Marilyn Manson, like many artists, has made a career out of lying. And that’s fine. Manson, like everyone else, is trying to reach his end game, something that has alluded him since the early aughts: relevancy. “It’s difficult to say you want to make a comeback,” Manson told Loudwire.com. “Because that’s admitting that you weren’t what you were supposed to be, not what you used to be, but what you’re supposed to be.” On Born Villain, his band’s eighth studio album,  Manson re-discovers his roots, exploring the vintage industrial rock genre that made him matter in the first place. Still, the question remains: Is Manson what fans want him to be, or who he really is?

Born Villain offers much of what is already found in Manson’s catalog, namely hushed intros leading into surprisingly profound lyrics that are dispassionately delivered in the verses, and maniacally belted out in the choruses. But deviation occurs in the newfound versatility in style displayed throughout the record. Manson’s sound has consistently been characterized as industrial rock, but never confined to it, and to his credit, he has always experimented outside the elements with each new release. Born Villain is an aggregation of those tests as opposed to relying solely on one genre, such as glam-rock, which had betrayed him in previous albums. The new kink in the latest release is the addition of a post-punk kick, as on “Murderers Are Getting Prettier Every Day”. This album will retain fans that never left Manson’s side and lure others back who abandoned him earlier this decade. In addition to the musical reach, Manson provides some variety in his lyrics, shelling out dark insights on romantic trauma on “Pistol Whipped”.

Depressingly, Manson has said that he tried writing from his personal life in the two records prior to Born Villain, both of which commercially flopped. In other words, he failed at being honest. “I was in a place where I could not figure out how to deal with being me,” he said later in the interview with Loudwire.com. “Me the person—not me as Marilyn Manson. Sometimes you don’t know how the [expletive] to be yourself, because you’re too confused by the circumstances you’re in. Everyone goes through that…I need to be an outlaw, I need to be a villain, I need to be the person that you don’t want to [expletive] with so people don’t [expletive] with what I do.”

Manson is correct. Coming to terms with who you are is a bridge everyone passes. But artistically speaking, Manson is reverting to his roots as a means for survival, not progress. “The villain is the person who has the chance to change something,” Manson continued. “They might break the rules, but that’s the thing, sometimes if you don’t [expletive] break the rules, you’re not going to save anything, you’re not going to change anything.” So, Manson is a poseur, a “villain” parading around an opaque persona bent on inciting shock from the everyman (and, more importantly, the everyman’s state representative) as proof to his minions that he (and I suppose by proxy, “they”) matter. That said, trading relevancy for regression seems callow and short-sighted.

In “The Gardener”, Manson sings, “I’m not man enough to be human/But I’m trying to fit in/And I’m learning to fake it.” Of course, he’s lying. He is not devoid  of human qualities–he has insecurities and emotional baggage–but not man enough to sing about them in lieu of risking success, and he isn’t learning to fake it. He mastered that craft long ago. Subject matter such as the aforementioned romanticism is refreshing, and maybe that will be pushed to the foreground in future records, but it only appears in spurts on Born Villain. 

“I now feel like I’m in control of my life,” Manson said in an interview with NME. “Before I was unhappy and when someone is unhappy, it’s because they’re not in control of their life. I’m not a masochist. I’m simply into trying to enjoy what I do, because otherwise there’s no point.”

Manson is okay, just don’t ask him to sing about it.

Essential Tracks: “Hey, Cruel World…” and “The Gardener”

“I’m looking for something that’ll… break through. You know?” James Woods’ Max Renn yearns in David Cronenberg’s 1983 cult classic Videodrome. Oh, how things have changed. In today’s day and age, we’ve already drowned in media. It’s swallowed us. We’re nothing but a bubble amidst one infinite, engulfing abyss. Intimidated? You should be. With each passing second, you’re losing opportunities to take advantage of a culture that’s moving ahead and at an exhausting rate. You could very well be alone… left behind… abandoned. Terrified yet? Yes? Well, that’s more like it.

Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”

Alabama Shakes don’t have to rely on fancy cinematography or a huge budget to get across their special brand of soul-infused southern rock. An empty studio and their instruments is all they need. Believe the hype. (Sidenote: Does the drummer’s sweatshirt actually say “This is not an Earl Sweatshirt”?)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – “We Almost Lost Detroit”

President Obama can’t save Detroit, but from the look of this video it appears that Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. just might be able to.

Garbage – “Blood For Poppies”

The latest video from Garbage was apparently inspired by famous visual artists like Magritte, Maya Deren, Luis Brunel, and Francesca Woodman. Damn, I really should have paid attention during Intro to Film.

Marilyn Manson – “No Reflection”

Marilyn Manson’s new video is chock full of rainbows, sunny meadows, and innocent little children playing with puppies. Just kidding. Come on, it’s a freaking Marilyn Manson music video. Queue the satanic imagery and black eyeliner please.

Porcelain Raft – “Drifting In and Out”

Usually the phrase “smoke and mirrors” is used to mean a cheap trick or something deceptive. Here, the only thing smoke and mirrors amounts to is a pretty cool looking music video.

Regina Spektor – “All the Rowboats”

Adria Petty, the director of this video, also directed the video for Beyonce’s “Countdown”. Although the two musical styles couldn’t be further apart, the two videos do in fact have some similarities, namely the glitchy, slightly frantic vibe they both exude.

Rufus Wainwright – “Out of the Game”

Librarians are traditionally portrayed as stuffy, boring, drab human beings. But I think that if Bellatrix Lestrange was my librarian back in grade school, it would have made checking out books considerably more interesting.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Nerve Damage”

I never knew Dr. Manhattan had an angsty purple cousin.

White Rabbits – “Temporary”

As a wise scholar once said: “Turn up the lights in here baby, extra bright, I want y’all to see this.” White Rabbits took that to heart in their new video.

Young the Giant – “Apartment”

I can honestly say I’m okay with the fact that none of my birthday parties have ever ended with a car exploding in flames.

Three things you can always count on in a Marilyn Manson video: filthy makeup, sloppy goths, and an excess of darkness. No surprise then that director Lukas Ettlin manages to squeeze all three things into Manson’s new video for “No Reflection”. As a press release indicates, the video “explores wreckage and sanctity,” so with that in mind, don’t be surprised when you see the sort of imagery that would turn on H.P. Lovecraft. It’s the stuff that’ll give some the willies and others, well, yeah. Check it out below.

Manson’s forthcoming eighth studio LP, Born Villain, hits stores May 1st via Cooking Vinyl.

Marilyn Manson follows up the Shia Labeouf-directed “Born Villain” short film with a proper music video. The near-seven-minute affair is a barrage of tried and true Manson visuals, including, but not limited to, ritualistic haircuts, Victorian-era waterboarding, magic shows with false eyeballs, and, possibly the most frightening of all, poetic monologues by Manson himself. The only thing missing is a cameo by friend/collaborator Johnny Depp, perhaps carrying a vulture? Watch the video below.

Manson’s latest album, Born Villain, hits stores on May 1st via Cooking Vinyl Records and Manson’s own imprint Hell, etc. Peep the full album tracklist below.

Born Villain Tracklist:
01. Hey Cruel World
02. No Reflection
03. Pistol Whipped
04. Overneath The Path of Misery
05. Slo-mo-tion
06. The Gardener
07. The Flowersof Evil
08. Children of Cain
09. Disengaged
10. Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms
11. Murderers Are Getting Prettier Every Day
12. Born Villain
13. Break The Same Old Ground
14. You’re So Vain (feat. Johnny Depp) (Bonus Track)

Marilyn Manson previously enlisted actor Shia LaBeouf to direct a short film for the title track of his upcoming eighth LP, Born Villain. Now, Manson has revealed another Hollywood collaborator in Johnny Depp, who provided drums and lead guitar on a cover of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” (which will appear as an album bonus track). The duo are reportedly good friends, with Manson previously  accompanying Depp to the Disneyland premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, thus making this collaboration 1,000% less weird and damaging to children.

Born Villain hits stores on May 1st via Cooking Vinyl Records and Manson’s own imprint Hell, etc. No word yet on when the Simon cover will surface; in the meantime, stream the album’s surprisingly solid lead single, “No Reflection”, below.

[soundcloud width="500"]http://soundcloud.com/cookingvinyl/no-reflection-radio-edit-1[/soundcloud]

On May 1st, Marilyn Manson returns with his eighth studio album, Born Villain. Previously, we’ve seen the Shia LeBeouf-directed film of the same name, and now we have the album’s lead single to spin. As Blabbermouth reports, “No Reflection” premiered on KROQ yesterday and its chugging, Faint-friendly distortion offers plenty of sonic waves for Manson to glide over. Industrial enthusiasts still pining for Nine Inch Nails or glory-era Ministry will find solace here. Check it out below.

Born Villain haunts stores May 1st via Cooking Vinyl Records and Manson’s own imprint Hell, etc. In support of the release, Manson has a number of tour dates scheduled across the globe. Find the full itinerary at his website.

The sixth annual Rock on the Range Music Festival returns to Columbus, Ohio’s Columbus Crew Stadium from May 18-20th. This year’s bill boasts names like Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Megadeth, Mastodon, Incubus, Slash, The Darkness Volbeat, Cypress Hill, Trivium, and Lacuna Coil, among others. Check out the entire lineup at Festival Outlook.

GA and VIP passes go on sale Friday, February 10th at 10:00 am ET via the festival’s website.

“People call me a director, but I really think of myself as a sound man.” -David Lynch, quoted in Michael Chion’s David Lynch

David Lynch‘s electro-pop album Crazy Clown Time has left a lot of music fans and critics scratching their heads. But, looking back at the filmmaker’s long history of re-purposing pop music in his films and other work, it’s possible that Crazy Clown Time is one of the least strange moves that the veteran film director, meditation guru, coffee entrepreneur, and amateur weatherman has made in his entire career.

This isn’t intended to be a complete list of David Lynch’s musical ventures, as a number of music videos, Lynch-penned compositions, and other collaborations have been left out. Rather, consider it a smattering of some of Lynch’s strangest, presented in chronological order.

Feature artwork by Cap Blackard.

“In Heaven” from Eraserhead (1977)

Lynch’s history both as a musician and as a feature filmmaker begin here with Eraserhead. Following several mostly animated short films, Lynch received a small grant from the American Film Institute to begin what would become his first full-length movie. Filmed piecemeal from 1971 to 1976, it was met with mixed reactions at festivals, but early championing from famous fans including David Bowie and Charles Bukowski helped Eraserhead become one of the midnight circuit’s most popular movies.

The various musical performances in Lynch’s debut come courtesy of the Lady in the Radiator, a charming, tumor-cheeked woman who appears to Henry in visions at several points in the film. The most famous of these is her performance of “In Heaven” (famously covered by The Pixies), a simple, yet creepy, little song written by Peter Ivers at Lynch’s request. (In another segment, The Lady in the Radiator performs a memorably stomach-turning dance where oversized sperm creatures drop from the ceiling and are squished under her feet.)

Sting’s scantily clad space prince in Dune (1984)

“I met David [Lynch] and I loved him. He’s a madman in sheep’s clothing, and I just felt I had to do the movie because I know he’s going to do something extraordinary.” -Sting in Rolling Stone Magazine #403, September 1983

“I didn’t even like the film, I don’t have a clue what it was about, it was very confusing.” – Sting to The Courier Mail, July 1985

Following the cult success of Eraserhead and the critical acclaim of his Academy Award-nominated Hollywood debut, The Elephant Man, Lynch was pegged to direct a big-budget adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic, Dune. (Lynch had recently declined George Lucas’s offer to direct Return of the Jedi.) Lynch’s grandiose vision for Dune would have resulted in a three-plus-hour film, which the studio cut down to a still-grueling 137 minutes. While more than a few distinct Lynch-isms survived the chopping block, the film that arrived in theaters was a convoluted mess and wound up being a huge commercial and critical flop.

Sting, fresh off the mega-success of The Police’s Synchronicity, appears in the film as the evil heir of the film’s villain, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Sting appears in just a limited number of scenes, neon orange-coiffed and delightfully hamming it up in one of the film’s most memorable performances despite having to work with some questionable lines and even more questionable costumes.

“In Dreams” from Blue Velvet (1986)

Lynch bounced back from Dune with the smaller, more personal Blue Velvet. A mystery set against the dark underbelly of small-town America, Blue Velvet earned David Lynch his second best director Academy Award nomination and resurrected Dennis Hopper’s career with his turn as Frank Booth, the movie’s unforgettable gas-huffing villain.

Teenage sleuth Jeffrey Beaumont finds himself in way over his head when the dangerously unpredictable Frank Booth takes him along for a wild ride. Frank takes him to the home of his “suave” drug dealer, Ben, who lip-syncs Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams” into an electric light. This sends Frank down an emotional roller coaster and prompts one of the most terrifying scenes in the movie.

“Blue Velvet” from Blue Velvet (1986)

Though far less disturbing than Dean Stockwell’s performance of “In Dreams”, Isabella Rosselini’s nightclub performance of Bobby Vinton’s “Blue Velvet” has become one of the film’s most iconic scenes. With her sensual allure and an evening of song, beleaguered nightclub singer Dorothy Vallens pulls the young Jeffrey Beaumont irrevocably into her dark world.

David Lynch initially brought in Angelo Badalamenti to serve as Isabella Rosselini’s voice coach for this scene, but wound up finding one of his most frequent collaborators in the composer. (Badalamenti appears as the piano player in this scene.)

Julee Cruise - Floating Into the Night (1989)

Rights issues prevented David Lynch from using a This Mortal Coil cover of Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren” in Blue Velvet. Unable to find another song that conveyed the same feelings, Lynch penned the lyrics to “Mysteries of Love”, which composer Angelo Badalamenti set to music. Lynch asked for a singer with an “ethereal” voice. Badalamenti suggested Julee Cruise, whom he had met in a theater workshop. The results play in Blue Velvet over a sweetly emotional dancing scene.

David Lynch and Badalamenti were so impressed by “Mysteries of Love” that they signed on to produce Cruise’s debut album, Floating Into the Night. All of the album’s lyrics were penned by Lynch, with music by Badalamenti. The album (which charted on Billboard in 1990) featured several songs that would later appear in Twin Peaks, including “Falling”, a wordless version of which became that series’s theme song.

Industrial Symphony No. 1 (1989)

Following the success of Blue Velvet, The Brooklyn Academy of Music approached David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti to produce a 45-minute stage production to open their New Wave Music Festival. The pair agreed and put the entire show together in just two weeks, creating imagery to pair with several of the songs they’d written for Julee Cruise.

Presented only twice in November of 1989, the original production starred Cruise, as well as Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, with whom Lynch was currently filming Wild at Heart, and Michael J. Anderson, who would go on to fame as the diminutive, backwards-talking Man From Another Place in Twin Peaks.

“Love Me” / “Love Me Tender” from Wild at Heart (1990)

David Lynch juggled a wide variety of projects in the late 1980s, perhaps the quickest to get off the ground being Wild at Heart. Within six months of being given a copy of the Barry Gifford novel that served as the film’s source material, Lynch had wrapped shooting on an adaptation that strongly showed the filmmaker’s bizarre stamp and contained more than a few less-than-subtle allusions to The Wizard of Oz.

Starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern as Sailor and Lula, outlaw lovers on the lam from both law enforcement and a contract killer, Wild at Heart calls back to Elvis Presley’s acting career without once actually vocalizing the singer’s name. Nicolas Cage musically breaks into songs made famous by Presley at two points in the movie: first in a version of “Love Me” that Sailor sings to Lula after pummeling a kid senseless in a bar fight and second (and even more bizarrely) in a rendition of “Love Me Tender” that’s sung under the credits.

“Mairzy Doats” from Twin Peaks (1990)

The TV series Twin Peaks, which ran for only two seasons on ABC, would wind up being one of Lynch’s biggest cult successes. Though initially based around the central mystery of who murdered teenager Laura Palmer, the small logging town of Twin Peaks and its many bizarre inhabitants quickly became the star attraction, week after week. Twin Peaks explored the same weird American underbelly seen before in Blue Velvet, but mixed the extremely dark and often supernatural elements with a surreal and twisted sense of humor.

Leland Palmer, father of the murdered Laura, spends much of the first season a grieving mess. His first appearance in season two, however, is a different (and surprising) matter. “Mairzy Doats” was a vintage World War II-era novelty song based around a seemingly meaningless tongue twister that becomes clear when you speak the lyrics slowly.

“Just You And I” from Twin Peaks (1990)

It’s not surprising that two of the strangest musical moments in Twin Peaks come from David Lynch-directed episodes. Early on in season two, James and Donna, friends and classmates of the late Laura Palmer, and her near-identical cousin, Maddie, gather to record a ’50s-style pop song. The song isn’t mentioned before this moment and isn’t referred to again, making the almost-random, three-minute performance one of the most inexplicable, yet surreally sweet, scenes in the show.

David Bowie in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

Ratings for Twin Peaks took a serious plummet in the second season, as a move to a Saturday evening time slot and the resolution of the central “Who killed Laura Palmer?” mystery caused viewers to lose interest. Following the show’s cancellation, Lynch announced he’d signed a three-picture deal with French company CIBY that would include a spin-off prequel. The world of Twin Peaks would live on for one more feature film, despite several of the show’s lead actors declining to be involved.

David Bowie, an early fan of Lynch’s Eraserhead, appears in a very brief cameo as a disappearing special agent with a laughably terrible Southern accent. Bowie filmed his role in just a few days while rehearsing for his Tin Machine tour, and only this scene survived into the film’s final cut.

“Sycamore Trees” / “Questions in a World of Blue” from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was a critical and commercial flop in the United States, perhaps because of its near incomprehensibility, particularly to those who hadn’t invested almost 30 hours in the TV show’s many threaded plotlines. To fans of the director, however, it could be seen as his most hallucinatory and surreal film since Eraserhead.

Many of Lynch’s trademarks are quite visible throughout, including his penchant for including on-screen singing. The first is a short appearance by “Little” Jimmy Scott, a jazz vocalist with a distinctively high voice caused by a rare genetic disorder that prevented him from reaching puberty, singing “Sycamore Trees”, a new song by Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti.

The second is an in-film performance by Lynch’s frequent musical collaborator, Julee Cruise, singing the Lynch and Badalamenti composition “Questions in a World of Blue”, which would later appear on her sophomore album, also produced by Lynch.

“The Mr. Peanuts Song” from On the Air (1992)

On the Air was one of two short-lived television shows from David Lynch and his Twin Peaks co-creator, Mark Frost, following the success of that series. Starring several of the smaller-role actors from Twin Peaks in the lead and filmed with much of the same crew, the old-timey throwback to 1950s live variety programming flopped in the ratings with only a handful of episodes making it to air.

While possibly one of the least Lynch-esque projects he’s attached his name to, On the Air played in the same world of innocent nostalgia that was turned on its head in films like Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Several pieces of music are fit into the show-within-a-show’s variety format, one of the most memorable being “The Mr. Peanuts Song”, sung by one of the show’s leads, coming to the aid of a disgraced puppeteer.

Michael Jackson’s Dangerous teaser (1993)

David Lynch directed the introduction to Michael Jackson’s Dangerous: The Short Films collection, and as far as 90-second pop music commercials go, they don’t get much Lynch-ier than this. Featuring flickering lights, industrial noise, and a dancing dwarf, this little-scene video packs a lot of directorial trademarks into a small amount of time.

This was the only collaboration between the director of The Elephant Man and the rumored purchaser of the Elephant Man’s skeleton.

Bill Pullman’s lunatic jazz saxophone performances in Lost Highway (1997)

“A 21^st Century Noir Horror Film” reads the screenplay for Lost Highway, which Lynch co-scripted with Wild at Heart writer Barry Gifford. After spending several post-Peaks years out of the spotlight directing TV, releasing a book of photography, and in various producer roles, Lost Highway was Lynch’s gritty return to form as a feature filmmaker.

Centered around a jazz saxophonist’s delirious breakdown after the murder of his wife, Lynch uses a wide variety of methods to convey the character’s crumbling mental state. One of the most effective is the frantic and claustrophobic way he films the character’s sax performances (though it may be hard now to watch Bill Pullman’s crazed solo without thinking a bit of Ron Burgundy’s jazz flute in Anchorman).

Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez as porn stars in Lost Highway (1997)

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor had reached out to Lynch previously to direct one of his music videos but was unable to pin down the filmmaker. Impressing producers with his work on the Natural Born Killers companion soundtrack, Reznor was approached to reprise that musical compiler role for Lost Highway as well as composing a few original pieces of music for the movie. The final result was released on CD in advance of the film’s opening and featured tracks by Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, David Bowie, Rammstein, and The Smashing Pumpkins.

Soundtrack contributors Marilyn Manson and bandmate Twiggy Ramirez have brief, almost-background cameos as porn stars in a snuff flick that’s viewed by the characters in one of the movie’s skeezier scenes.

“Llorando” in Mulholland Drive (2001)

“The music has to marry with the picture and enhance it. You can’t just lob something in and think it’s going to work, even if it’s one of your all-time favorite songs. The piece of music may have nothing to do with the scene. When it marries, you can feel it.” -David Lynch in his book, Catching the Big Fish

Initially conceived as a TV pilot that was later rejected by ABC executives, Lynch went back and shot additional scenes to turn it into one of his most critically acclaimed feature films, Mulholland Drive. The unusual production history of the film and the open-ended narrative structure, as well as Lynch’s typically surreal style, make viewing the film a hallucinatory and dreamlike feeling.

In all of the scenes listed here, Rebekah Del Rio’s Spanish, a capella performance of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” (retitled “Llorando”) may be the most haunting. Lynch had originally intended to use this song rather than Orbison’s “In Dreams” for Blue Velvet, but used it here instead after hearing Del Rio’s cover. At a critical point in the film, lovers Betty and Rita visit the mysterious and mostly empty Club Silencio. “No hay banda,” a performer announces; there is no band, yet we hear one. Any further description of this scene would be spoiling it for those who haven’t yet experienced it.

BlueBob (2001)

BlueBob is the musical collaboration between David Lynch and musician John Neff, Lynch’s sound engineer on several projects. The duo recorded and released a single self-titled album, a rough and dirty rock disc that had Lynch playing guitar upside down and backwards through a chain of effects pedals that could rival Thurston Moore’s.

A music video was released for “Thank You, Judge”, which featured appearances by Naomi Watts and Eli Roth, as well as both Lynch and Neff.

“Sinnerman”, “Imaginary Girl”, and “Ghost of Love” from Inland Empire (2006)

Shot without a script over the course of more than two years with a stable of Lynch regulars, Inland Empire remains Lynch’s most recent film. Here, for the first time since Wild at Heart, the filmmaker saves the weirdest musical moment for the end credits. The film closes with a Lynch-esque dance number set to Nina Simone’s rendition of “Sinnerman”, including a few of the director’s recurring thumbprints, from the blinking lights to a log-sawing lumberjack.

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David Lynch makes his singing debut (without heavy distortion filters) for the soundtrack of Inland Empire, singing two original songs: “Ghost of Love” and “Imaginary Girl”.

Moby’s “Shot in the Back of the Head” music video (2009)

It doesn’t seem that unusual that electronic artist Moby and David Lynch would be email pen pals. As Moby describes it, he would occasionally send Lynch pieces of music that he thinks he would like. In the case of “Shot in the Back of the Head” from 2009 album Wait for Me, Lynch sent the song back with visuals attached to it.

Lynch’s animated music video interpreted Moby’s song as a surreal narrative involving a love affair between a man and a woman’s severed head.

Dark Night of the Soul (2010)

Dark Night of the Soul was a collaborative album written by Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse and featured a wide cast of indie rock luminaries in guest appearances, including Wayne Coyne, Iggy Pop, Gruff Rhys, Jason Lytle, James Mercer, Black Francis, Julian Casablancas, Suzanne Vega, Nina Persson, Vic Chesnutt, and Scott Spillane. It included some of the last recordings by Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous and Vic Chesnutt before their respective suicides.

A limited-edition version of the set came with a book that included more than 100 pages of photos taken by David Lynch. The filmmaker sang in two of the songs, including “Star Eyes”, which is below set to his accompanying photographs.

In closing…

“Sound is almost like a drug. It’s so pure that when it goes in your ears, it instantly does something to you.” -David Lynch

In the end, when put into the context of a long and idiosyncratic career that’s included its fair share of left turns, an electro-pop album from David Lynch really isn’t a surprising move. Popular music has long played such an integral role in Lynch’s creative output that it may just be the logical next step.

Enjoy Crazy Clown Time, and try to have a good day today.

Image courtesy of JoBlo.com

Tossing aside years of shock rock stability, Marilyn Manson (the man and his eponymous band) intend to go full-on punk rock with their upcoming as-yet-detail-less eighth album. But already, the singer and his musical followers are showing just how committed they truly are with the short film for the album’s first track, “Born Villian”: Transformers star Shia LeBeouf directed the Macbeth-referencing clip. Wait, are they sure they’re still not making shock rock art?

The duo of Manson and LaBeouf first became friends at a Kills concert (we’d like to have been there for that introduction). LaBeouf showed Manson another video he directed (Kid Cudi’s “Maniac”), Manson was overwhelmingly impressed, and they set to work on the near-seven-minute “promotional trailer”. While the clip focuses on the “Born Villian” track, drummer Chris Vrena said in an interview the film also features clips of other album tracks and bits of its own score.

With the cinematic experience, according to LaBeouf, “we tried to make Manson’s Un Chien Andalou macabre Macbeth — that’s sort of what that became”, with further references to obscure short films like Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1973 film The Holy Mountain and the work of Spanish filmmaker Luis Buñuel. The resulting clip is a mish-mash of dark, violent imagery, including unsanitary medical procedures, limb removal, blood spitting, and Manson offering free haircuts. In short, it’s the standard twisted visuals Marilyn Manson has built a career on.

Check out the video below. Marilyn Manson’s eighth album is scheduled to hit stores before the end of the year via Cooking Vinyl Records.

“It’s fantastic,” he added. “It’s our best record yet, I think. I mean, everyone always says that, but I think this is our best work so far.”

According to Ramirez, the as-yet untitled album will most likely be ready for a 2011 release, so keep checking back with CoS for more information as it comes. To hold you over, check out Twiggy’s full interview below (via Spin).

Last week we saw Trent Reznor and his wife meet a bloody end in the new How to Destroy Angels video. Now Variety reports that Marilyn Manson will star in upcoming film Splatter Sisters with fiancée Evan Rachel Wood. As you might guess from the title, this isn’t the latest Woody Allen rom-com. The announcement describes it as a “sexploitation-serial-killer-slasher-road-movie circa 1989,” which sounds like a typical day for Manson.

David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express) produces the project, the first in a planned franchise. “This is a role Marilyn Manson was born to play, and with Evan Rachel Wood bringing dramatic gravity to the ensemble, I have no doubt this will take the horror genre to a new level,” Green said.

“Dramatic gravity” or not, nothing says romance like getting your eyes carved out with a rusty hatchet. Your move, Maynard.

So I have officially been diagnosed, by a real doctor, with THE SWINE FLU. I know everyone will suggest that fucking a pig is how this disease was obtained. However, the doctor said, my past choices in women have in no way contributed to me acquiring this mysterious sickness. Unfortunately, I am going to survive.

No word on what this means for Manson’s currently ongoing world tour.

Thus, industrial metal was created, and here on the year of Ministry’s disbanding and Nine Inch Nails’ possible retirement from touring, we explore this rather complex culture of static, taboo, distortion and drums. The unfortunate truth becomes “Where does one begin, exactly?”, as digging deep enough into any musical genre will no doubt reveal unexpected influences or endless avenues of related acts. Being that industrial music takes a very DIY approach, the list of acts becomes almost infinite and constantly overlaps. It is for this reason we decided to focus on specific persons responsible for this phenomenal movement.

Welcome to the Top 11 Influential Minds of Industrial Metal… and please, don’t focus on the order.

11. Danny Lohner (Renholder)

Remixes are testy subjects that usually only come in one of two versions: the “hey, let’s add a drum beat to make this danceable” remix or the “let’s destroy this and make it better, faster, stronger!” remix. For the longest time I hated remixes because the only ones I had ever heard were simply dance cuts of really crappy ’80s songs compiled for sale on annoying infomercials in box sets — then I found Danny Lohner. There are millions of DJs on the planet, and Lohner is not the best mixer; however, he is the best remixer of industrial we’ve heard. To top this, the founding member of industrial thrash band Skrew has been involved with a ton major modern rock acts as producer and guitarist — most notably A Perfect Circle, Charlie Clouser and Clint Mansell. Under the pseudonym Renholder (re: d. lohner backwards), his remixes are standard fodder for industrial fans, and Lohner also had a hand in nearly everything for Wes Borland’s solo outing Black Light Burns. Danny Lohner becomes part of this list as essentially the next gen industrial artist and that’s that.

10. Brian Warner (Marilyn Manson)

Before the days of infamous “mall goths”, Warner’s alias Marilyn Manson was a poster child for all things rebellion. The Florida native started in journalism where he met the likes of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult which inspired Warner and early band mate Scott Putesky. Teen poetry became shock rock and Marilyn Manson was formed from the names of Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson to demonstrate the dichotomy of American society. 1989 saw the birth of Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids which soon became simply Marilyn Manson by the release of the band’s debut, 1994′s Portrait Of An American Family. Mr. Warner took on a persona that would be the center of controversy during the late ’90s and early ’00s, most notably his band’s media association to the Columbine Massacre. Live shows were ripe with costumes, lewd acts, and passages mockingly read from the Bible. The penultimate reasons for Warner’s listing? 1996′s Antichrist Superstar and a related act, the sadly short lived Jack Off Jill for whom Warner produced multiple demos.

9. Kevin Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy)

Known by most as Nivek Ogre of the industrial band Skinny Puppy, Ogilvie makes this list by association and by reputation. As a political voice, Ogilvie is outspoken and constantly champions the legalization of marijuana (a hint of industrial’s philosophical origins). As a vocalist and member of Skinny Puppy, Nivek Ogre infused the band’s live shows with horror make-up and special effects of all sorts. According to some sources, Ogilvie toned down his horror movie appearance due to recovering from a heroin addiction which had killed his band mate Dwayne Goettel. The reasoning for not taking up this part of his persona later on? Based on Ogilvie’s words, Marilyn Manson had popularized the image. As Skinny Puppy’s success and influence on industrial metal was spearheaded by Ogilvie, he earns a spot on this list – not to mention his work on the side project Rx with Pigface co-founder Martin Atkins and (no doubt motivated by his sense of performance art) a role as Pavi Largo in Eli Roth’s Repo!: The Genetic Opera.

8. Justin Broadrick (Godflesh)

As we travel into the UK, we receive Justin Broadrick who co-founded Godflesh. As one of the first bands to fuse metal with industrial, Godflesh was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, Broadrick’s partner G. Christian Green left and prompted the disbandment of Godflesh come 2002. Luckily both before and after this, Broadrick remained active due to his multiple talents: as guitarist, he played with Napalm Death; as producer, fashioned remixes for bands such as Pantera and Isis. Broadrick is from the old school ways of industrial where he dipped his hands into everything to create something unique, and he is probably a direct influence on multiple artists on this list — namely the DIY afficionado, Trent Reznor.

7. Al Jourgensen (Ministry)

There is only one word to describe Al Jourgensen, and that is “bad”. Using Hustler Magazine as a platform to announce the end of industrial powerhouse Ministry, Jourgensen could not be more metal. As a founding member of both Ministry and Revolting Cocks, well, now he’s just being “cocky” — and rightfully so. Between a five year probation stay for drug charges and a near-limbless experience with a viper, Jourgensen continues forward, and atop that, his production credits are many; some big names include Nine Inch Nails and GWAR. There are reasons for him on this list that we have already named, but it stands above all that Al Jourgensen is first and foremost industrial metal’s highest-reigning bad ass. After all, he looks like a biker, and there are not many on this list that actually appear to be ready and willing to beat you to a bloody pulp.

6. Sascha Konietzko (KMFDM)

Going from ass to ego, Konietzko dubs himself “the father of industrial rock”. While this statement is surely spoken in jest, it is not far from the truth in terms of influence. Between KMFDM as front man and MDFMK as collaborator with the phenomenal Tim Skold (seeing a running trend?), the man known as Sascha K presents us with the dance floor mosh subset of industrial metal. This indeed does not alone give Sascha K the spot on our list, as that comes in the form of simple mainstream creativity. Konietzko has not only worked with multiple artists on the KMFDM project, he also has a major say in the artistic value of album covers which have become synonymous with industrial metal – almost to the extent of Nine Inch Nails or Marilyn Manson. Sascha K earns his chops for sheer creativity and balls, so again ego comes into play.

5. Atkins/Rieflin (Pigface)

The minds of Martin Atkins and William Rieflin are two of a kind and therefore must be placed side by side even now. The founding fathers of Pigface are both excellent drummers, and during a stint on tour with Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre and Ministry, Atkins and Rieflin felt a kinship (but also noted the brilliance of working with several different artists). Taking this and running with it, Pigface has never actually had a single regular member outside of Atkins and Rieflin. To date, the list of artists has surpassed 130 guests to comprise a rather large total line-up. Even with the limited discography, there are numerous flavors for everyone. Trent Reznor at one point makes an early appearance on Gub before Nine Inch Nails became a household name with the track “Suck” which was later re-recorded for his Broken EP. Pigface comes in on this list for ingenuity, collaborative mindset, and helping to fuel fires for numerous artists’ later success.

4. Till Lindemann (Rammstein)

We’ve heard rumors that German metal fans find them a tad on the softer side. Whether or not this is gospel becomes irrelevant when we consider Till Lindemann and his ilk. The brazen frontman has been privy to some of the most outrageous stage shows ever witnessed due in large part to his status as a certified handler of pyrotechnics. These theatrics have become a staple at every Rammstein concert, alongside a catalog of albums – each album seemingly better than the next. Lindemann also pens beautiful lyrics which is unfortunate for his Western audiences as virtually every song is sung in German. Ironically, these same lyrics about beaches and love contrast with tracks about Americanization and greed – a feat, keeping in mind Rammstein’s popularity in the States. Lindemann makes the list for two reasons: continuing to steamline success for foreign language music in the USA – and simply for emitting tons of pure testosterone.

3. Klayton (Celldweller)

From Detroit, Michigan we get Celldweller who is yet another one man band. While his music is not strictly industrial metal, he is a unique beast in that during transitions from one genre to the next he has set the stage for the likes of Massive Attack and Nine Inch Nails by constantly popping up in film, television, and even video games. Celldweller eventually released his “made for tv” material on Soundtrack for the Voices in My Head: Volume 1 which is unique in that he is both the epitome of self-promotion and not ashamed to sell records based on his notoriety in other media. Another noteworthy aspect of Celldweller resides in his live shows. In lieu of straight forward performance, they become something of a live-action remix session done before an audience. The expansion of Celldweller as a trademark name and the jam band element incorporated into live shows earns Klayton a top spot.

2. Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (Throbbing Gristle)

We now arrive at the one individual on this list who is most certainly a forefather of industrial music. In the 60s and 70s, this genre was still a moderate underground phenomenon spearheaded by a handful of artists. Enter Genesis Breyer P-Orridge of Throbbing Gristle. Not only did P-Orridge represent Throbbing Gristle alongside bandmate Chris Carter, he also is credited on over 200 releases by the band Psychic TV. Despite claims of one man bands, P-Orridge is not so much that as he is a multitasker. P-Orridge was at one point also allowed access to the personal reel-to-reel recordings of William S. Burroughs, a prominent inspirational figure of early industrial. Characteristically, P-Orridge’s days with Throbbing Gristle dispensed tons of live material and controversial lyrics of prostitution, pornography, serial killers, and occultism. Though “all grown up” with a wife and kid nowadays, this man is one of the great original revolutionaries of his genre.

1. Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)

The quintessential business man who founded the late label Nothing Records, he almost single-handedly made industrial metal a booming trend of mainstream rock. A catalog dating back to 1989′s Pretty Hate Machine says Reznor has done everything with his respective genre from pop techno to distorted guitar. Reznor’s fan service is well-known with constant updates on his endeavors, DVD-quality live footage leaks for amateur edits, and even dolling out free fully-completed albums (2008′s The Slip) while offering some tracks up for fan remixes. Reznor has made numerous soundtrack contributions including Lost Highway and Natural Born Killers, and the song “Hurt” from his magnum opus, 1994′s The Downward Spiral, was covered by the late Johnny Cash cementing his place in rock culture. This ultimate multifaceted personality of industrial metal undoubtedly makes our list for too many reasons to name.

Honorable mentions include…

The Prodigy, The Kovenant, Oomph!, Death SS, Mushroomhead, Pitchshifter, Static-X, The Union Underground, DAATH, Fear Factory, Killing Joke, Genitorturers, Mindless Self Indulgence, Psyche…frankly, this list could go on forever.

We would also like to thank the alumni of TVT, Nothing, and Wax Trax! Records for providing such a great outlet for some of our favorite industrial artists – R.I.P.

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There are certain things one expects at a rock show, including dedicated fans from every background in full gear, as if suited for war. From the wet grass to the muddy hillsides, young rockers and veteran metal-heads, boiling in the humidity of a typical August afternoon, banded together and waited. Most were dressed in black mascara, chains, and red Tripp denim, though what differentiated one from another were their favorite band t-shirts. Bad Brains…Smashing Pumpkins…ICP, and then some….whilst dirt merchants of every sort sold overpriced novelties and drinks by the truckload. All part of the experience, though not by any means the primary one.

We came to rock, and that’s exactly what we did.

All That Remains
4:35-5:05 p.m.

Hailing from Springfield, MA, All That Remains has continued to seamlessly thrive through a constantly changing line up, reflected well in a four album discography. The band’s former drummer, Shannon Lucas, left to join Mayhem tour mate The Black Dahlia Murder in 2007, while the band’s current drummer, Jason Costa, is on hiatus due to a broken hand — Nile’s Tony Laureano filled in back around June. If that weren’t enough, bassist Matt Deis (currently of CKY) was replaced by The Acacia Strain’s Jeanne Sagan around the time of 2006′s The Fall Of Ideals. Despite all of this, All That Remains treks on, supporting their latest release, Overcome.

They might be inconsistent with their line ups, but their set is anything but that, as the band made great use of their Jagermeister Stage slot. The melodic hardcore northerners brought forth a slew of crowd surfers over the barricade, never missing a beat as the band began performing its current single, “Two Weeks”. Laureano shined spectacularly on double bass by this point, showing off the Nile chops on a slower scale. Ex-Shadows Fall vocalist Phillip Labonte utilized his typical stage bravado — especially during “Air That I Breathe” and “Undone” — and continued playing to the crowd a la Fred Durst, never letting up with each song, as Sagan presented every complementary low-key thud cool and calmly in pure Paz Lenchantin fashion. There is something to be said about a band that changes members like Manson changes costumes, but no one that day seemed to care. They were having too much fun within the half hour to bother.

The Black Dahlia Murder
5:05-5:35 p.m

With an even longer list of former members than All That Remains, and a catalytic charisma for the death and thrash metal scenes, The Black Dahlia Murder added a taste of Swedish speed and American ground pounding to Mayhem this year. There were hardly any breathers between songs, and everyone at stage side was completely engulfed in energy, regardless of who they originally came to see. Doses of every album made a presence here, with the haunting “What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse” from Nocturnal and the freshly constructed “Necropolis” to ever-popular show closing “Funeral Thirst” from Unhallowed.

However, the issues with this band’s performance lay in imprinting, as this set did not feel so memorable compared to similar acts on the tour. The Hot Topic stage, where the band was assigned, bears the title of “extreme metal” stage, and frankly, The Black Dahlia Murder did not stand out next to the more abrasive punishing like Job For A Cowboy or Behemoth. This is unfortunate, as the band has a significant following, and is probably better known in its respective circles than the aforementioned groups. While this band’s set list was hyped, diverse, and could have made for an excellent prelude to Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder felt ego-stamped and reactive like its presence was obligatory at best.

Trivium
5:35-6:05 p.m.

Here’s a heavy metal band that never seems to stop. After touring with label mates Slipknot and Coheed & Cambria during this year’s All Hope Is Gone tour, Trivium now travels with Mayhem to continue supporting its newest release, 2008′s Shogun. During its live sets, fans of all sorts did not feel at all disappointed as the group blasted forth with a five-song set that included crowd favorites “Rain”, “When All Light Dies”, “Throes Of Perdition”, “Down From The Sky” and “Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr”. The dedication and fan service one gets during a Trivium show was prevalent during both tours this year, though Mayhem’s lack of a larger stage provided less room for theatrics and flair.

This did not stop our staple Florida metal act from delivering a knock-out performance, with vocalist Matt Heafy asking the crowd to “fucking explode” during the onset of “Throes Of Perdition”.  Guitarist Corey Beaulieu thrives on audience feedback as readily as an acoustic wall, nailing every riff like a champ as he remained cohesive with band mates through to the end of “Pull Harder…”.  All things considered, Trivium was yet again thrilling live, and we hope to catch a headline tour soon.

Killswitch Engage
7:25-8:05 p.m.

As of late, Killswitch Engage (or KsE) has been riding the on coattails of their Dio cover “Holy Diver”, but this metalcore band does have its share of unbridled passion and humor. Playing before Slayer is not an easy task, but these boys did it without a single shred of hesitation, actually bringing the entire main stage audience to its feet in no time with little effort. Kicking their set off with a literal explosion, KsE came on stage wearing tuxedo shirts and self-aware machismo before cracking open “Rose Of Sharyn” and “Starting Over”.

The most notable trait of KsE during the Mayhem show was vocalist Howard Jones and guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz’s intermittent shout-outs. There was hardly a moment between songs where either member did not antagonize or motivate the audience, specifically Dutkiewicz’s claim of “sniffing every 18-year-old chick’s panties” by the end of the night or demands for a “wall of death” from fans and gazers. Sadly, the crowd was hungry for Slayer by then, and energy for moshing was stored up for the next set. Our Massachusetts metallurgists hammered out a stellar set list — despite a “Holy Diver” finale — throwing in personal favorites “My Last Serenade” and “Fixation On The Darkness”. Killswitch Engage couldn’t compete with the many Slayer fans present, but they certainly warmed the people up at the start, keeping up a steady one-two-punch for the duration of its time slot.

Slayer
8:30-9:30 p.m.

This American thrash metal powerhouse is from a school of rock shared by bands like Anthrax and Metallica, and has stuck around just as long to bring new generations into the fold.  Mayhem Festival 2009 gave Slayer one hour to melt our minds, and the performance did not disappoint by any means. Between unleashing the newest single “Psychopathy Red” and doling out classics like “Angel Of Death” and “War Ensemble”, Slayer knew exactly what the crowd wanted at every turn, delivering blow after blow of heart-pounding drums and monstrous guitars.

Virtuosos Kerry King (guitar) and Dave Lombardo (drums) were in peak form during the set, the former brutally dealing out face-melters galore as the latter displayed true expertise, sans two toms traded in for extra cymbals. King collaborated phenomenally with Hanneman on “Mandatory Suicide”, alternating solos that could make anyone simply say, “How the hell did he do that?  What just happened?”. Trading up signature guitars between songs, Hanneman was a star on strings with every chord, while Araya thudded and screamed alongside Lombardo for enough bass to quake the foundations.

Obviously Slayer has been around long enough to accumulate a slew of dedicated listeners (there is no such thing as a “casual Slayer fan”). There was moshing, there was thrashing about, there was sweat and profanity galore, and all for the sake of entertainment, because we were excited to be there watching history before our eyes. With too many significant moments to list, and too many pains in my neck to account for the headbanging, Slayer takes the cake for best performance of the evening overall.

Marilyn Manson
9:55-10:55 p.m.

As a single band entity and as a front man, Marilyn Manson has been through numerous incarnations in terms of theme and sound. From humble horror beginnings to modern goth pop-metal, the controversial icon has influenced fans in their musical taste for over 15 years — so what the hell happened besides heartbreak, “et cetera”?  Earlier that afternoon, Manson fans were everywhere, all adorned in accoutrement befitting the luckiest of brooding and madness in adolescence. During his set? A veritable mass disappearance (or trampling, given Manson’s opener).

I want to be the guy that tells you all was well, but none can deny the sub-par quality of this full performance. “We’re From America” was plagued with intermittent sound loss and a rather spastic lead vocalist; Twiggy had returned as the band’s guitarist, and against fair playing, he seemed alive enough to register as a cadaver docketed for organ surgery. All of the die-hard fans were in the pit, save maybe 10; the audience elsewhere glistened corpse-like, whereas Manson himself never stopped moving, playing to anyone who would have him. You want to feel bad for this otherwise amazing individual, who continually altered wardrobes and practically wheezed toward his finale…and that is fucking depressing.

I blame Manson’s lackluster musicians, in tandem with some annoying stagehand who kept cleaning the set like an OCD Tanner child. Staple popular inclusions like “The Beautiful People” and “The Dope Show” had some crowd members singing along; “Irresponsible Hate Anthem” did rouse the middle fingers in us all; during “Four Rusted Horses” and “Sweet Dreams”, it seemed half the set was strictly Manson’s various outfits and antics, which barely held it all together. Sorry to say, but to support crew and allegedly fatigued spectators, letting your front man do all the work is not a show, it’s an unreachable pedestal.

Photography by Sabrina Roman.

The Damned:

What: Tour dates for Cleveland, OH

When: October 21st

Tixs: $20

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EDT

The Decemberists:

What: Tour dates for Asheville, NC & Columbia, MO

When: September 25th & October 7th

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 12:00 PM CDT

Manic Street Preachers:

What: Tour dates for Denver, CO & Detroit, MI

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EDT

Marilyn Manson:

What: Tour date For Milwaukee, WI

When: September 15th

Tixs: $39.50 – $44.50

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM CDT

The Mars Volta:

What: Tour date for San Antonio, TX

When: September 19th

Tixs: $27.50 – $35.00

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM CDT

Metric with special guests The Stills:

What: Tour date for Toronto, ON

When: October 21st

Tixs: CA $29.50 – CA $34.50

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 12:00 PM EDT

Monsters Of Folk:

What: Tour Dates for North American tour

When: October – November

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 12:00 PM EDT

What: Tour Dates for North American tour

When: September

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM PDT

Peter Bjorn & John with El Potro Del Mar:

What: Tour Date for Philadelphia, PA

When: November 8th

Tixs: Price unavailable

Buy: Livenation.com at 12:00 PM PDT

Pitbull:

What: Tour date for Charlotte, NC

When: October 22nd

Tixs: Price unavailable

Buy: Livenation.com at 10:00 AM EDT

Silversun Pickups:

What: Tour date for Grand Rapids, MI

When: September 15th

Tixs: $25

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EDT

The Walkmen:

What: Tour dates for Atlanta, GA and Nashville, TN

When: September 25th and 27th

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EDT

Wilco:

What: Tour Dates for North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM CDT

Ever since Warner’s alter ego became the personification of what some might call a “mall goth celebrity,” things have gone awry. Between the departure of Twiggy Ramirez, the short-lived hiatus, and the overtly emo Eat Me, Drink Me, not to mention the currently incomplete film, Phantasmagoria, there was little reason to think Manson’s musical outfit would produce quality material. Then came the announcement of Ramirez’s return and the resulting seventh studio album, The High End of Low.

Before we go any further it should be noted that this album’s co-producer Sean Beavan mixed previous releases Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals and Eat Me, Drink Me. This is important because this person could essentially be the scapegoat for the aformentioned drama; after all, he was behind the wheel most of the time. Passe elements of these releases include the use of club music and synth (Mechanical Animals) and trying to recreate the raw edge of Antichrist without any weight by the band to support it. In other words, big mistake.

In short, there has been a lot of “return to form” hype, but, of course, it’s just that: hype. With The High End of Low, it feels like Warner is tagging bits of his back catalog onto other genres, only leaving out the punch.  The truth is, nobody’s scared of him anymore, and as admirable as it might be, there’s no going back to “Angel With The Scabbed Wings” or even “The Beautiful People”. He’s bringing back that persona, but nobody’s attending the horror show for scares anymore.

Is that to say The High End of Low is a bad album? Not necessarily. There are numerous influences present on this release that save it from total annihilation. Looking beyond the redundancies and obvious recycling of cliche themes, Warner has brought in flavors from David Bowie and even The Devil’s Rejects-era Rob Zombie. Songs like “Four Rusted Horses” and “I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies” feature slight blues infusions and (yes, we will say it) more appropriate Antichrist injections. While the highly overrated first single “Arma-goddamn-mother-fuckin-geddon” does not at all live up to expectations, the free download offer “We’re From America” and “WOW” suffice.

On another positive note, Bowie’s inspiration comes out in tracks like “Running To The Edge Of The World” and “Into The Fire”, the latter of which could draw parallels to “Life On Mars?” without even trying. Needless to say, the so-called “Hurricane Katrina” that Warner claimed to bring to the table feels more like the cliche tsunami from Deep Impact than a real destructive force of nature. While one could argue different definitions of “heavy” all day, when we first hear the term come from Warner himself we initially think, Damn, are we talking Portrait Of An American Family!?  We all know what Warner generally means when he says “heavy”, and this is not what most listeners probably expected – an album filled with moderate techno and classic rock acoustic accompaniment.

It goes without saying that Marilyn Manson had a definite impact on modern music and the way we perceive mainstream media, at least in regards to controversial artists. But in today’s day and age, it might be time for Manson (or Warner himself) to retire. The different tastes here mesh pretty well on record, but this is not quite what the band or the man made it out to be. Return to form?  Not even close, save for the band’s actual image. Worth a listen? Only if you want what amounts to every old hat trick that’s been carrying dust in Warner’s arsenal. In retrospect, this is neither a spectacular release nor a downright loser – it’s just average, predictable Manson, resting quietly in the middle ground between greatness and pure crap.

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Buy:
The High End of Low

The video, directed by Delaney Bishop, is beautifully shot; the camera perspective is tight on Manson, which portends to indicate that the God of Fuck means business. The intensity of the imagery is similar to what we’ve seen in past videos. The most similar would be “The Beautiful People”. The color scheme is similar to Nazi imagery, including a red and black color scheme throughout the video in the way Nazis used to embolden their message.

As a known collector of Nazi memorabilia (if one could call it that), it isn’t a stretch to see Manson’s fascination with Hitler’s commanding speeches, and it isn’t a stretch that Manson also sees himself as a pseudo preacher, igniting his audience aflame with his brutally honest perceptions of the world. The problem is that the world can no longer be shocked by his means of expression, which gives the video a somewhat antiquated feeling as if he’s somewhat disconnected with his own personal image.

The most noticeable difference, and probably the most inane, is the lack of makeup we’re used to seeing on Mr. Manson’s face. The illusion is the singer’s stark nudity in the absence of a masquerade, perhaps a signal of a balls-out, honest album since he can no longer shock the world with middle fingers and razor-blade slices across his arms and chest.

To elaborate on the band’s latest track, the song is traditional Manson: glam chorus, shock imagery, and “fuck you” lyrics. Twiggy Ramirez has returned, giving the band its old school bass-slamming sound that has been missing since 2002 and guitarist, Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit notoriety, gifts Marilyn Manson a unique metal thrashing that gave his previous band legitimacy. It seems Marilyn Manson would take these two significant additions to a much higher musical plane, but as far as can be heard, it doesn’t. It’s Antichrist Superstar for the 21st Century.

At first glance of the cover, one is reminded of Mechanical Animals stirred in with a hit of acid. Manson himself seems to be channeling David Bowie ever so slightly in his portrait, and while some say he looks more like “some evil 15 year old emo girl on MySpace” I find this cover endearing compared to his previous outing. Then again, cover art alone is not what is causing all the Manson related hoopla past week.

Apparently, the second track is titled “Pretty As A Swastika”, which almost guarantees a PA sticker slapped to the front (and I can bet we will not be buying this album at Wal-Mart). For those familiar with this band’s past shock antics, mentioning a Swastika is rather tame compared to say being fully nude on the cover with breasts showing on the male body. Probably also compared to the obvious German references in Golden Age, but leave it to parents and the RIAA or FCC to over-react (Thanks a billion, Tipper).

Settling at the “much ado about nothing” position, we now present you with the new cover art and tracklisting for The High End of Low. Don’t forget to catch Manson on board with Slayer and Cannibal Corpse for Mayhem Festival 2009 this summer.

The High End of Low Tracklist:
01. Devour
02. Pretty As A Swastika
03. Leave A Scar
04. Four Rusted Horses
05. Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon
06. Blank And White
07. Running To The Edge Of The World
08. I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies
09. WOW
10. Wight Spider
11. Unkillable Monster
12. We’re From America
13. I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell
14. Into The Fire
15. 15

]]> The High End of Low. Without even blinking an eye (or painting an eyelid over), the newest single from Manson entitled "Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon" has greeted the Internet (just Google it) and the complete track list and album cover has been unveiled. At first glance of the cover, one is reminded of Mechanical Animals stirred in with a hit of acid. Manson himself seems to be channeling David Bowie ever so slightly in his portrait, and while some say he looks more like "some evil 15 year old emo girl on MySpace" I find this cover endearing compared to his previous outing. Then again, cover art alone is not what is causing all the Manson related hoopla past week. Apparently, the second track is titled "Pretty As A Swastika", which almost guarantees a PA sticker slapped to the front (and I can bet we will not be buying this album at Wal-Mart). For those familiar with this band's past shock antics, mentioning a Swastika is rather tame compared to say being fully nude on the cover with breasts showing on the male body. Probably also compared to the obvious German references in Golden Age, but leave it to parents and the RIAA or FCC to over-react (Thanks a billion, Tipper). Settling at the "much ado about nothing" position, we now present you with the new cover art and tracklisting for The High End of Low. Don't forget to catch Manson on board with Slayer and Cannibal Corpse for Mayhem Festival 2009 this summer. The High End of Low Tracklist: 01. Devour 02. Pretty As A Swastika 03. Leave A Scar 04. Four Rusted Horses 05. Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon 06. Blank And White 07. Running To The Edge Of The World 08. I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies 09. WOW 10. Wight Spider 11. Unkillable Monster 12. We're From America 13. I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell 14. Into The Fire 15. 15 ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/04/manson-approaches-the-high-end-of-low-with-much-enthusiasm/feed/ 0 http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/04/check-out-marilyn-manson-were-from-america/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/04/check-out-marilyn-manson-were-from-america/#comments Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:20:19 +0000 David Buchanan http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=13594 Marilyn Manson has not done a politically charged song since Holy Wood, so when both band and front man exclaim a return to anger post-Election ’08 we begin to wonder about timing. We also begin to question the validity of this statement in lieu of the emo riddled Eat Me, Drink Me and the mall goth dance number The Golden Age Of Grotesque.

Now, before a slew of anxious teenagers and twenty-something fans of Antichrist Superstar we arrive at 2009 with both an upcoming album and a headlining spot on this year’s Mayhem Festival. As a bonus, the cult of Manson (now equipped with Twiggy) sends us via free download the first of new studio material titled “We’re From America”. The beginning taunts with an almost “Fight Song” reminiscent intro, epic and pulsating, followed shortly by simple yet direct lyrics:

“We’re from America, we’re from America…where we eat our young.  We’re from America, we’re from America…where Jesus was born.”

All in all, the song itself seems to be meshing Manson’s electronic and repetitive nature of Mechanical Animals with the outright rebellion and anger present on Antichrist and about half of Holywood. The good news is it feels more like Manson and less like “Love Is Just A Car Crash Away”; the bad news is that most fans will probably still feel unsatisfied until the release of the much anticipated “Arma…geddon”. Think of “We’re From America” as something of an omen for things to come, while pondering the big question of whether or not the next album by Marilyn Manson will indeed live up to the hype.

Marilyn Manson’s The High End of Low is scheduled for release May 26, 2009 and be sure to check out both this song and this band at Mayhem Festival during the summer alongside Slayer, Cannibal Corpse and more.

Check Out:
We’re From America

Well, it now appears Mr. Manson’s upcoming appearance will in fact be in support of something – a brand new studio album. Entitled The High End of Low, the 15-track effort will be a coming of home of sorts; not only does Manson describe his seventh full-length endeavor as “very final…It’s a phoenix from the fire and a redemption resurrection,” but it will also mark the return of bassist Twiggy Ramirez, who last collaborated with Manson 2000′s Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death).

In addition to the The High End of Low‘s conveyed finality, it also said to be quite autobiographical. Per Manson (via Blabbermouth):

“It was a story that took place and I didn’t really know what it was going to be ’till it happened. I had to find out how it was going to end in order to end the record. This album left many scars, and I think they are good ones…

The album, which will be released on May 26th via Interscope, will be proceeded by its first single, “Arma… geddon”, on April 13th. However, fans will be able to get an early taste in the form of another track; on March 27th, “We’re From America” will be made available as a free download on MarilynManson.com.

As mentioned, Manson will take part in the Mayhem Festival this summer. He’ll also be heading to Europe for a headline festival run in June. In addition to Ramirez, the touring lineup will consist of keyboardist Chris Vrenna and drummer Ginger Fish.

Marilyn Manson 2009 Tour Dates:
06/05 – Nurburgring, DE @ Rock am Ring
06/06 – Nurnberg, DE @ Rock im Park
06/11 – Dresden, DE @ Jungle Garde
06/13 – Castle Donnington, UK @ Download Festival
06/17 – Porto, PT @ Coliseum
06/19 – Bilboa, ES @ Kobetasonik Festival
06/20 – Clisson, FR @ Hellfest
06/22 – Vienne, FR @ Antic Arena
06/27 – Gothenburg, SE @ Meltdown Festival
06/28 – Dessel, BE @ Graspop Metal Meeting
07/01 – Kristiansand, NO @ The Quart Festival
07/04 – Sopron, HU @ Volt Festival
07/10 – Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre *
07/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre *
07/12 – San Bernardino, CA @ Glen Helen Pavilion *
07/14 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre *
07/17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion *
07/18 – Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion *
07/19 – Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre at Fiddler’s Green *
07/21 – Kansas City, MO @ Sandstone Amphitheater *
07/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater *
07/24 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre *
07/25 – Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center *
07/26 – Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre *
07/28 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheater *
07/29 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion *
07/31 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center *
08/01 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion *
08/02 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre *
08/04 – Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for Performing Arts *
08/06 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater *
08/07 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center *
08/08 – Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center *
08/09 – Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion *
08/11 – Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre *
08/12 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheater *
08/14 – Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center *
08/15 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
08/16 – San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater *

* = Mayhem Festival

According to Revolver Magazine, Marilyn Manson and Slayer have been tapped to head the sophomore edition of the Mayhem Festival, which is scheduled to kick off on July 10th in Sacramento, California. Other acts currently confirmed to hit the road under the bill include Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium, Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder, Job For A Cowboy, Cannibal Corpse, God Forbid, All That Remains, and Behemoth.

Currently, the festival’s itinerary includes 27 stops that will keep the music pumping until mid-August. Ticket information is still forthcoming. As always, you can get the full lineup, as well as any upcoming additions, via our Mayhem Festival Outlook page.

Mayhem Festival 2009 Tour Dates:
07/10 – Sacramento, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
07/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
07/12 – San Bernardino, CA @ Glen Helen Pavilion
07/14 – Seattle, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
07/17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
07/18 – Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
07/19 – Denver, CO @ Coors Amphitheatre at Fiddler’s Green
07/21 – Kansas City, MO @ Sandstone Amphitheater
07/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
07/24 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
07/25 – Indianapolis, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
07/26 – Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/28 – Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheater
07/29 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion
07/31 – Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
08/01 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Post-Gazette Pavilion
08/02 – Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/04 – Boston, MA @ Tweeter Center for Performing Arts
08/06 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
08/07 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
08/08 – Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
08/09 – Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
08/11 – Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre
08/12 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheater
08/14 – Dallas, TX @ Superpages.com Center
08/15 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
08/16 – San Antonio, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Somewhere between Whitewater and Deep Blue, Electronic Freedom and welfare reform, the formation of Apocalyptica and the demise of Jawbreaker and Sublime (Bradley Nowell, R.I.P), there was music in 1996.  Clinton and Gore gained another term and we had begun to toy with an awkward mid-decade crisis before the world first learned of a Backstreet fan girl, before boy band phenomena swept the nation sans NKOTB, and before we could sic Eminem on them all. We had crossed through the glory of [The Offspring's] Smash and the ad nausea mourning of Kurt Cobain in ’94. We suckled upon The Bends and Collective Soul until the dying breath of ’95.

So what was it in 1996?  Shania Twain killed country music, and I was still in middle school during the latter half of the “angry white boy” era. This countdown embraces the early adolescence in me, and one hopes it can center you with the same crash and clatter I received. To anachronistically semi-quote the aforementioned Slim Shady: “Will the Class of ’96 please stand up?”

10. Tori Amos – Boys For Pele

Essentially a lengthy multi-instrumentalist piece for the pride of femininity, this was Amos’ first attempt at producing her own album. Hot off splitting with boyfriend and co-producer Eric Rosse, Boys For Pele represented the strength of being a woman and the complexities inherent to it. Imperfections are married to layered sounds with the profound acoustics found inside churches in New Orleans, LA and Ireland. Amos believed there was power and texture in the American South, but this is not easily grasped in the critically-bashed, difficult, and cryptic poetry. This was challenging airplay unit shifting and indeed marked the start of her playing producer on every consecutive release afterward, cementing a place for Tori Amos as a free- spirited woman in a man’s world.

9. Primitive Radio Gods – Rocket

While few know the band, many know the single “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand” from its heavy radio play and prevalence in the dark comedy, The Cable Guy . While few remember the lyrics to this lengthily titled track, everyone knows the music and the sample from B.B. King’s “How Blue Do You Get?”.  Everyone who is not familiar with the entirety of Rocket, it is on this list because it is by far as unappreciated as Pearl Jam’s 1996 tour-killer, No Code. It’s a phenomenal record considering the overall production started when Chris O’Connor took a ’69 Ampex and $1000 to the test, resulting in demos later converted to this ’96 sleeper.

8. Current 93 – All the Pretty Little Horses

Complemented by it’s bookend albums (Where The Long Shadows Fall and The Starres Are Marching Sadly Home), this atmospheric release by English band Current 93 contains multiple references to Patripassianism, death, pain and the “inmost light” or soul. Dense layers of loops and haunting vocals are delicately intertwined, creating a wide array of images. Think of this as a dark and dreary day in the Catholic church, accentuated with beautiful artistic value, while not being so overly pushy in its religious subtexts.  Unlike the album before or after it, the whole recording is not a single track but could almost be mistaken for one due to the seamless flow of sounds encompassing it.

7. Soundgarden – Down On The Upside

After Superunknown, Soundgarden embarked on a tour supporting it before tensions within finally began hitting new highs. The more experimental Down On The Upside was sadly the last release from a band who probably would have went sonically downhill anyway had they continued on. Leaving the music scene at their peak was a smart move, only second to recording this album prior to Soundgarden’s dissipation.  While Chris Cornell did go on to Audioslave, develop a real asshole ego and make a crappy 2008 solo CD, we can be thankful for his pre-douche offerings, “Pretty Noose” and “Blow Up The Outside World” via Soundgarden.

6. Jay Z – Reasonable Doubt

It is said that Jay-Z is a master at freestyles in the studio. It is also said that this debut release from “Tha ROC” can be hailed as a true classic of hip-hop culture. The Source ranks it among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and one could definitely see why  this record is looked so highly upon within the scope of its genre. Rap got a ride with an album packed to the brim, featuring smoothly delivered lyrics and guest appearances that include Memphis Bleak and Jay’s fellow Brooklyn bad ass Notorious B.I.G. Popularizing the Mafioso rap game alongside Biggie’s ’94 debut Ready To Die, Jay-Z cemented his future status with Reasonable Doubt.

5. Tool – Aenima

Anyone who does not include this recording in a ’96 Best Of music list is either a ridiculously stubborn hipster or just plain deaf. You do not have to be a “metal head” to appreciate the intricacies involved with Aenima (or for that matter, anything regarding Tool pre-10,000). Songs like “Hooker With A Penis” ferociously attack silly people who blindly follow trends alongside label executives who beg on their knees for a hurried single release. The title track itself is a creative and lengthy, evil laugh poking fun at Los Angeles, dictating the city’s own personalized doomsday with vivid imagery. If you need a good dose of elaborate progressive rock song structures that do not bore the bejesus out of you, go with this record.

4. Marilyn Manson – Antichrist Superstar

Yes, you heard it here on this and every other ’96 listing under the sun. Yes, we are going to include the band who in one foul (and we mean foul in every nice way possible) swoop made goths popular. Yes, we know the bandleader went repulsively “emo” on Eat Me, Drink Me.  Yes, we did a Dusting ‘Em Off piece for this particular record already, and you are probably asking why on Earth should we include it here?  That can be answered with two words and one definite article: “The Beautiful People”. Before Manson and Co. became household names, this magnum opus of theirs reigned as a must-have for every pissed off teenager whose mother would later warn them about Columbine copycatting. Face facts, Antichrist Superstar will never go away!

3. Anti-Flag – Die For The Government

Aside from a much sought after collectible demo EP, this is considered Anti-Flag’s debut album. I know someone is going to ask me why I picked this as opposed to Rage Against The Machine’s Evil Empire. Well, it seems to me that Rage gets a lot of credit as political rock but everyone keeps forgetting political punk.  Nothing says patriotism like Die For The Government, does it?  Sadly, bassist Andy Flag left after the release of this album, so perhaps the sound changed a teeny bit. In the end though, we all remember that “you’re gonna die, gonna die, gonna die for your government…die for your country” and that is shit! A strikingly simple opening to a phenomenal punk recording by a band that could trump the Sex Pistols any day (Yeah, I said it).

2. Sublime – Sublime

There were many deaths in the ’90s that hit music hard, but not unlike Cobain’s melodrama, Sublime is one of at least five groups who were destroyed before their 15 minutes barely clicked into start. Reggae/dub trio front man Bradley Nowell died of a heroin overdose before the ultimately successful Sublime hit stores. This eponymous record was their major label debut, breaking Sublime into public view. Furthermore, this album helped push the third-wave ska movement into national stardom, helping bands like Slightly Stoopid survive. I put this here as a testament to Nowell, Hoon, Williams, Wood and Strait: “Love is what I got.”

1. Weezer – Pinkerton

Some might claim that putting this at #1 is a silly fan boy attempt to gush wildly about Weezer. I want to note that this list is (yet again) not in any particular order. Secondly, Weezer took a ballsy step recording this album when they did. The artistic integrity overall shines more than the singles alone, yet it did not live up to their previous release, Weezer (The Blue Album), in terms of sales or charts. The concept being loosely based on Madam Butterfly, any cryptic allusions were partially lost on an unassuming public save for Weezer’s then-budding fan base. However, Pinkerton shed even more light on a group who would soon show a generation of geeks that even they can make a rocking themed album. Pinkerton is not the best of its kind, but it certainly belongs somewhere on the 1996 lists.

Finally, the honorable mentions…

The Olivia Tremor Control – Music from the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle
Tupac Shakur – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
Stone Temple Pilots – Tiny Music…Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop
Modest Mouse – This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About
Opeth – Morningrise
AFI – Very Proud Of Ya
Slipknot – Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.

-Michael Roffman, Editor in Chief

The year was 1996 – grunge spawned post-grunge, the terms ‘nu-metal’ and ‘rap-rock’ were everywhere, and a pissed-off kid named Eminem was releasing Infinite, which eventually slammed him onto Dr. Dre’s radar. Above all things, Marilyn Manson — much like Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne before him — became synonymous with controversy and shock rock. It would be three years before the Columbine Massacre, but Brian Warner’s face was plastered everywhere when the album Antichrist Superstar hit the shelves. “The Beautiful People” became an anthem for everyone who felt underestimated or overshadowed by narcissistic cliques and hypocrites the world over.

It’s no secret that Warner (a.k.a. Manson) is intelligent, or that he enjoys pushing buttons. Every album up until Eat Me, Drink Me has tackled issues on multiple levels: Mechanical Animals spoke of drugs and vices; Portrait Of An American Family was exactly as it claimed (albeit morbidly so); Antichrist and its follow-up, Holywood, addressed religion and politics. Why Antichrist Superstar? Why revisit it now?

In the music industry, artists of every sort have their niches. Marilyn Manson — comprised at this point by himself, Ginger Fish, Twiggy Ramirez, Daisy Berkowitz, and Madonna Wayne Gacy — was, first and foremost, an alternative rock band. They had set out to shock, amaze, disgust, and make you question everything about society or humanity in general.  This band remains alone in juxtaposing serial killers with celebrities, which speaks volumes about the message its leading man chose to illustrate during the release of this record.

As you open the package, Kabbalah symbols are meshed with medical terminology to describe the metamorphosis of worm (man) to angel (God). The songs are set into three categories, and the entirety of Antichrist is cyclical in nature  — beginning and ending with this phrase: “When you are suffering, know that I have betrayed you.”

Antichrist Superstar is a bit vague on a solid concept until you read between the lines; however, Marilyn Manson the individual has clearly cut agendas, seen in various interviews.  One such interview pitted Warner against Bill O’Reilly, where Bill questions the motivations behind profane language and graphic lyrical content.  The whole time you hear a civilized conversation, which seems the polar opposite of what you find on ANY Manson recording, proving that it truly is meant to shock.  It’s not a play-by-play interpretation of true-life behavior. It’s metaphorical.

Songs like “The Reflecting God” and “Antichrist Superstar” show you mankind as it believes itself to be — godlike. “Mister Superstar” and “Angel With The Scabbed Wings” show us why idolizing human beings and celebrities has become more of a perverse act than anything we’d ever hear on a record.

With a message this blunt, there was controversy as per intention. Christians protested the release, just as GLADD protested The Marshall Mathers LP (no wonder MM and Eminem get along so well), and Manson simply retorted a few years down the road during an interview with Michael Moore in the film Bowling For Columbine. Everyone seemed against letting kids listen to Manson because they feared it would provoke violent action, but this shows where the head really is:

“Michael Moore: If you were to talk directly to the kids at Columbine or the people in that community, what would you say to them if they were here right now?

Marilyn Manson: I wouldn’t say a single word to them, I would listen to what they have to say and that’s what no one did.”

Every generation has what’s designated a “counter-culture”. Theodore Roszak coined this neologism, and it’s defined as such: “…the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day; the cultural equivalent of political opposition.”

If our mainstream society is based on news running footage of AIDS epidemics and wartime attacks in tandem with car and toothpaste commercials, then Marilyn Manson was the counter-culture that asked you to question your belief structures, not to mention your media. Antichrist Superstar is the epicenter of what they stood for in the ’90s, and lives on — despite that era’s checkered landmarks — as a rock classic.

It is precisely what they have always said: there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Where to Pick it Up:

Amazon.com: Used – from $1.65