OKComputer1016
06/13/09, 05:22 PM
Marilyn Manson – The High End of Low
Record Label: Interscope
Release Date: May 19, 2009
“Death to the ladies first / then the gentlemen / All sorts of tax-free-face-lift-abortions-nervous-break-dance / Satanic girls gone wild / Truly fucking suicidal.” Now which genius wordsmith could that be? Well, by God, it’s Marilyn god-damn-motherfuckin’-Manson, that’s who! And if these lyrics appeal to you, as they should to any devoted reader of great poetry, then go get your mom’s permission and check out this new literary masterpiece!
Allow me to explain. On Marilyn Manson’s latest cash-in, Twiggy Ramirez seems to have needed a paycheck as well, as he’s resumed his post as bassist for the band. Fans who’ve been keeping track know that he left in 2002, missing out on 2003’s absolutely terrible Golden Age of Grotesque and 2007’s catchy and overlooked Eat Me, Drink Me. The latter was a surprisingly interesting move into more modern musical territory, but certainly not a typical Marilyn Manson record (it’s more sad than angry, more alternative than nu-metal), and long-time fans would certainly acknowledge Ramirez’s return as something of a big deal.
Unfortunately, that “big-deal” status extends only until you actually hear these new songs. Basically this album seems to be nothing more than a document proving that yup, Marilyn Manson is still around. As always there are scary pictures of the Unkillable Monster himself all over the liner notes, and all the lyrics are written out so you can sing along to such gems as: “I can see my glass coffin through my tinted window.” Right. Good. There’s been no progression is his persona since…ever.
Even the song titles are generic, standard Manson fare; “Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon” – which is like a rebellious 9-year-old’s dream come true, or a sequal to Limp Bizkit’s “Hot Dog” – sits with such classics as “I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell” and “I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies.” Long story short – don’t expect anything new out of this album.
And no, I’m not judging a Marilyn Manson album solely on song titles and lyrics, because if that were the case I would never have liked Marilyn Manson in the first place, and would never have even checked out this new album. Obviously you have to take a lot of the spooky Antichrist bit with a grain of salt. It’s just that these ideas have been hashed and rehashed, and in 2009 there’s really nothing the man can do to scare us anymore. The music’s really tired (“Arma” is a lamer version of “Dopeshow”; “Running to the Edge of the World” is a lamer version of “Speed of Pain”; etc.) and there’s really no way you’ll listen to this album more than twice, if that. You could argue that “Four Rusted Horses” goes out on a limb, with a bluesy kind of guitar riff, but the fact that it’s awful kind of crushes that argument.
If this album moves you at all, it will be just to make you want to put on some older, better Marilyn Manson tunes. Nowadays he’s nothing but a nostalgia act – a caricature of his former scary self. I think it’s time for the obligatory reality TV show on VH1. You laugh, but I guarantee it’ll happen.
*Note: I feel it’s important that I clarify that if you’ve got the opportunity to see Manson live (he’s on the Mayhem Fest this year with Slayer, Behemoth, and Cannibal Corpse…for some reason), you still should do that. His stage set and performance are definitely worth it in a live setting, even if he does a bunch of songs from this waster album.
Don’t Believe Me?
www.myspace.com/marilynmanson (http://www.myspace.com/marilynmanson)
Recommended If You Like:
“Fuck”, “Kill”, “Monster”, “Coffin”, “Hell”, etc.
Record Label: Interscope
Release Date: May 19, 2009
“Death to the ladies first / then the gentlemen / All sorts of tax-free-face-lift-abortions-nervous-break-dance / Satanic girls gone wild / Truly fucking suicidal.” Now which genius wordsmith could that be? Well, by God, it’s Marilyn god-damn-motherfuckin’-Manson, that’s who! And if these lyrics appeal to you, as they should to any devoted reader of great poetry, then go get your mom’s permission and check out this new literary masterpiece!
Allow me to explain. On Marilyn Manson’s latest cash-in, Twiggy Ramirez seems to have needed a paycheck as well, as he’s resumed his post as bassist for the band. Fans who’ve been keeping track know that he left in 2002, missing out on 2003’s absolutely terrible Golden Age of Grotesque and 2007’s catchy and overlooked Eat Me, Drink Me. The latter was a surprisingly interesting move into more modern musical territory, but certainly not a typical Marilyn Manson record (it’s more sad than angry, more alternative than nu-metal), and long-time fans would certainly acknowledge Ramirez’s return as something of a big deal.
Unfortunately, that “big-deal” status extends only until you actually hear these new songs. Basically this album seems to be nothing more than a document proving that yup, Marilyn Manson is still around. As always there are scary pictures of the Unkillable Monster himself all over the liner notes, and all the lyrics are written out so you can sing along to such gems as: “I can see my glass coffin through my tinted window.” Right. Good. There’s been no progression is his persona since…ever.
Even the song titles are generic, standard Manson fare; “Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon” – which is like a rebellious 9-year-old’s dream come true, or a sequal to Limp Bizkit’s “Hot Dog” – sits with such classics as “I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell” and “I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies.” Long story short – don’t expect anything new out of this album.
And no, I’m not judging a Marilyn Manson album solely on song titles and lyrics, because if that were the case I would never have liked Marilyn Manson in the first place, and would never have even checked out this new album. Obviously you have to take a lot of the spooky Antichrist bit with a grain of salt. It’s just that these ideas have been hashed and rehashed, and in 2009 there’s really nothing the man can do to scare us anymore. The music’s really tired (“Arma” is a lamer version of “Dopeshow”; “Running to the Edge of the World” is a lamer version of “Speed of Pain”; etc.) and there’s really no way you’ll listen to this album more than twice, if that. You could argue that “Four Rusted Horses” goes out on a limb, with a bluesy kind of guitar riff, but the fact that it’s awful kind of crushes that argument.
If this album moves you at all, it will be just to make you want to put on some older, better Marilyn Manson tunes. Nowadays he’s nothing but a nostalgia act – a caricature of his former scary self. I think it’s time for the obligatory reality TV show on VH1. You laugh, but I guarantee it’ll happen.
*Note: I feel it’s important that I clarify that if you’ve got the opportunity to see Manson live (he’s on the Mayhem Fest this year with Slayer, Behemoth, and Cannibal Corpse…for some reason), you still should do that. His stage set and performance are definitely worth it in a live setting, even if he does a bunch of songs from this waster album.
Don’t Believe Me?
www.myspace.com/marilynmanson (http://www.myspace.com/marilynmanson)
Recommended If You Like:
“Fuck”, “Kill”, “Monster”, “Coffin”, “Hell”, etc.