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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Track List

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Yes
IfWhiteAmericaToldTheTruthForOneDayIt'sWorldWouldFallApart
Of Walking Abortion
She Is Suffering
Archives Of Pain
Revol
4st 7lbs
Mausoleum
Faster
This Is Yesterday
Die In The Summertime
The Intense Humming Of Evil
P.C.P.
The Intense Humming Of Evil (Live) (track not available in Rhapsody)
4st 7lb (Live) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Yes (live) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Of Walking Abortion (Live) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Yes (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
IfWhiteAmericaToldTheTruthForOneDayIt'sWorldWouldFallApart (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Of Walking Abortion (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
She Is Suffering (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Archives Of Pain (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Revol (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
4st 7lbs (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Mausoleum (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Faster (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
This Is Yesterday (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Die In The Summertime (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
The Intense Humming Of Evil (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
P.C.P. (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Die In The Summertime (Demo) (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Mausoleum (Demo) (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Of Walking Abortion (Radio 1 Evening Session) (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
She Is Suffering (Radio 1 Evening Session) (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)
Yes (Radio 1 Evening Session) (US Mix) (track not available in Rhapsody)