A Look Back: Manic Street Preachers — The Holy Bible (1994)

The significance of this album continues to grow.

The Holy Bible — copyright Epic Records

Without question, this one of the most important and yes, brilliant, rock albums. Period. That said, I’ll spare you the trouble of reading any further, I love this album.

There you go, that’s my review.

Now, if you want to know why Manic Street Preachers The Holy Bible is so damn good, let’s carry on.

However, there are some things to put into perspective first:

1. The Holy Bible was released in August of 1994.
2. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, et al, aka the “Grunge” sound was peaking.
3. Kurt Cobain had died earlier that year.
4. The less angry and thoughtful Brit Pop of Blur and Suede in addition to the Manchester sound of bands like Oasis was ascending in response to the American musical colonialism of the previous decade.
5. While Manic Street Preachers are from Wales they couldn’t be lumped in as part of the Brit Pop movement. While a rock band, they didn’t really qualify as “grunge”.

The Holy Bible doesn’t really belong in either…although its music and blistering lyrical and musical anger is closer to grunge.