Manic Street Preachers return this year with their ninth studio album, Journal For Plague Lovers released on May 18th on Columbia Records.

Manic Street Preachers

Manic Street Preachers

Produced by Steve Albini and recorded live at Rockfield Studios in Wales during the Winter of 2008, the album features lyrics left behind by former guitarist Richey Edwards across all 13 new tracks. An original piece of Jenny Savilles art is the cover of Journal for Plague Lovers, whose painting graced the cover of 1994s The Holy Bible.

Nicky Wire said of the decision to use Richeys words after all this time, "The brilliance and intelligence of the lyrics dictated that we had to finally use them. The use of language is stunning and topics include The Grande Odalisque by Ingres, Marlon Brando, Giant Haystacks, celebrity, consumerism and dysmorphia, all reiterating the genius and intellect of Richard James Edwards”.

The album follows the hugely successful and critically acclaimed 2007 release Send Away The Tigers, and the induction of the band into the NMEs Hall Of Fame with their naming as the NME Godlike Genius for 2008.

Musically the band draw on their classic Holy Bible sound with elements of Nirvanas In Utero, as well as a delicate, beautiful acoustic side.

Track-listing for Journal For Plague Lovers:

Peeled Apples

Jackie Collins Existential Question Time

Me & Stephen Hawking

This Joke Sport Severed

Journal For Plague Lovers

She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach

Facing Page: Top Left

Marlon J.D.

Doors Closing Slowly

All Is Vanity

Pretension/Repulsion

Virginia State Epileptic Colony

Williams Last Words

A UK tour will be announced shortly.