a ride 25 years later. The worst thing is that the title of track two has an apostrophe in it, wth.

Good album on first listen that became an incredible album after three listens, despite its very dark themes. I can’t believe I never this gem of an album until now.

Not particularly catchy or accomplished. Middle of the road alternative rock from the mid '90s. Boring.

Never heard of this group. The music is pretty good, but blends together really quickly and starts to sound generic. I was more intrigued by reading about Richey Edwards and his disappearance than the music itself. Still, as usual, a couple good songs on here, but this is pretty middle-of-the-road for me. Favorite tracks: Die in the Summertime, Revol. Album art: Kind of disturbing. I do like the font and the reversed R's, plus having the track list on the front is an interesting choice. But the inset pictures seem menacing. I'm scared. 2.5/5

I first discovered the Manic Street Preachers through this generator and really loved 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘎𝘰, which led me to explore more of their work and the Britpop scene :> I appreciate 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 for its beautiful, rich production and gritty political commentary. It is a lot bleaker than its successor for sure, grappling with themes of anorexia, corruption, self-harm, and suicide. Fly high, Richey Edwards. You were well-loved.

The Holy Bible From asinine allusions to religion and suffering with Ministry to something far more real and moving, and a truly excellent album. I haven’t listened to this in a while, and it’s been great revisiting and remembering how great it is. I like Generation Terrorists’ and Gold Against The Soul’s more GnR inspired sound, but I really like the return to their more British, punk and new wave roots on this. The terseness, scratchiness and immediacy of the music powerfully complements the lyrical and thematic despair, making a simultaneously great to listen to and hard to listen to album. The lyrical content is of course notable, and without labouring the point, puts the lyrics of so many (US) edgelord heavy bands into a cocked hat, covering suicide, self harm, US cultural imperialism, racism, fascism, disordered eating, and the cheery subject of the holocaust. But it never feels exploitative and despite the bleakness I’ve never found it depressing, it being much more expressive and an expression of Richey’s mental state and obsessions. I don’t want to necessarily go song by song, but I always loved Yes, Of Walking Abortion, Revol, 4st 7lb, Faster and This is Yesterday (although I never noticed the Jam influence until today), but it struck me how there’s not really a weak song, and James’s guitar playing is as always superb, whether going fully overdriven or doing more sparse riffs and new-wave grooves. Easily a 5, fantastically earnest and brilliantly put together, there’s not really anything else like this that I like. ✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️ Playlist submission: Revol

An absolute masterpiece. One of the most quotable albums ever, with lyrics by two of the very best to ever write. Songs are lyrically heavy, and musically appropriate to the words, with flashes of genius every few seconds. Almost unfair that one band would have two such poetic lyricists, and two genius all-round musicians, and one of the very best vocalists ever, and a drummer who is such a good all-rounder, and as a band they would even design covers/videos/artwork. That they would then combine to collaborate with such a clear vision is almost unbelievable. Favourite tracks are ... All of them! 6 🌟 We miss you Richey

Damn, this album is really good. It's like a harder pre-cursor to the pop-punk craze of the mid to late 90's. Every song on here is a banger. 5 stars.

In 1994, while Britpop was throwing one endless party across the UK, a four-piece from Wales dropped a Molotov cocktail into the festivities. The Holy Bible is a raw, unflinching exploration of darkness and despair, a stark contrast to the boisterous highs of the time. Six months later, Richey Edwards disappeared, leaving behind an album that feels as prophetic as it is painfully personal. Richey’s lyrics are the beating heart of The Holy Bible. His words are as devastating as they are intelligent, capturing everything from political decay to body image issues to self-destruction. On “4st 7lb,” Edwards confronts anorexia with chilling precision, while “Archives of Pain” delivers a scathing critique of historical atrocities. The man behind these lyrics was spiralling, and the voyeuristic nature of the album—listened to in hindsight—makes it feel like an intimate, unsettling glimpse into his psyche. Musically, the band shed their earlier Guns N’ Roses-inspired bombast, opting for a more concise and claustrophobic sound that drew heavily from post-punk, goth, and echoes of The Clash. The guitars are jagged, the drums industrial, and Bradfield’s voice cuts through it all with unrelenting ferocity. Tracks like “Yes” and “Faster” are unyielding, while “The Intense Humming of Evil” suffocates you with its bleak atmosphere. The sound mirrors the album’s content—nothing is comforting here, there are no soft edges to cushion the blow. In the years after Edwards’ disappearance, the Manics embraced a more polished, anthemic sound on albums like Everything Must Go and This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours. These records brought commercial success but left behind the visceral, confrontational energy that defines The Holy Bible. Where those albums offered catharsis, this one opts for discomfort. For a fleeting moment in 1994, the Manics captured a scathing snapshot of the world’s injustices in a way few others dared. The Holy Bible stands as one of the most uncompromising albums of its era. While not an easy listen, its brutal honesty and thematic depth make it essential for those who rejected the polished veneer of Cool Britannia. It’s an album that never sought to comfort—it sought only to confront. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Maybe Would this release make my personal list? Had I lived in Britain at the time, I feel I would have had a bigger connection to this band and album. Will I be listening to it again? For sure.

fun! upbeat. a surprising listen because of the terrible album art.

One of those albums where I knew I was listening to a 3 the entire time. Completely unremarkable unexciting alt rock/britpop. First song was closest thing to a standout.

Dying without having listened to this would have been perfectly acceptable.

Manic Street Preachers are a first-time listen for me. It seems a lot of the discussion of this album revolves around Richey Edwards and what happened after to him, but what I hear listening to it is just a great punk album, one that (some contemporary lyrical references aside) I would not have guessed was released in 1994. The sound is aggressive, melodical, and cathartic, as easy to appreciate for it's musical elements as it's (appropriately blistering) lyrical content. One of the best discoveries I've made so far with this exercise.

The last album with Richey. Not my favourite album, but superb all the same. It's amazing how they've flourished continuously throughout the years, maintaining those political views, moulding a different sound without Richey, yet somehow holding on to that familiarity that would make you believe he's still playing with the band. Top band, top album.

Didn't know this band before getting it here on this list. Very nice, like it very much. Reminds me a bit of Incubus and partly Billy Talent as well, which I used to listen to a lot.

As its name would suggest. The Holy Bible is an album that sits at the top of music. Unlike most albums to come out of this sphere of music in Britain in the mid-90s, this is a bleak look at the darkest aspects of human life. Prostitution, politics, mental disorders, and genocide are amongst the many topics that this album rages about throughout its 56-minute runtime. Richey Edwards, who is perhaps described as the band’s lead lyric conceptualist (as it was primarily his fellow bandmates who would arrange his ideas into viable songs) would disappear from the globe, presumably dead a few months after this record released. In terms of the music, one of the most striking features here is that every song here is a driving rock banger, creating a perfect juxtaposition to the subject material of the album. The guitars sound phenomenal here and James Dean Bradfield’s vocals are perfect here. I don’t think anyone else could have performed these lyrics here any better as they manage to encapsulate the disillusion with life that this album was written with. The lyrics themselves are expertly written, where they convey the disposition in their writer while also retaining a bit of poetry and without being extremely in-your-face about it that one might expect with this kind of album. These elements combine to make one of the greatest listening experiences of the 90s. This is one of the few albums that I call perfect, a 100/100.

Omian absoluuttisia top-5 -levyjä maailmassa. 7/5.

10/10. No notes.

First time listening to this album, absolutely smitten. I really enjoyed the other album i had from this band so I was excited. I wish I had heard of this band earlier.

If an album happens in close proximity to an artist's death, and if I can make a connection between the two of them, chances are good I'm gonna like it more. It's a habit of mine I've been aware of for a while. You look at how I've reacted to albums like Dennis Wilson's 'Pacific Ocean Blue', Leonard Cohen's 'If You Want It Darker', Amy Winehouse's 'Back To Black'; Lennon's 'Double Fantasy', for an album outside of this list; and how I'm gonna react to David Bowie's '★' . . . it's not hard to see a trend. Even on albums I'm not terribly fond of, like Skip Spence's 'Oar', an artist's death can play a large factor. Honestly, I think the only artist where I haven't done this is Nick Drake, and that's only because his death in connection to his music is already overmythologized enough as it is. It's not a good habit. I always feel kind of guilty whenever I indulge in it, because, like . . . what am I doing? Honestly, what am I doing when I do this? Is that really all this music means to me? Once they've passed, I can't think about it in any other terms than their death? Gimme a break. They deserve **way** more respect than that. It's sad they're gone, yeah, and it's not **not** a factor when discussing these albums particularly, but let's not act like it's the only frame to see these albums through — or that whatever you can read into it in regards to their death is any good reason to like the stuff more! It's something I wanna try and get away from with these kinds of albums. Y'know, appreciate them for what they've done and provided rather than narrow in so heavily on the fact that they're gone. Which, two long paragraphs in, brings us to this album — and the all-too-sad disappearance and presumed death of Richey Edwards. From everything I've read, 'The Holy Bible' seems like one of those albums where, if you know details like this, you can't **not** address them. According to a guy who wrote an e-zine called 'Freaky Trigger', to write about this album without bringing it up is pointless; like "tracing [Richey Edwards's] outline as you gradually and gingerly tiptoed around it." This kinda talk makes the album sound as if it's a suicide note. It's . . . a lot to parse out, y'know? And I mean nothing but respect for Richey. I didn't really learn of him until this album (the first album my group had gotten from Manic Street Preachers was the first they'd released without him), but . . . and, I mean, just the fact that his mental health is **so important** to this album that there's a whole section on the album's Wikipedia page discussing it — which I suppose isn't **entirely** unwarranted, given he co-wrote all of the lyrics with the drummer... Aaaah. You can tell why I put this album off for a few days, backlog troubles aside. But whatever. I'm here now and I wanna let the music for itself as well as it can. With all of that preamble context . . . how does it stand up? Let's begin with this: this is a dark album. A **very** dark album. Even if you didn't know about Richey's disappearance, there's no getting around how dark it is. But it's dark in a different way than I'd thought it'd be. From all of the reviews, I thought it'd be sad — y'know, the whole "suicide note" thing. But if there's any singular emotion I get from this album — oh, it's anger. You better believe this is an angry, cynical album. **Maybe** frustrated at worst. This album is more a manifesto about the state of the world if anything. And there **is** something in that anger that I enjoy. And it feels really weird to say that,but what I mean is that if this is Britpop, then it's for sure the grungiest and most metal Britpop I've ever heard. The instrumentals are so fuckin' heavy, and they go **off**. Honestly! If there's anything about this album I'd point to first to say why I like it, it's these instrumentals. But then there's the anger in the lyrics. And I know I'm the first person to throw away the lyrics in favor of just jamming out to the music, but seriously? Seriously? You can't do that here. Not very easily, anyway. The lyrics on this thing are just . . . so fuckin' vivid and open and **mad as hell** about every topic it tackles. I mean, you think the **music** is heavy? Try the **words** — they're real heavy, Doc. Like, there are just some songs where . . . oh, my goodness. "4st. 7lb." is so easy to visualize in your mind, as a portrait of a girl going through anorexia, that I was honestly getting unnerved. Y'know, it can just be a lot to take in if you aren't ready for it. Heck, even if you **are** ready for it...! Really, the only qualms I have about the lyrics come on the song "P.C.P." — what a closer, huh? After songs taking aim at right-wing totalitarianism, and immediately following a song inspired by a visit to a concentration camp . . . here's a song complaining about political correctness. And, y'know, I get what this song must've been going for back in 1994: it's worried about the softening of language so that you potentially can't discuss harder subjects without pissing someone off for saying the wrong words. But in 2025, when the only people I see bitching about that sort of shit are conservatives . . . yeeeeaaaahhh. And they were worried about "Archives Of Pain" being too right-wing. To me, it's like the song "Trigger Warning" from the pop punk parody band Sunrise Skater Kids. I know the guy behind it is on the up and up, and I know "Trigger Warning" wasn't supposed to be too much more than jabbing at a brand of social justice warriors . . . but it just don't sit right to me. And in fact, I've never listened to that song since the first time I heard it, so... But putting one unfortunate album closer aside, I am just . . . surprised as hell that this is the same band who made 'Everything Must Go' (the aforementioned first album my group had gotten). I relistened to some of it after I was done with 'The Holy Bible' and it was damn night and day. I just never woulda guessed! Though, I'll say this: I'll probably remember this album a lot more than I have 'Everything Must Go', that's for sure. And . . . yeah. 'The Holy Bible' is a good album, but like I said, it can be a **lot**. It can be pretty abrasive in spots, and I would absolutely not recommend it for the faint of heart. If you know what you're getting into, by all means, check it out; it's really damn good despite its abrasiveness. But if you don't — or, again, maybe even if you do . . . yeah. And as for Richey, I don't know how much anymore I'd view this album in terms of his disappearance. I can tell there isn't **nothing** there in relation, but it's not like I hear this and all I can think about is how he disappeared. Though if there is anything on that front, it's just about how this band lost a truly great songwriter . . . and a friend. So, Richey, wherever you are, I can only hope you're doing alright. I really do.

Some damn good British rock, right here. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 5. Certainly not what I was expecting from the same band who had rather Britpop-y tones on “Everything Must Go” – this is a drearier, darker, cynical album that feels like a proper merging of the politically driven punk of the 1970s and the grunge of the early 1990s, coming to a head in a way that’s musically pleasing as hell, generally lyrically strong (save for the last track, to a degree), and overall, it just strikes me as immediately more memorable than their other album on the list. Granted, part of that is the disappearance of their lead writer / lyricist Richey Edwards, who wrote so many of the darker tracks here while he was going through deeply intense personal problems of his own. In a way, this feels almost like an autobiography of pain; less of a suicide note & more of a manifesto of frustrations about the world at large, written through a multitude of perspectives & frames that all somehow feel vivid, imagined, and all too real, even in their “worst” moments. It’s a deeply honest album, and while I think you could maybe get away with not paying attention to the lyrics to a certain point, eventually this album’s penchant for its darker themes will catch up, and hit you over the head with some remarkably apt introductory quote, or a sonic soundscape that’s too forceful to ignore. I think the production on this thing is remarkably strong, and for 1994 in particular, it feels ahead of schedule. I listened to the original mix for this, but apparently, the US mix included in the 20th anniversary deluxe edition is the band’s preferred mix, and supposedly even better. I may need to prove that for myself. This really does feel like nothing of the era; I guess the closest comparison, to some degree, are the two sides of the coin that were “Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury” & “3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of…”, but while those rap albums either suffered from pearl-clutching, heavy-handed “holier than thou” attitudes or outdated rhetoric in the name of an agenda, I think this album places no active judgment on the listener, instead acting as, well… a sermon. The name “Manic Street Preachers” makes a lot more sense now, given that this does feel like sitting in on one man’s crusade against the injustices of the world, framed through a lot of marginally radical, morally stretchy, and yet not wholly unjustified viewpoints. It’s food for thought to say the least, and I can’t say I find myself actively fighting back against anything here, save for the last track “P.C.P.”. I chalk it down to the “political correctness” of 1994 being perhaps just a little too aggressive for the time; I do think the sort of push for less harmful language isn’t necessarily an equivalent to suppression of “freedom to say what you want”, but I can see how tiptoeing around it and losing sort of an edge to fight back against bullshit in light of that push could piss off people in the wrong way. However, I also just think that all the fear-mongering the song has just never came to pass – if it was a valid-ish fear back then, then I can’t really hate on it, but it’s certainly the track that’s aged the worst here. It’s still musically energetic as hell, though. So, yes, it’s a 5, but I do think it’s an abrasive album at points; “The Intense Humming of Evil” being written from the cold, cruel, heartless perspective of a literal Nazi, for example, might be just a little too close to home, no matter how chillingly accurate that coldness probably is. The same applies for a track like “4st 7lb”, but in a different way; it’s a very open & honest perspective from the mindset of someone with anorexia, and it’s so vividly written that I can see the poor girl in that track mentally shrinking & thinning out in my head. When this album’s writing shines in that honest way, it can be a brutal mirror to the past & part of the present, but one that I think has aged in a fruitful & memorable way, even 31 years out. If the writing here feels too unsettling or the musicianship doesn’t strike the same way, I think the floor here is a 3, and I wouldn’t blame anyone for going there. I really liked it, though, and it’s certainly one of the most interesting albums we’ve gotten, even 645 in. Hence, the 5.

This was truly something else.

This is the first Manic Street Preachers album I've listened to. Reading the wiki and learning about Richey Edwards was sad, and I respect the band for leaving a microphone on stage for him after all these years. I hope Richey's family get closure As for the album, it was great, and I most likely will listen again but next time with more focus on the lyrics

Manics at their classic best. Another top album delivered by the project.

"Fucking bleak" is the only way to describe this album. It's like picking at a scab that you won't allow to heal. However, it's still absolutely immense. Not for the faint hearted. Best Tracks: Yes; Faster; P.C.P.

Masterpiece lyrically, musically

Excellent album!

Genuinely one of my favourite albums of all time. I found Manics completely randomly while compiling a list of artists to check out ages ago and The Holy Bible was the album I chose to listen to first from them. I was definitely intrigued after the first listen. Came back to it maybe just two years later and got properly obsessed with Manics and love them to this day. What a bittersweet album. On the one hand it's truly genius in a disturbing way. On the other I can't stop thinking about Richey and what he was going through. Hope you feel better now wherever you are, Richey 5/5

Words could never articulate the brilliance of this album. 31 years later, it still ignites the burning passion to learn about politics and what is truly happening around us. It compels us to read and to keep learning, even when we know it's all for the same fleeting fate.

I have adored the Manics from their first album Generation Terrorists. I admire their politics, Jame's voice, their strong lyrics and rousing melodies. This to me is one of their best albums on all levels, including packaging and is perhaps their most quintessential album. This is the Welsh gods at their best.

I've read about this album - the lyrics were mostly done by Richey Edwards, who disappeared a few months later, so it's often mentioned online as a sort of dark album due to referencing many of his personal struggles - but never actually listened. Damn, is it good. Great riffs with awesome tone. Interesting samples and lyrical content. I know the rest of it is likely different to some extent but it makes me want to listen to more MSP. Yep, enjoyed a TON of their music today.

I found a new band I like!

Bleak, grey, industrial, aggressive, numinous, prescient - one of my all time favourites. As good as ever

Still love it as much as ever

LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH

Back to back days with MSP, and what have I done to deserve to be so blessed!?

Honestly kicking myself for not listening to this before. This absolutely rips. Lyrically it's super intense and dark and instrumentally every song is really rocking. I think maybe the name scared me off previously but I'm glad I finally listened.

Best album ever.

Really great!

What an album. Incredibly bleak and dark, and with a real atmosphere running through the whole thing. It's thick with it. Even the guitars are quite heavy and grimy too. The lyrical content is so dense, but they've made it work so well, where if you disregard them, the songs and music still stand totally on their own. While there are some standout songs, it's a whole album experience really. I'll chuck out special mention to 4st 7lb though because I love it. You can tell it was a lived experience. It's SO evocative with so many standout lines. You get the sense of a real person in there. 'I wanna walk in the snow and not leave a footprint. I wanna walk in the snow and not soil it's purity'. "Mother tries to choke me with roast beef and sits savouring her sole Ryvita. "That's the way you're built" my father said'. The song starts off so angry and heavy and it just melts into this heart-breakingly sad finale, and the final line, 'I've finally come to understand life through staring blankly at my navel'. Very powerful stuff, and it still holds up today in a big way.

I've had this one on repeat for the last week after I got the other Manic album on here. It was love at first listen and has just gotten better. I still need to do a deep dive of listening to it with the lyrics in front of me but I know at least the synopsis of each song. Just a thrill ride from start to finish. Intense Humming of Evil I probably won't come back to like the others but it's still an amazingly dark idea. Ifwhiteamerica sounds like it came straight off American Idiot despite being a decade earlier. I remember passing this album up a year ago because of the grotesque album cover but if any album needs it than it is this one. Think I'm gonna give this another perfect rating, seeing as how the people who love this put it as their favorite album ever, I can only imagine my appreciation of it growing. 15th perfect album, 734 albums in. Rating: 5.0

My favourite album ❤️ Makes me nostalgic and helps me when I'm really down

None of this should stand up, none of it should have ever stood up: crass sloganeering; awful guitar sounds; tense-armed drumming; mismatched sections; melodic fragments; overcrowded lyrics. No element of it works, which is why the whole is so staggeringly impressive. In the face of nihlism and wilful grotesquerie, there is hope and beauty - somehow - there is some achievement worth the time and effort. Eternity clutched from the mouth of oblivion. Take all my stars. The lyrics of The Holy Bible are a shapeless, rambling, almost-stream of consciousness clash of some kind of political nihilism and body horror. They should be unsingable or at least fatal to any attempt to create music worth listening to. Yet James Dean Bradfield took them and forged melodies of such elegance and potency that he must be regarded here as a genius at the moment of his purest inspiration. These are great, grotesque songs and I still shake my head, on the hundredth listen, at their relentless pile-on. Half of them would make a terrific album. As it is, I think of this album in which everything seems to pull forcefully in one direction; the angular, ugly guitar and bass riffs, the coarse production, the striking choice of artwork, those still shocking lyrics, the name of the band itself (invoked here on Archives of Pain), even the clothes they were wearing and I am reminded of no album more than Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. More than pop music; Gesamtkunstwerk. And, which may be more, the best album of 1994. 5/5

Stupendous album, sinister, electric, everything that made the Manics great at that time. How I wished that I got to see them in those days.

Truth. Oh how searing honesty in art is discomforting. We want it but its hard not to turn away when its here. A little bit searing. Awful name for an album. I like the opening… and yes the music is good but the themes despairing and painful as per the main popular review – its utter human carnage and (deathly, as it turns out) despair. But wonderfully done. They say art is borne of pain. Yes, I agree – as others have written - a terrible masterpiece. ….. Ultimately beautiful, moving, and agitating: depression brought forth into and almost exultant sweeping and cinematic grandeur. The kind I may never wish to listen to again, but WOW.

Dark, grim, intense, loud, confrontational, lyrically strong, fierce vocals, killer guitar sound. The Holy Bible is an absolute amazing album and the best the Manic Street Preachers have released.

Liked this A LOT. Reminds me of Against Me! Need to listen again more closely to the lyrics, but this is a fantastic album.

4,5/5

Featuring some nifty lead guitar work and diverse rhythm techniques/sounds, interesting arrangements, catchy pop melodies this is a highly accessible pop/rock album. The political and social commentary lyrics add some depth beyond the usual boy/girl crap that most pop songs are about. It's well played, well sung and pretty much every track sounds like a potential single, this is a fabulous album.

Another hidden gem that I just discovered, thanks to this list. According to Wikipedia, the band chose the name "The Holy Bible" to reflect the holiness of the album, and I don't know if they achieved it. Still, it's a holy release that deserves its place on 1001 albums to hear before dying.

Een stuk harder dan ik verwachtte! Politiek en mentaal getinte teksten. Ik zet dit zeker in mijn lijst van albums die ik nog eens wil beluisteren

very cool

Brilliance again

Dawno nie slyszalem czegos tak mocnego w swoim przekazie, a dodatkowo swiezego, bo jest to moje pierwsze spotkanie z ta banda, a co to za banda w ogole manic street preachers, to wyspiarska czterososobowa banda, tym razem walijczykow grajacych muzyke dosc ciezka do zaszufladkowania gatunkowo, najbardziej pasuje mi okreslenie tego albumu jako mocna alternatywa, cos post punkowego, jest to trzecia plyta w dyskografii zespolu, sam tytul daje hinta, ze ma to byc dzielo niezwykle, no i takie wlasnie wyszlo w moim odczuciu, bo kazdy trak opowiada jakas historie, ale nie sa to harlequiny jak z nagrania pana Pettiego, ale naprawde ciezkie tematy, gdzie kazda piosenka jest swego rodzaju rozprawa na tematy przerozne od sutenerstwo, hamerykanskosci, prawackich aborcjach na gatunku ludzkim, pozadaniu nieczystosci, wyrokach smierci, rewolucjantach, anoreksji, zatracaniu niewinnosci, standardach spoleczenstwa, przemijaniu, holokauscie, czy politycznej poprawnosci, tak w ultra skrocie mozna strescic kontent liryczny plyty, za ktorym w glownej czesci stal pan Richey Edwards, ktory jest kreditowany jako gitarka rytmiczna, lecz nie bral on udzialu w nagraniach, a jego jedynym wkladem sa teksty, ktore jednak jak dla mnie stanowia o unikalnosci tej plyty, dawno nie slyszalem czegos tak obrazowo nieszczesliwego, przepelnionego takimi emocjami, gdzie czuc autentycznosc wylewajaca sie z kolejnych barow tekstu, byl to ostatni album grupy z udzialem Richiego, o ktorym slad zagial w niedlugim czasie po wydaniu plyty, z tak mocnym przeslaniem jakie niesie plyta jego los jest mocno przewidywalny, od strony muzycznej plyta operuje surowym brzmieniem jakie mozna uzyskac przez mocne przestery gitarkowe i klimatyczne drumowanie, ktore jak na przedostatnim traku the intense humming of evil razem z znieksztalconymi brzmieniami gitary przywodzi na mysl brzmienie pociagow, ktore z kolei bezposrednio lacza sie z tematyka zaglady i obozow koncentracyjnych utworu, sluchajac flakow zdecydowanie da sie odczuc, ze jest to material robiony na szybko, jesli chodzi o produkcje, ale banda zrobila dobra robote jesli chciala oddac istote punka pod wzgledem instrumentali, wokale sa jak dla mnie najslabsza czescia plyty, za ktorymi frontmen James Dean Bradfield ktory gra takze na gitarkach i bawil sie takze na produkcji, jak i reszta czlonkow, wiec moze dlatego plyta ma w sobie to autentyczne brzmienie, o ktore tak ciezko, pozostalymi jeszcze niewymienionymi czlonkami sa Nicky Wire co pisarz i basista, no i Sean Moore na drumach, wiec o ile zeby zrozumiec dokladnie teksty musialem przesluchac z dwa razy, dodatkowo czytajac tekst podczas odsluchu, to jednak jestem zadowolony z tak ciekawego picka listowego, moje top trzy kawalkow z tego krazka to faster, die in the summertime i zamykacjacy song P,C,P, trudna do oceny plyta, ale jednak na tyle unikalna, ze pelne gwiazdki i dodanie na polke spotifajowa

New favorite in there

Fantastic album, great songs, lyrics and general vibe.

Enjoyed this more than the latter album I listened to by them. Could have done without all the narrative between songs but otherwise liked it.

Weer een band die ik vrij vroeg in de collectie had, door de Chemical Brothers. Die mixte een en ander van deze band, waaronder 'Faster'. Dat nummer lijkt ergens weinig digitale versterking nodig te hebben. Net als het meeste op dit album heeft het al kracht genoeg van zichzelf. Ik snap het ook wel. Het is heerlijk gebruiken, die uitgespuugde harde medeklinkers: "I am an arKiteK-T". De zanger doet het erom, of hij moet Hollandse roots hebben. Maar in de delen met rustigere delen, is dit accent verdwenen. Dan heeft hij een zachtere radio-rock-klank. Het stomme is; op de een of andere manier werkt het. Het tilt het album boven de vergeetbare 3.

Another pf those bands that I'd heard the name, but never heard the music. Now, I wish I had heard them earlier. While I don't think they're like the Best Band Ever or anything, it's definitely worth the listen. I've listened to it three times over the last few days and there is some great music here. His voice is interesting and good for the most part, but he does seem to try channeling Johnny Lydon sometimes and that's less than good. His high singing voice and his yellier bits are good. But, his mid-voice is a little whiny. I read about their writing style and thought how hard it must have been hard for them to come up with music for these fully formed word salads But the music is quite good throughout. Good guitars and the bass shows up pretty strong in a couple of them, I'll listen to this again and some made it onto playlists already. Let's give it a 4.

Hadn’t heard of them until now and they’re solid!

I've heard of these guys, but never listened to them before. I dig the early 90s dirty alt rock sound. Honestly reminds me a bit of the J-Rock band The Pillows.

Second album proposé après 'Everything Must Go' que j'avais assez apprécié (noté 3/5). Ce second album est au moins aussi intéressant que le premier : l'harmonie et la structure des morceaux sont bien plus recherchées que dans la majorité des groupes pop/rock. La section rythmique est très bonne, avec une basse bien en avant, et la guitare est variée. Le chant est acceptable et se marie bien avec l'accompagnement. Il rejoindra ma collection ! Par contre l'album est un peu long, certains morceaux sont un peu moins créatifs ('This is yesterday' par exemple), ce qui lui évite la note maximale. =>4/5

Really surprised by this, will give there other albums a losten

Tool meets Green Day on a sex pistol agenda!

A nice surprise and departure from a lot of the other 90s stuff, this was a band I knew of from a distance but never really listened to. There were definite influential sounds a la The Jam, Wire and Buzzcocks, but also some new wave and late 80s feel…all wrapped up with 90s drive. The dreary lyrics (oof) and tragic story of the lyricist/guitarist only adds to its intrigue. Still, there were a lot of interesting non-predictable moments and guitar tones that really help this album successfully bridge a lot of gaps between decades.

Really nice surprise. Had heard of these guys and very much enjoyed this. Good energy, guitar and vocals. A couple parts were a little rough on the ear holes but fortunately they didn’t lean in on that. A lot of grunge feels and a couple parts gave me system of the down type feels. Will be checking out more of this band. 3.75

A nice surprise. Unknown to me and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Nice tunes, haunting lyrics. Def one to revisit. 3.75/5

Heavy and catchy and so many excellent riffs and melodies. Another exciting new find. I’m giving 4s out like candy this week

Heavy lyrics, big melodies and memorable hooks. Under serious suspicion of being my jam. Listened twice and loved it.

Brilliantly underrated.

a blunt, powerful and emotional alternative rock album. the guy who wrote the lyrics and performed ended up mysteriously disappearing soon after this album came out. definitely not an album that's gonna hold your hand. meaty guitar riffs, punchy drums, and a lot of samples from movies, broadcasts and such that only add to the specific theming of each song. the "street preacher" name is right, they certainly have a preaching energy when they sing. while it lacks a bit in variation, this album overall i think is solid.

A surprising album. Very different from Everything must go. Glad it was included.

Not quite sure what I make of this manics album, my first time listening to them, it’s pretty interesting and a blend not quite like anything else I know - a low 4!

I guess a big part of the draw for this album is the lyrics, which were essentially all lost on me. I found myself really enjoying the sound though; much more interesting than most Brit rock. 4.0

Another one I bought when it was released. I didn't particularly like it at the time but my tastes have changed over time. This is a brilliant album, to be honest. Do yourself a favour and head to Wikipedia to read about the disappearance of Richey Edwards, the MSP lyricist. Then look at the paintings on the cover (they are by Jenny Savile). And pay attention to the tension between the lyrics and the music. Nothing is accidental with this album. I'm both sad and happy that I grew into this album.

Definitely not what I was expecting, in the best way. Incredible energy behind every song and I was a big fan of the instrumentation and the vocals. It was insane to read about the lyricist’s disappearance shortly after this record came out. Best Track: Yes

This is pretty rad. I love their sound and the fast paced, often hard to decrypt, Welsh accent on my unaccustomed ear made for an interesting experience. It's an album full of scathing political commentary and they really swung for the fences with it. I was reading about the band and the disappearance of their lyricist/guitarist Edwards and you can definitely hear his struggles in a lot of the lyrics, but he was obviously a crazy talented writer. The songs themselves are catchy and well executed. There are some nice guitar riffs and solos and the beats are fast paced and in your face. The drumming is really tight and can be subtle when it needs to be (see "This is Yesterday", love it). Every song has something fascinating to listen to. Standouts on this spin were "Archives of Pain" "Revol" and "This is Yesterday" This album is conceptually heavy and weighs on you. They went way in on global politics, which is fine, but I think if they had leaned more into their personal struggles this album would have been amazing. Those were the tracks where the band really shined. Cut a couple tracks too; the back half of the album drags a bit. As is, it's a really strong 4/5 for me, a really pleasant surprise, and I'll have to listen to this one again.

Another great album that I already have on my favorites. I never listened to this when I was young, for some reason it never crossed my path. The whole thing is really nice to listen to and not too aggressive some songs are pretty chilled out. There are a lot of interesting sonic delights mixed into the nice vocals. I've heard it many times but I still enjoy it and I'm sure I will continue to put it on every now and again.

Lots of solid and distinguishable rock songs, good contrast between fast paced and mellow tracks

I've never heard of this band or any songs. This is why I do this, to find bands like this. Excellent sound. 4/5

Holy album

This is good. It is post punk punk. It is sometimes rocky, sometimes lyrical, sometimes even a bit electronica. I try not to be influenced too much by what others think, both good and bad, although sometimes people have really good perspectives and it doesn't mean avoid everyone or their opinions. I must admit though, that MANY people wrote of the depth of the lyrics... which... ... I honestly found to be largely unclear most of the time. It IS punk and is presented that way most of the time so... sure. And those thinking it is "deeper" than punk have NO idea of * actual * punk. This does NOT affect my view that this is a solid post punk band and it is worth a listen.

Enjoyed it - better than their more recent stuff

First album from them and I have to say they really live up to their name with this one. Full of energy and outrage over how messed up the world is. Doesn’t feel much better these days either. Lyrically very dense and hard to follow at times but it rewards multiple listenings. This moved up from a 3 to a 4 for me. I think the very 90s grunge production keeps it from being a 5 for me but I really enjoyed this and will likely revisit at times.

Yes. As in, yes I forgot how good the Manic Street Preachers were in the mid-90's. And as in, Yes is a cracker of an opening track. I don't really know this album aside from Faster - I know some of their later albums better. 1994 is the greatest year of grunge alternative and these guys weren't that so I forget about them sometimes. But this is a great album. And like I said about their 1996 follow-up Everything Must Go, a great display of their observational lyrics about human life and political lyrics fused with new age glam rock and Brit rock. And it's just as dark as a lot of grunge, which can likely be attributed to Richey Edwards (who was battling demons and was never heard from again a year later) handling most of the writing. At any rate, Wales was killing it at the time with these guys and Stereophonics. I should've listened to this album more, it rocks. Particularly rocking tracks were the second one (title too long to write), Of Walking Abortion, Revol, This is Yesterday, Die in the Summertime, and PCP (a real banger to close the album).