The Holy Bible

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.

Based on the title of this album and the artist I certainly wasn't expecting what I got, but I liked this a decent amount, tracks that stood out to me were Faster, Ifwhiteamerica..., and Humming of evil. Pretty torn between a 3 and a 4 as some of the tracks kinda lost me, but overall solid listen, going 4 but a light 4.

Decent punk thing, don't know enough bible lore to get the references

"Die In the Summertime" was the best song on the album. This was a rocker, to be sure. However, as good a listen that this was, there wasn't anything memorable about it.

I only got one listen in on this album so I can't really give it more than a 3 right now. After reading more of the backstory behind it, I want to give it a listen in that headspace. The problem with this site is that a day isnt long enough. I'll need to revisit this again.

Nop

Pas mauvais, de la bonne zizique ; j’ai passé un bon moment à écouter cet album.

This album has purpose. You can feel and hear the passion, the urgency and need of the Preachers to get these songs out. I was surprised to learn this was released in 1994. Very pivotal time for the public’s musical taste to turn. This is good garage band music that I will forever vibe with. There’s some good guitar riffs here. It’s got me curious as to what else this particular scene in the UK during that time had to offer. Great listen.

I enjoyed it, but a day later don’t really remember it.

Having heard of this band, but not heard them, this was not what I expected. I expected like a weak Oasis clone which, at the time in the 90s, I didn’t particular needed because I didn’t particularly like Oasis. Pleasantly surprised by this. They sound like Fugazi with production values. Nothing stands out but I’d listen again.

This was a wild ride. Never heard of this band, but I’ve heard their influence on a huge amount of things. At some point many moments I swear I’ve heard certain melodies, tones, riffs and sounds that they must have influenced a great deal. I don’t know if I’ll listen again, it’s very intense and jarring at times but it was good.

3.5

Im super on the fence, hot n cold. I like this and i hate this.

Rock didn't rock me but I was able to listen to it 3/5

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

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

not for me

10/10. No notes.

262/1089 - Reading a bit about this before listening, I was expecting a real downer, but it just sounds like The Dead Kennedy's with news interludes in-between. I think I overall don't resonate as heavily as others do with the "tortured and depressed rock artist" archetype because of my classical music background. If I want to feel really depressed, I'll put on some Shostakovich. He feared for his life constantly under the rule of Stalin, one of the worst dictators ever, and once Stalin died and Shostakovich could enjoy slightly more freedom, he had to deal with ALS and died of the complications. You can hear the ALS in his later works too! It became too hard for him to physically write music at some points so the music became very sparse and bleak. Genuinely hard for me to listen to sometimes knowing the historical context. I don't know why I'm writing all of this, go listen to Shostakovich's 8th String Quartet and 1st Violin Concerto, they're great.

Eh, it was okay.

It was okay. Sounds like alot of 90s albums.

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

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.

shrug

Really dug the music. But despite watching BBC television my entire life, I can't understand anything the singer is saying. It was almost comical how few words I picked up listening to this.

Holy album

Grungy britpop. YUCK!

Music written under the influence of depression and suicidal tendencies.

Just not my favorite.

The music here is good, really good even, but the lyrics drag the album wayyyyy down. It's as if the lyrics were ripped straight out of an edgy 14 year olds notebook of "deep thoughts". Just vapid vague lines loosely strung together that sound poetic but ultimately have no depth to them. I mean, "Beauty finds refuge in herself // Lovers wrapped inside each others lies // Beauty is such a terrible thing". If that doesn't scream "I'm 14 and this is deep" I don't know what does. 4/5 for the music but 1/5 for the lyrics

This rules. Energy, writing and sound just off the charts good.

Not my cup of tea

Alright

MORE British music? Ugh.

This was truly something else.

Not very special

The lyrics are in parts ok, but the whole package didn't do anything to me. Not my cup of tea.

Não é meu estilo, muitos intervalos de tensão, não prestei muita atenção nas letras.

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

I've never really consciously listened to the Manics, despite being aware of their singles and actually having seen them live. This album was a great listen and a pleasant surprise - gritty, raw and politically charged.

I understand this album is supposed to have some great lyrics. Cool, except it takes some concentrating to understand what they're singing. I thought the music was great. It gave me Green Day vibes. Of course, that is probably just the general sound of the mid-90's.

Another I ended up liking more than I thought I would, but by the end it felt like an hour of sameness.

It took me a few listens to come around to Manic Street Preachers, but even then, I'm not totally sold. Despite vaguely sounding like Japanese alt-rock stalwarts, The Pillows, they don't scratch the same itch. As their own thing, I'm not quite sure what to make of MSP. I like the political aspect, but I'm not sure if I like the music. That said, there are a few earworms here and there. Ugh, i dunno, 2?

lyrically strong

The sound of this album is fairly dense and interesting. Sadly, the shrieky lead singer and edgelord lyrics turned me off.

8.1/10 actually really enjoyed it!! reminded me a lot of mcr (yes i know this band came before them,) and a lot of songs are catchy to me. fantastic lyrics as well. wouldn’t revisit the artist(s) much, but definitely the album. this isn’t really related, but this album still very much applies to today, in terms of america and politics.

There are a handful of 90s alt rock bands that get critical and fan love that I just don't get. Bands like Superchunk, Super Furry Animals, and, yes, Manic Street Preachers. I've tried putting my finger on what I don't get, and I think it comes down to I never, *ever* get their songs in my head. It's probably overstating it to say these songs are devoid of melody, but they just don't hook me in. And of course many of the greatest songs aren't big-riff-hit-singles, but nearly every song I love has some kind of melody or atmosphere or SOMETHING that brings me back. These feel totally flat. I've always been fascinated by comparing a band like MSP to someone like Rage Against the Machine. Those RATM songs are almost entirely built on taking one riff and thrashing it till they've milked every ounce of its value out of it, and then getting out fast. Yet somehow I find their songs hummable, re-listenable, and fully fleshed out. Maybe it's the production quality? There's no nuance in the production here at all. No atmosphere, everything kind of at the same volume. And I'm not pining for an album full of radio-friendly ear worms, but I do think on some level that's what these songs are going for. They *sound* like songs that are developing a melody, but they aren't at any point. And I'm grumpy about it because people LOVE this album and I've tried to get into it for at least 20 years and at no point have I found my way in. The lyrics are great though.

Really enjoy track 2. Big fan of She is Suffering as well -- this has a glammy element like Queen while maintaining a rough edge that I appreciate. Also really enjoy the aggressive bass on Archives of Pain. The singers voice kind of wore on me throughout, but other than that, this was a solid listen. Falls around a low 4 in my book.

Fun and energetic. Not my absolute favorite, but it was great as background music. Could see this on a Tony Hawk soundtrack.

Really solid different style of punk that really didn't get old even being almost an hour. Not really how to describe what it was but this band's sound really did it for me. Almost sounded like Offspring a bit which probably did it.

The genre says britpop but I don't get that at all. This is definitely heavy and dark af. I bounced along and one song that really stuck out was The Intense Humming of Evil. Sludgy af. Solid 4!

meh

Nah I’m good

so woke😭

Never heard this band and its was impressed to hear their fast rock approach for a soft rock style. It was cool and like the album as a whole very surprised to be honest these band deserves a revisti and more airplay

Had I been a teenager when this came out I might have thought it was deep and insightfull but I wasn't and this isn't.

86% Best: Yes; She Is Suffering; Archives of Pain; This Is Yesterday Must-Hear? Sure

Angsty gen-x college rock. Nothing wrong with that, but their sound neatly fits into that box, and I doubt that’s because they carved it out for themselves.

Good music I guess

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.

Meh - I like English artists and have enjoyed this band, but this album didn't do anything for me.

I've never heard of this band and it's crazy because this is the kind of band I would have listened to in the '90s

Not likely to bring a smile to your face, but serious rock played very well.

It was a good punk rock album, and I think I liked "she is suffering" the most, but I hated having to stare at the album at work for an hour

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

Nostalgia of familiarity, feels like something I grew up listening to as part of parental music landscape. Good use of sampling to highlight themes...darkly poetic given the history of the singer post album.

I like Britpop and many of the 90s UK bands and while I have never listened to Manic Street Preachers, I of course enjoy this kind of music. The beginning of the album was pretty good but it started to drag on till the end and I got bored from much of the same sound it was pushing. Moved from 4 stars to 3 stars.

Not my cup of tea. Decent punk rock album, but definitely not a favorite. It wasn't bad in terms of I couldn't listen to all of it, but I don't think I'd opt to listen to again.

Got a few catchy riffs and some nice basslines, but overall not for me

Interesting album. I really liked some moments, but not a lot of songs in full. Singer was alright, but the highlight for me was the guitar and bass parts. Good songs, but it definitely lost my interest before halfway through

Fun more mainstream/ less abrasive than the various namings and packaging would suggest. Anyway kinda britpop adjacement, nice and catchy. whiteamericastillintrouble

"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.

Idk I didn’t hate it?

Aika erikoinen

Hmmm. This rocked. Pleasantly surprised. Lyrics are a little too politically motivated for my liking but certainly interesting and controversial. I dug this. 4 stars.

mola

I liked this one

fuckin sheep shagging commies

Masterpiece lyrically, musically

I’ve never actually listened to Manic Street Preachers, and I guess I expected them to sound a little different, possibly less Britpop than this turned out to be. I didn’t dislike it, but nothing really stood out to me either. I couldn’t name a favorite song, but I couldn’t point to any songs I disliked either. So I guess middle of the road. I would rate a 2.5 if I could, but I’m rounding up.

The type of music you would hear in an indie movie where the main character is feeling intense anger kind of music. I liked it.

Excellent album!

It didn't grab me and it didn't bore me

Very creative, enjoyed the listen. Can’t believe this was 94

Too edgy for me

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

Better than I was expecting. Decent alternative album with a few good songs.

ok

Massive fail on this one, no need to have this on any Top 1001 album list of any kind. Zero hits, no influence that I'm aware, nothing revolutionary on the album, horrible album cover, odd vocals, mediocre listen counts (way more than I would have assumed though), songs are all too long, but some decent production work to give them a sound all their own. I can't imagine listening to his voice and this album twice. He's like a 90's Johnny Rotten (See "Faster") with more control but that same headache inducing tone. There's an negatively unhappy undertone that runs through this entire album, it's just not a pleasure to listen to. I feel like he's yelling AT me not singing TO me. Hated it from top to bottom. I almost liked "She Is Suffering" which fits the time it was released. I remember when they were being pushed on us with every compilation disc released in 1994-96, they never got traction here for a reason. 1 star, I didn't enjoy anything on it and hated his vocals by the end. I'm gonna go kick a dog or something now.

Idk about this one. A lot of people seemed to love or hate this, but I didn’t feel strongly either way. The music was pretty good but I definitely had a hard time deciphering the lyrics on many of the songs. Revol and P.C.P. were the standout tracks I really enjoyed.

This one struck a chord but can’t explain why. The opening track “Yes” was enough to hook me in and wouldn’t let me go - even when I couldn’t quite follow the lyrics. Solid album.

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.

not my favorite type of music but this had its moments! a little long but the best song was the last so it’s okay

Started out well but then faded into the background for me.

Thought it was alright at the time but 10 minutes later I certainly couldn't humm a single track. Generally forgettable angst-rock

7/10 good

This really grew on me. It's got a kinda Jane's Addiction/ LA Metal (non hairband) sound while also being at least thematically like "American Idiot."

Feels like old punk. Not really my style but I enjoyed it for the most part.

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.

Better than I expected

1994. Heavy with political statements but overall maintained its listenability despite going a bit hard.

If i tolerate this then my children will be next.

Overall, this sounds like so many other 90s punk albums, so it's hard to know the appropriate rating scale. Is it better than Smash? Or any of Green Day's 90's works? No, but it has a cool sound and seems thoughtful and contemplative, without diving into the lyrics too much. It almost sounded like a rock opera at times, particularly by the time we got to Faster. Honestly the album also plays very similar to Antichrist Superstar at times too, except I don't think Manic Street Preacher was blamed for causing Columbine. I love the clip of the person saying they know they'll regret their entire lives and wish to relive it on their death bed, it's both the cause and the effect of punk. Unrelated note, I really thought they were chanting "freeball" during "Revol", and maybe that's the difference between US and UK punk - it's totally feasible that a US band could be shouting FREEBALL FREEBALL FU FU FUCK FRUIT OF THE LOOM BRING OUT THE PLATOON PREPARING THE TOMB AND SEND THAT SHIT TO THE MOON FREEBALL Also I went full Vaasavi on The Intense Humming of Evil, I couldn't understand a word that were saying 3/5

Listening notes: -This rocks for a start. But music does not live by rocking alone. -I get the sense we've got a lot of politics here, which I'm definitely not listening closely enough to give thoughts on. But it seems a little unsubtle--I'm not going to review the politics though because I have too much music to catch up on. Actually, I will say: there seems to be a lot of self-destruction that our singers want to blame on the political/economic system and I think a lot of self-destruction is underrated in the degree to which it stems from within, which I guess is kinda bleak but w/e. -She is Suffering sounds cool, and after a few listens, I don't *think* it's misogynistic. Not even sure this is in reference a person though. Review: Good stuff. Nothing seems particularly amazing though. I liked the first track. 3 stars

If the point of language is to effectively communicate concepts and ideas, then this is not language. But if the point of music is to communicate emotions and feelings, then oh boy, does this communicate emotions and feelings. Mostly anger - but that is an emotion. Adding this to my fuck the world playlists.

nooit gedacht dat ik een album van MSP ging goed vinden...

Sounds very 1994

the first song, “Yes,” blows everything else out of the water

Honestly just mid

Pretty good rock album. I never listened to this band before, but I’ll definitely check out more of them.

This album is the suicide note of Richey Edwards. Made me very uncomfortable at parts, particularly 4st 7lb and The Intense Humming of Evil. I like how intense and manic it is. Hard to listen to at times. I guess I enjoyed it? I don't think I'll come back to it often.

This is one angry album. Manic Street Preachers is a super appropriate name for these dudes. If they hadn’t formed a band they would’ve been out on the street corner with //THE END IS NIGH// sandwich boards, marching up and down all night. Maybe the Brits enjoy it, but I’m not into hearing a dude yell at me “you’re doing it all wrong! This world is THE WORST!” Yeah- maybe, but- you’re not helping. Understanding the lead singer is a real task. I’m assuming his Welsh accent is WILD when he’s not singing. “Sex maalll-yon” is really “6 million”. The vocals are recorded very clearly and precisely- having the lyrics heard is obviously important to this band. But I’d have to listen to this album about five times with the lyrics in front of me to really get an ear for this. The songwriter seems kind of wasted on rock and roll. Should’ve been a political science or literature professor - that’s clearly where his heart lies. He name-drops like it’s his job- Gorbachev gets mentioned at least three times. In a couple of songs he just strings names together 8 at a time. Like. Ok. Then there’s an anorexia song. And then there’s a Holocaust song! Good god! I mean this is fine- but I think there’s a reason these guys were in my neighborhood but we never got on. Lectures bore me. TWO STARS

really good punk however the production doesn’t work for me

Cooler than I thought it’d be. Some good song writing. Didn’t connect fully with it but I do want to listen to it some more.

Eh, some cool parts, but overall just eh

Ehhhhh.

Average

Not my cup of tea, though there was nothing wrong with it really. Just not for me. Feel I ought to give it a 3 but I just don't want to, I preferred Beck, so 2 it is.

Nice to see the Manics on here, and I’m not surprised by this one being included. The whole attitude was very different to other albums being released around that time, which was appealing, but the song writing not great. Quite hard working listening to it, which can’t be a good thing. I prefer their more pop indie stuff, but that’s just me!!

Not listened to this before, as they were not a band I got into. Maybe I should have as there is a lot of skill and energy going on. I really should get my arse into gear and listen to their back catalogue sometime.

Decent punk rock. 4/5

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.

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

At times the vocals had a Freddie Mercury quality to them. I liked this and could listen again but I can't give it a 4. 3.5/5

Was not familiar

Kinda Incubus, kinda Billy Talent. Alright in my books.

I found a new band I like!

picks: yes, this is yesterday

Hey, Manic Street Preachers! Great name for a band. I’ve never listened to these guys before, but I’m sure I’ve heard of them in passing. Curious to crack this album open and know what I’m in for. Man, the mastering on this album is kinda strange. I was wondering if my copy had downloaded correctly for a good while. Can’t say I’m a fan of the lo-fi sound. I think this album would have sounded much better had it been mixed correctly. I’m also not too big on the vocals, either. Sometimes they work, but for the most part the vocal performances push me away. In any case, this music is generally within my ballpark. I’m always down for a little 90s rock. It’s been too long since I last rolled one of these. “She Is Suffering” ain’t half bad. The instrumental is rock solid – especially around the chorus and during the solo. “Revol” is another pretty good track. Big fan of the aggressive sound on the instrumental, as well as how surprisingly dynamic the guitarwork is. “4st 7lb” is a solid follow-up. Again, the appeal lies in the guitars. They sound quite obtuse and unique in the beginning yet break during the second half towards a cool relaxed sound. Damn, the album really comes into its own during the second half. I’m not sure whether that’s me warming up to the album or the material being generally better. “Faster” is a good tune. The guitars give the song a breakneck energy that’s quite fun, but it’s the vocals during the chorus that really win me over. I’m a big fan of the confident sound. Gonna consult the book for this album. “One of music’s most emotionally lacerating albums.” A pivot from the band’s established sound – “...claustrophobic and abrasive”. I’m not sold on this yet – I'm heading over to Wikipedia. Underperformed commercially but has been very well received by critics. There’s a big, long section about the lyrics and themes of this album. I can’t speak much about the merit of the lyrics, but I’m leaning towards being in favour of this album being here. It appears to have a solid backing.

Really good. The right level of heavy for me. A strong four.

Gone with a 4, felt the album finished fairly strongly. It's a 7/0 for me though.

I think this sort of album is why I’m doing this thing. Something I don’t know well the should be good and then is

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

Still love it as much as ever

Ik ken de naam. Ik zou zo geen nummer van ze kunnen noemen. Ik weet wel dat ik op de één of andere manier iets lompere muziek had verwacht. Misschien komt het door die 'manic' in de naam. Ik kan dit goed hebben, maar ik ben niet super enthousiast. Een beetje tussen de 3 en 4 in. De Wiki was wel de moeite waard i.v.m. die verdwenen gast, dat soort dingen vind ik altijd fascinerend.

I don't really listen to a lot of indie rock but this was a great album! Lots of bops on the album. My one gripe is at times it was hard to understand what the front man was saying, and this is coming from someone who listens to a lot of death metal

LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH

Really interesting listen. Not as immediate as “Everything Must Go”, but by track 2 I was into it. Definite relisten.

Pretty good.

3.2 Slightly surprised by this one, I've always thought of MSP as yet another Britpop band, but this outing was a lot punkier and darker than that. The vocals do start to get tiring over the course of an hour, the one or two softer ones are not frequent enough, and in the case of The Intense Humming appear too late. Interesting, but I'm not that interested.

Not a bad album, but doesn’t quite hold your attention either. Subject matter is interesting, but the music isn’t as compelling. 2.5/5 Might listen again

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

Dark subject matters dealt with here. Post-punk sound, and influences of Clash to GnR are audible. Vocals tend to get a little to glam for my taste, but the songs are great and this album is very strong straight through. Torn between 3 & 4 stars.

Subject-wise, the songs on this album cover some pretty serious stuff. Musically, it's a pretty exciting record to listen to, marred a bit by having those irritating samples (apparently from radio/TV broadcast) that lead into most of the tracks.

Not terrible, though, I did not like the cover. Eww They have an interesting sound.

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.

Didn't find this one all that special.

lots of respect for the poetry in this album. It's heavy and clearly is trying to question society as it is. I didn't love the music itself, but can acknowledge how difficult of a project this must have been to create

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.

The slightly annoying brand of 90s rock music. I wonder if there was a time in my life where I might have liked it, but it ain't today.

Faster p.c.p. nochmal hören?

6.5/10

This was ok. Wasn't that memorable tbh. Preferred the other album of theirs I had previously - Everything Must Go 3 ⭐️

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.

Not for me I suppose. (43 known/89 new)

Noisy and boring

heard of the band but never actually listened to their music. didn’t know they’re welsh, like me, bosh. overall i’d say the music was tidy, i enjoyed the last couple tracks more than the rest but i liked the overall theme, heavy sound and lyrics, solid record. 3.5/5

Pop-rock with a bit of an edge. Not bad, but nothing really stuck with me that would keep me coming back.

Not the best by MSP. I think a lot of their other albums have more range and more to offer in general. Overall not what I would consider a representation of their best work

I liked this one. Not least because the band name is so good. But the record has a great feel, it rocks out without losing pro melodic vocals, the lyrics are solid and the overall feel the entire time is good. I enjoyed this one quite a lot. In particular “ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit’sworldwouldfallapart” and “Mausoleum”.

Don't know how to handle this one. Do I like it? No. Why not? It has the shoutiness, the angularity, the aggression, the erudition, the socially and politically and personally charged lyricism that I love in other, something like similar bands. It just feels like less than the sum of its parts in a way that I can't put my finger on. I found myself thinking of Against Me! and Drive Like Jehu, but it never rolled over to "hell yeah." So anyway, this album is a triumph with respect to a man basically self-immolating and in that sense it's basically perfect in a horrible, voyeuristic kind of way. And yet, it's just not all that good.

Best album ever.

Rockcito delicioso

Interesting and dark. Solid.

Not a fan of the album artwork, but the music was fine. Wouldn't mind this in the background. 4/5

I liked it enough but the songs get too repetitive for being an hour long album

It was ok, I’m not massively in to the preachers I didn’t know any songs on the album. It’s one I didn’t mind but I wouldn’t be rushing to listen to it again

Not particularly my style - even if I can appreciate what they are doing. 2 stars.

This is a pretty unforgiving album, and I will give it props for being uncomfortable without just being edgy. I didn't find it very interesting musically, unfortunately.

No me gusta

Don't love the singer, the music itself wasn't bad though, good album structure, would listen again, but probably won't

This album is bleak! But it's a collection of really good songs. However, it's on the lengthy side, so I get tired at the end.

I don't totally know what to think about this. It feels kinda like Queen rock-opera but maybe with a hint of grunge, punk, and then dark themes and lyrics.

This was pretty cool. At first, I thought it was going to kind of be a run of the mill 90s alt-rock album. But this one really has some darkness do it. Its heavy where it needs to be and soft where it makes sense, but its really down in the muck. The lyrics, the minor keys, the vocals, the heavy bass riffs. The drums do sound very 90s (why couldn't they make drums sound good in the 90s?), but its overall really cool and kind of out there record. I liked that it was very punk, but not really post punk or indie. Its definitely more in the alternative rock genre, but very punk influenced. I really enjoyed this!

Really great!

Good lyrics. Good beats.

Manic Street Preachers is such a hard name that I don’t even care how the music sounds. Luckily, it doesn’t sound too bad. It’s not gonna stick to my mind and it wasn’t life changing but I enjoyed the listen enough to give it a 3.3.

Don’t like early Manics

I can see how some people might be turned off by the vocals. I was a bit iffy at first, but grew to like them more and more. The lyrics and music are very dark, some of which felt like a big "f**k you" to everyone and everything. The more I listened to the album, the more I dug it. The only problem is the first listen to it, you may be "what is this?" But I think listening to it twice is more rewarding. But for me, I try to give a rating on the first listen. So I'm a bit conflicted there. Still, I'd give it a 3.6, rounding up to a 4. Top tracks: "She Is Suffering," "Faster"

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).

I loved Everything Must Go, so I was excited to see this one come up. But, man, this one hits hard. The music is great, but the lyrics are DARK. Like, uncomfortably so. It's almost relieving that most of the time I couldn't tell what James Dean Bradfield was singing (he has very unusual cadences and pronunciations, but he sounds cool). Especially 4st 7lb - that one was really tough (about anorexia, which lyricist Richey Edwards suffered from, among the many things he suffered from before vanishing, presumably from suicide). Add in songs about despots, genocide, serial killers, and more and it's just an incredibly difficult album. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate dark music, but the lyrics started to feel oppressive (which might be what they were going for). I definitely loved the music - great songs and playing - I just don't think I could listen to this album too many times without falling into a serious hole of despair.

I have to admit I had a hard time listening attentively to this album. I imagine that if I did I would probably have enjoyed it a bit more.

Boring

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

1. yez - 1 2. uuhite - 0 3. abortion - 1 4. zhe - 1 5. pain - 1.5 6. revol - 1 7. pound - 0 8. mauzeleum - 0 9. fazter - 0 10. yezterday - 0 11. die - 0 12. evil - 0 13. p.c.p. - 1 NOT ONE GOOD ZONG , UUTF

Solid rock, but I'd have to listen to it more to really rate it properly.

Not such a fan of the MSP

Geweldig album! Ik kende enkel hun grootste hits, maar dit is wel echt ook een pareltje. Leuke sound, mooie stem en nice teksten! 3.9

This guys voice bothers me. I don’t get why this is even on here. It’s a pretty bland rock album. Maybe it’s the vaguely political lyrics? Is this supposed to be an “important” album? I didn’t care for it, it was dull but try hard at the same time.

Solid Rock music with some nice sprinkles of innovation. It gets you going. For me, it was more background music though.

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

Good loud, rockish and old good sound

i wasn't looking forward to this one, but i was pleasantly surprised. this reminds me a lot of against me. i feel like i really need to pore over these lyrics more carefully to get the full effect of them.

wow, this was a real tour de force. the songs rock and the lyrics hit hard. this is basically a punk record in spirit, and i really enjoyed it. favorites: everything but revol, faster, this is yesterday, and the intense humming of evil

This wasn't half bad! I love a theme, or at least a connected band name and album title. The Holy Bible is a tad early for alternative music, and I feel like Manic Street Preachers knew how to make good alternative rock for 1994. The album flowed and had a great beat. I loved when songs got political, especially the long-titled "Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart." Hell yeah.

You know, this wasn't bad. But I can't really say it resonated with me, either. It all kind of blended together for me. That is to say, I picked up on the general vibes of the album, but no one song stood out to me. Still though, I guess the overall vibe of this album earns it a high 2 or a low 3 from me.

Gostei para caramba!! Quero ouvir mais!!! Muito bom!! Punk rock bem dinâmico, sem ficar enjoativo.

I really liked it, great to drive to

Cover 6.5 Great album. Queen meets Scorpions.

Decent. Not bad, not drop dead amazing (must hear before I die? no). Britpop/rock at it's peak. This list is loaded with it. I'm tired of it. 2.75/5 = 3 stars.

Not at all what I expected but nothing that really grabbed me, overall it’s fine (2.5/5)

Sort of a tricky one I have mixed feelings on. It sounds great in a lot of places. It also sounds kinda generic? But there’s an undercurrent of rage that bubbles under the surface but never seems to take over

I was really surprised by this album. I didn't think I would like it all that much, let alone think that it's a great album, but here we are. I think part of why I think that is my music taste growing up. This sounds a lot like other things that I was listening to in my teen years, even if the content and context isn't something I would have been allowed to listen to at the time. I don't think that this album does anything particularly special, but I also had a hard time really actually picking out the lyrics. I got the gist of what was being said, though, even without the literal words. This album actually gets a save from me to listen to again later! Favorite Song(s): The second track lol, Archives of Pain, Mausoleum, Faster

Ok

Was a bit turned off by the theme of the lyrics but was fine to listen to.

Some of this is alright, and some more is good. It's interesting to me how this album and band were playing the kind of music I listened to at the time, that I was devouring music and developing a taste at this time, and somehow this never came to my attention. This COULD have wound up becoming something I listened to a thousand times. I think everyone has a band they feel like they're the band's only fan (for me, it's Self), and I feel like this band who never came to my attention is probably that for a lot of people. Mausoleum was really cool and caught my attention really quickly. Parts reminded me of REM Die in the Summertime sounds like of a lot of other stuff I was listening to at the time. Sort of reminds me of Porno for Pyros(?) And sort of Alice in Chains, maybe? I'm not sure how I feel about this album. It's good and I like it, but I feel like I'd need some real history with it to be able to rate it higher than a 3

Really good. One of the best albums I've heard on here with no pre house exposure

Never heard them before but really good stuff, great guitar and drums, great vocals, and interesting themes. I enjoyed this overall, and will listen again to get more familiar with them.

First of many more to come! Rotation: This is yesterday P.C.P.

Kind of meh.

\m/ Solid overall \m/

not my thing

distilled essence of 1994

This was an album that was everywhere when I was but a kid. Darker and heavier than the other far more upbeat previous offerings. This brought back many memories of drinking shitty cider in parks. Decent album, loosing a point for the taste of rancid cider i get in my mouth when I hear it.

Honestly a brilliant album and very worthwhile listen. The lyrics paint the images Richey Edwards was suffering with while writing this album leading up to his disappearance. The melodies were unique, however I did find the actual stories being written a bit rudimental and lacking creativity outside of their topics, and I wouldn't listen to any of the songs on their own, otherwise this would have been a 4 star for me.

Pretty decent album, might go back to it again.

Still such an exciting record!

This album is just another middling overrated Brit rock album that does not belong on the list. Terrible lyrics that thinks it is making astute observations and social critique when it is instead just exhibiting the worst knee jerk reactions of the British mindset in the 1990s. The ramblings of a mentally ill idiot. This is the kind of album that appeals to a simple minded edgelord or edgelady. The album’s connection to Richey Edwards disappearance afterward is the only reason it has notoriety in the first place. Otherwise this album would have likely sunk out of sight upon release. Oh, wait, it did. ;-) It kind of makes you wonder how much time has to pass before the music critics realize how musically tedious it is release a political album. I think the vast majority of people do not listen to music to be told what to think but rather as an escape, even if temporarily from what the individual cannot stop thinking about.

Fun but nothing too memorable.

Not bad but could have been trimmed down to 40-45 minutes

A little too long, but quite enjoyable!

There's a few very nice songs, that's a nice band, I can't complain, but is it something that was so breakthrough that it will be forever remembered and important? I'm really not sure. The album is a little long-winded (again). 3 stars will do it.

2.07

"The Holy Bible by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers" is the answer you got when you asked the edgy loner kid / pick me girl what music they are listening to.

This was really cool

I actually quite like the Manics, especially that one album that's really good whose name I can't remember, but I listened to this twice today and I literally can't remember anything about it. Hope they find the guy who's been missing, 30 years though.

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

Somewhat hard to nail down in terms of genre as it moves around from song to song. At times it’s just rough to listen to.

Decent album. Songs were a bit samey but some of guitar and drum work was great! Vocal were good too

I think this album is much more interesting than a lot of people are giving it credit for. The opening one-two punch of "Yes" and "Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart" makes for a total lyrical powerhouse, and both songs feature some pretty solid shifting arrangements and melodies. Perhaps my biggest gripe is that I don't think any of the following songs quite reach that same level, but I don't think any of them are remotely weak. "She Is Suffering", "Revol", and "Die in the Summertime" are additional highlights in my book, and again, far more lyrically fascinating than a lot of MSP's contemporaries. I didn't know Richey Edwards' story until halfway through the record, when I began to really sense the pain in these songs and read a bit more into them, and that context heightened my appreciation for it even more. I think this one could very well rise for me with repeated listens. 4/5

I went into this completely blind and was so surprised. The themes are very dark but I loved that each song was different and had important things to say, and it also sounded great. I could do without the final track, but I am so pleasantly surprised by this one.

This is a pretty decent album for a band I'd always heard of but never really listened to back in the 90s. But it fits pretty well into that era, and appeals to me as a lover of grunge and alternative from early 90s. 4st 7lbs is a solid stand out track on first listen. Might throw that on a playlist. The Intense Humming of Evil almost sounds like a NIN song. 3.5

Heavy music with my favorite post-punk influences. Good singer, and I GET why this has so many huge fans. Intelligent. It is, however, really difficult to listen to in light of the tragic disappearance of Edwards. Unpleasant to hear this person's mental breakdowns play out. This is more metal than punk, thematically, inwardly-turned violence and self-loathing. E.g., name dropping Plath in a chorus is a BOLD CHOICE. If I heard this when it came out and I was a teenager It would be my favorite album of all time also.

Not quite the good book... but.

Somehow missed out on this band while growing up in the 90s. Had a blast with it! Found some great new songs. Will definitely relisten. 4.5/5

3.5 rounded up, 'The Intense Humming of Evil' almost made it a 3

I first heard this a couple years ago after hearing the name and believing it would be up my musical alley. I found it musically not my style such that I couldn't really enjoy it enough to investigate the lyrical content which was supposed to unrelentingly dark. On this second go round I started to warm enough to the music to investigate the lyrics. Honestly though the music is still not my cup of tea. Too much big arena rock sound not enough of an indie influence. The big sound comes across as same, each song sounding like the last...no subtlety or variety in tone nor texture. And the lyrics? Unrelentingly preachy and opinionated. Final opinion. 2.5

fun! upbeat. a surprising listen.

The slightly heavier, more angular sounding tunes on here are great - 4st 7lb through to The Intense Humming of Evil, mainly - but they make me wish the rest of the record had the same grit. 3.5*

Forgettable

Didn't care for it.

Boring

A solid album in the alternative genre. A band I'd heard the name of but never gave a solid listen to. The Intense Humming of Evil was a departure that I enjoyed a lot. This is an album I will likely go back to.

3.5

I WANT to like it, but I just don't like very much of it at all. Yes, Faster & This is Yesterday are brilliant; the rest of the album shades between being forgettable, inoffensive post-punk and horribly bad confessional indie

Manic is probably the best word to use to describe this album. The music itself is very good. The guitar tone, the riffs, the bass, the drumming, all great. It's not very elegant or coherent, but the point of it is to be abrasive to create a fast-paced, manic atmosphere that conveys the sort of paranoia and self-disgust Richey was feeling (reading about his sufferings and disappearance makes the album feel a lot more). It makes it very disturbing, especially with taking the lyrics into consideration. The lyrics would be 10x more effective if I could actually understand what he was saying without having to follow along with the lyrics

Tedious hard rocking guitar rock with loads of attitude but barely a hook. It's loud and aggressive, but lacking the dynamics or memorbale riffs or artistry to make that interesting. Just mid-tempo, mid-level, noisey but not challenging, angsty, annoying and stressful. Really a slog - have never understood how this band got as big as they did, despite trying a few times!

Never heard of them, music was decent.

Nice rock, alt metalish sound. Solid mixing but hard to hear vocals and lyrics are too political.

01) Yes - 7,0 02) Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit'sworldwouldfallapart - 6,5 03) Of Walking Abortion - 7,0 04) She Is Suffering - 8,0 05) Archives of Pain - 7,0 06) Revol - 8,0 07) 4st 7lb - 7,5 08) Mausoleum - 7,0 09) Faster - 8,0 10) This Is Yesterday - 7,5 11) Die in the Summertime - 7,5 12) The Intense Humming of Evil - 7,0 13) P.C.P. - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,31 (73/100) Current ranking: 283/547

Very good 90s Alt-punk from a band I'd never heard of.

This album is like a trip to the dentist. Painful, anxiety-inducing, and you leave wondering why you put yourself through it. With lyrics that dive deep into politics and human suffering, it’s the perfect choice for when you want to feel both stressed and sad at the same time.

2-3

Horrible

hate this, can’t finish it, 0 stars

pretty good, needs another listen

Power pop with a hint of grunge - rocks hard at times. Not unpleasant to listen too but gets a bit monotonous and breaks no new ground musically

Good. If I heard it in its time I might have played it a few times. Didn’t love the recurring gimmick of movie/media clips to start almost every song. I’m too old to hear this for the first time

I'm aware from the reviews I should have concentrated harder on the lyrics, but musically this isn't very engaging. I've never quite loved the Manics, though they actually have a pretty good catalogue of songs from their career. This though doesn't even have that. It's probably worth another go at some point.

I never bothered to listen to this band before now, but this was solid. I like the music for the most part. Undecided how I feel about the vocals, they're not bad but they're my least favorite aspect of their sound. Might dig in to some other albums to see if that changes my mind.

If I wanted to hear a Welshman yell angrily for an hour I’d just lock up his neighbor’s sheep after he has been down to the pub.

2.5

Ridiculous teenage angst. Love it!!

A rollercoaster. I've already heard this, and in my remembrance of it, it's a bit overrated. But listening to it again, I find more parts of it to enjoy. Obviously, the lyrics, but also the gritty guitar work and the commanding drum sounds, are immediately apparent. But as it goes on, the quality starts to falter a bit, and we arrive right where we started: a 3.5 album, that borders on 3.75, but cant quite make it. Maybe some day. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

I liked it.

I enjoyed this album! The guitar work was especially impressive, lots of catchy riffs and passages. P.C.P was a fun, driving song.

Too rocky for me today. Good lyrics, a little dated.

Punk attitude which somewhat overstays it’s welcome. You can feel it pushing against its own time; I’d have likely adored this were I the right age then.

The only thing this turd influenced was my gag reflex

Not terrible, and that's the best I can really say about them.

Enegretic, like the vibes Don't realy like the 'Britpop' I guess, hard to understand the lyrics Fav song - Faster Rate 2/5

The music doesn't really seem to align with the interstitials and the lyrics. Maybe it's a bit dated but it feels a bit safe for what the politics are.. generally okay ish rock.

Not actually listened to the older Manic Street Preachers, pre-2007 Send Away the Tigers, so this was a great opportunity to listen to it and enjoy the older catalogue.

High energy, but kind of annoying.

I enjoyed it, but that's probably because I didn't understand most of the lyrics. Except Tipper Gore is a friend of mine. 4.

I can't believe I haven't listened to this band before. This album is right up my alley. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Bleakness can be very compelling to me. The melodies, production, and lead vocal performances are staggering. I really dig the work on the remaster; the bass particularly sounds great. This blows the other MCP album I've heard from this list out of the water. I can hear this influence this had on musicians like, say, Laura Jane Grace, or even Green Day. Grateful to have a new (to me) album to turn to when I'm really in the pits. Music to drink alone to. "Archives of Pain" indeed.

nothing to see here.... move along. Never heard of them, their songs, and my life was fine without them

17/04/2025 Never listened to the Preachers before and this was okay.

This album is a pretty unbelievable blend of punk rock demeanor and power-pop sensibilities. The Holy Bible is simply hook after hook after hook matched by some of the most grotesque and stomach-churning lyrical imagery a rock record could contain. How this band was able to make banger after banger about some of the most sordid and traumatic topics is a marvel to me.. Through the tracklist we meet a perspective piece on prostitution from the words of the worker, tumultuous tales of worldwide (and still unfortunately relatable 30+ years on) governmental corruption, a morose day in the life of someone afflicted and in the throes of an eating disorder… it’s all here. In devastating droves. And every last one of these tracks has a chorus that will burrow its way into your psyche like a diseased worm. The Manics have a damn solid catalog, and The Holy Bible is their magnum opus. Essential 90’s material. Great call for this list! 5 stars, 9+/10.

Sympa

This one hit me like a bolt of lightning. Once my muscles relax, my teeth unclench, and the burn scars heal, I'm going to listen to it again.

It didn't blow me away musically, but I really enjoyed hearing the stories told on this album. They touched upon many interesting subjects like politics, mental health, wars, serial killers, social problems. The album made even more sense after browsing their Wiki page. Lyrics - 5, music - 3, vocals - 3. I guess I'm giving this 3.5 stars.

I did not use a private session for this one. I had one Manic Street Preachers album that got some play, it wasn't this one, though it could have been. I like it, as promised it does get a manic so you have to be in the correct mode to listen to it.

God not great

Definitely a 90s album

Very interesting album. Each song tell a different story

Thoughts before listening: Is this more brit-pop? Or at least 90s alt-rock from Britain (are those the same thing)? I have definitely heard of these guys but I don't know much about them. The cover is....interesting? Hopefully the music is as well. Review: So this is actually my second album from these guys on this project...and I had pretty similar thoughts before listening lol. I gave that album 3-stars and thats probably right for this one as well. These guys sound definitely fits in closer with the 90s American indie rock or pop punk sound than the brit-pop of their British contemporaries. There are some catchy tunes on here that I have added to my playlist although nothing is blowing me away. 3-stars

bulkmaster grinder, respekt. fat anthem album, mahtavaa.. Ongelma on siinä, että puhun esikaupunkilapsille Kuka muuten ei olisi koskaan tiennyt näiden sanojen olemassaolosta Kenen äidit eivät luultavasti olisi koskaan antaneet kahta pisaraa kusta Kunnes loin niin paljon vitun turbulenssia... divided states of embarrasment.. en valehtele tuli pikhasen huonoon kohtaan tämä koska sietämätöntä tämä ysäri autotalli amerikan rokki semmo.. oon vähän pahalla päällä niin tämä tosiaan kidutustuokio enemmän kuin analyyttinen kuuntelukokemus tälläkertaa.. annetaanmpas ykkönen archives of pain

I had tried to get into MSP in the past with less success than what I had with this album. Maybe I was just need to go to the earlier stuff? Pretty solid all around...a little harder than their contemporaries. 4/5

I saw the manics with suede about a year ago… I was going through an incredibly tough time/ loss of many good things/ expelled from school etc… They literally ONLY played this is yesterday though! Out of the holy bible! Don’t get me wrong I love much of their discography but I could’ve really done with the holy bible. What an incredible grim, dark pissed off album. A musical holocaust may sound harsh but the statements correct… It begins with yes I don’t think it’s one of the albums heights but a good listen. Ifwhiteamerica… is a song sadly still relevant in the modern climate. But really earns the bands name, I love it so much. Like walking abortion is alright, I can’t say it’s a favourite of mine but I like the sample at the start a good bit. She is suffering is one great single… not a super strong track on the whole album but not dreadful neither. ‘I wonder who you think you are?’… ‘I think you are the devil itself’ the intro to archives of pain followed by that bass line might be the greatest way to start a song. Revol (also Lover in reverse) is pretty great listening Lenin, Stalin, Brezhnev, Gorbachev and many others. Can’t say it’s a creative marvel but a good listen and way to memorise soviet leaders??? 4st 7lb is the albums most horrific track being probably the best musical depiction of anorexia ‘I want to walk in the snow and not leave a foot print’ Can’t say mausoleum is that memorable despite the awesome name. Faster is probably the best of the three singles ( faster/ revol/ she is suffering) ‘I am stronger than Mensa’ is a great way to start a chorus. I mentioned this is yesterday earlier in a rather disappointing context but I love this song so much. It sounds like it should’ve been the single honestly but I think they honest only wanted to put out songs that were just ‘okay’ ( in context of the album) instead. ‘Scratch myself with a rusty nail’… ‘sadly it healed’ is such an incredible opening line to die in the summertime. The intense humming of evil is just that the climax of the album, purely sickening track about death camps (much like mausoleum but a better song). James Dean Bradfield has a voice where he pronounces words so weirdly it’s almost like he speaks another language, something I particularly find in the albums closer PCP. This IS the best manics album/ everything must go is fun/ this is my truth had bangers and so does the debut but this is the best, it has (and at this rate) always will be. 5/5

This is really interesting, I don't know that I would sit down and listen to this cover to cover...but it is catchy! Vocals are the weakness

I'm not sure how I missed this album, but it's really good. A solid 4 stars.