"An anarchic tour-de-force of stark, tearing melodies that perfectly complement the brutally-frank lyrics. Bare yet complex, brutal yet tender. The stand out album of their career."
"Crammed with unashamedly grandiose, sweeping rock anthems, it's just an album full of great tracks. The start of a more 'mainstream' sound era, and possibly the biggest change in sound between albums."
"The second album is where the Manics really found their feet musically. A broader diversity of top tracks driven by a distinctive cauldron of passionate emotion and angst-ridden lyrics."
"Their debut album is an electric mix of punk, dynamism and self-destructive exuberance. A great punk rock debut, but a little immature musically - they haven't yet honed their individual sound."
"I think this album is underrated. The Manics continue to prove their musical prowess with a slower, subtler, quieter album than EMG. Full of heartfelt, darkly haunting tracks, this album grows on you."
"Richey's lyrics return along with the urgency of the sharp, punky melodies harking back to their earlier career. So it's certainly their most interesting recent album, but not all tracks hit the mark."
"After Lifeblood, a less experimental return to a more traditional Manics sound. But this is a very enjoyable album with plenty of good tracks, and is a grower too - always a good sign."
"With less focus on guitar, it was a different but fairly accessible new sound for the band. Some great tracks mixed with some average ones still make a good album, but it's far from their best."
"The only Manics album I don't really enjoy. A couple of stand-out tracks and some very original, interesting moments - but it also seems inconsistent and uninspiring at times. Maybe you will disagree."
