Welsh rockers’, Manic Street Preachers, third studio album “The Holy Bible” has been remastered by Tim Young and James Dean Bradfield to mark the 20th anniversary of the album that NME considered to be “the darkest album in the history of music”. Now for the first time (other than a super limited run during the initial 1994 release) the classic LP will be commercially available on 180 gm Vinyl.
After 1993’s “Gold Against the Soul” the Manic’s wanted to return to British influences that had inspired them so much when they first formed back in 1986 including Joy Division, Gang Of Four and PiL. The result was “The Holy Bible”, one of the bands most moving, controversial and ultimately tragic pieces of work. The recording of the album took four weeks and it was to be the last Manic’s album guitarist Richey Edwards would contribute lyrics to before his disappearance in February 1995.
Manic Street Preachers – Faster
As well as the album on vinyl, the 12″ x 12″ box features the original album, a remastered version of the US edition, a live disc recorded at Richey’s last Manic’s gigs at the Astoria in December 1994, and a collection of B-Sides, rarities and BBC recordings. Also included is a lovingly collated 40 page 12” book including rare photos and imagery, handwritten lyrics, notes from Richey and more.
Metropolis Mastering’s involvement with this album stretches right back to 1994. Retired Metropolis engineer Ian Cooper mastered the initial release, with the 2004 reissue remastered by Tim Young. The advances in mastering technology over the last ten years are reflected in Tim’s 2014 remaster which has achieved new levels of clarity and impact from the original analogue tapes that is clearly audible on the US and especially the UK mixes.
The vinyl cut was carried out by Tim using Metropolis’ modified half speed cutting process. The benefits of cutting at half speed is that the needle and the other components are less strained and have more time to cut a much more accurate, detailed and better sounding groove.
ABOUT METROPOLIS MASTERING AND TIM YOUNG
Metropolis Mastering was founded in 1993 with the intention of redefining international standards. That same passion, ambition and commitment is still the force that drives us today. Our five mastering suites were designed and built to the highest possible specification, offering the best environment for critical listening, and equipped with some of the most sought after mastering equipment around.
In 2008, Tim became the first non-US mastering engineer to win a Grammy Award (for his 5.1 Surround Sound mastering on The Beatles’ ‘Love’ album). In 2011, he also won the Music Producers Guild mastering engineer of the year award. Now with over twenty years of experience in mastering at Metropolis, Tim is in constant demand from all levels of recording artists. His more recent credits include Elbow, The Killers, Take That, Manic Street Preachers, and 5.1 mastering for Queen.
Find out more about the Metropolis Mastering team and Mastering Engineer Tim Young.
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