again wit alot of my favourtie albums, this initially didnt grab me. i felt it sounded almost chaotic and all over the place; the lyrics didnt fit into the structure of the music; vocally James sounded as though he was singing in the next room, then all of a sudden he was singing (well, screaming) in your ear. after repeated listens, the chaos comes together and makes perfect sense; this was an album that held a mirror up to humanity exposing it's discord and hypocricies.

opener Yes, sets the tone fo the rest of the album. its fast, frantic, each line filled to the brim lyrically with vitriol. everything that follows after does not disappoint. Of Walking Abortion rages like a beast against man's weakness and their need to be ruled, even via dictatorship. Archives Of Pain is a taut monster of a rock track which staggers about menacingly before giving way to possibly James' finest guitar solo. 4st 7ibs is an almost voyeuristic look at anorexia - the music perfectly reflects the lyrics, broody, urgent, menacing, before slowing down to the point it wastes itself away. Faster remains a live fan favourite to this day and is arguably Richey Edwards' definitive song, if not the band, while the angry PC-baiting punk of PCP is the most demanded (but rarely played) song at live performances.

make no mistake, this is the Manics' finest hour and for me, is the best album ever created.