Nicky Wire has revealed that the Manic Street Preachers could return to the sounds of their seminal album ‘The Holy Bible’ for their new record.

Wire says that although not songs are yet complete the band have plenty ideas for their ninth studio record.

He told BBC 6 Music: “We’re itching – I know James has got loads of stuff written in his head. I can hear him in practice and it sounds like he’s gone to a kind of riff-tastic place.

“A kind of, I dunno, heavy rock version of the Holy Bible seems to be going on musically for him – but we haven’t actually written anything at the moment.”

Reflecting on the what is considered to be the Manics best album, Wire went on to say: “I think really, from the Holy Bible to the release even of Design For Life we were pretty untouchable.

“Holy Bible does stand alone as a band reclaiming its utter soul.”

When approached on why the band rarely plays any of the tracks live, he responded: “It’s awkward – you have to be in a mental state of ferocious animosity and kind of bewilderment.

“It’s the only time I feel slightly wrong or fake about doing stuff because you’ve just really got to feel that way.

“That album is as much of a mental state as it is a piece of music.”

(by Daniel Melia)