Manic Street Preachers: The Holy Bible: 10th Anniversary Edition : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

They were Guns N' Roses with brains, a Welsh Public Enemy with guitars. And the Manic Street Preachers had just unleashed the mighty fight of their third album, The Holy Bible, when, in February 1995, on the eve of the record's U.S. release, emotionally troubled guitarist-lyricist Richey James disappeared without a trace -- leaving retrospective hints of his suffering in Bible broadsides such as "Archives of Pain" and "4st 7lb." The Manics' hopes for America vanished too; the album's debut here was quickly scrapped. Ironically, this belated version is almost biblical in weight: two CDs, including the scuttled U.S. mix, and a DVD of the quartet in top glam-Clash mettle. But the sturdy, roaring beauty inside dense manifestos like "Of Walking Abortion" -- the clanging reveille of the guitars and James Dean Bradfield's high, bright voice -- is undeniable. Even the pall of James' absence can't cancel out the life-affirming force that hits you with the very first song: "Yes."

DAVID FRICKE

(Posted: Apr 21, 2005)

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5of 5 Stars

Should have been as big as Nirvana's Nevermind, Sonic Youths Daydream Nation, Radioheads OK Computer, but unfortunately never was. There is not a single dull moment on this album. It's intense, furious and memorable from the opening riff of Yes, to the closing speech sample of PCP. Mostly the lyrics are political, but there are a few other issues tackled here. 4st 7lb for example is about the anorexia (which Richie James Edwards suffered from at the time) and Faster is about heroin addiction. If you don't own this album, get hold of it somehow, and discover just how underrated it is

Sep 20, 2007 17:01:58

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