Album a Day (Limited Edition Edition): The Damage Manual - Limited Edition

The Damage Manual started off as a really cool concept in sort of a super-group with men that have very impressive resumes including Martin Atkins (Pigface, PiL, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Murder Inc., and Killing Joke), Geordie Walker (Killing Joke, Murder Inc., and Pigface), Jah Wobble (Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart and PiL), and Chris Connelly (known for both his solo work and work in Finitribe, PTP, Acid Horse, Pigface, Ministry, Killing Joke, and Revolting Cocks). Kind of like a Damn Yankees of Industrial. The problem is that Damn Yankees sucked. Well the first set of Damage Manual material was good and certainly something I'll write about someday but the second incarnation was just so great with both Jah Wobble and Geordie Walker leaving the band and the addition of one of my favorite musicians Steven Seibold of Hate Dept. (both a talented musician and producer) for this sophomore follow-up Limited Edition. Actually limited to 4000 copies for this beautiful digipak with raised plastic the presentation starts the whole album off really awesome (although sometimes difficult to store). Though often referred to as an industrial rock album it actually tends to verge on what should be called Post-Industrial Rock. The album really pushes the limits of what industrial-rock is. The reason I say verging is that I'm not sure Industrial can have a post-quality as post-genres tend to be more experimental complex versions of the originals and when you do that in Industrial Rock you actually just get earlier industrial bands like Throbbing Gristle and Einstürzende Neubauten. However, this album certainly has elements of industrial, post-punk, and punk for an album that really kicks ass and has a lot of thought put into it. I love the lyrical content on songs like No Act of Grace (a great reflective song), South Pole Fighters, and Mad Dialect. You can also just feel all the chemistry that Atkins, Connelly, and Seibold have from years of working together on Pigface and so there is really an element of brotherhood in the album. I enjoy the album from start to finish, the album flows well, the production is tight, and each song maintains a sound true to the album while exploring different ideas at the same time. If you can find a copy then I suggest adding this to your library. Favorite Tracks: Revenge Fiction, No Act of Grace, Mad Dialect, South Pole Fighters, and Limited Edition