Marilyn Manson - The High End Of Low

[Voodoo]

Their site has been updated (http://www.marilynmanson.com/).

First single off of the album.
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I've also heard We're From America (http://www.myspace.com/marilynmanson), which is quite good. Release date is May 26th.

[Sandman]

Already bought my ticket for Mayhem Festival. Slayer + Manson + about 11 others...kick ass.

[Ten19]

Every time Manson comes out of the shadows with a new album, just for a brief second I hope that he's finally realized just how shitty his work has become over the years, and turns it around.

He kind of got back on the right track with Eat Me, Drink Me, but this latest stuff just shows that he's a lost cause, and will probably never again be able to channel the fantastic writing abilities he displayed on his first three records. This new shit is pure amateur hour. Hell, his website used to look like he had some hand in it, now it just looks like Interscope set it up for him. Compared to the inroads Trent Reznor is making in terms of music distribution and communicating with fans, Manson looks like he's stuck in 2001.

[Karak]

Hahahah
Were from America is the greatest "America Fuck Ya" song I have heard in some time. My coworkers can't figure out why I am giggling so much. I so wish they would make a new World Police and have that song.
"Were Americans we speak american hahahahaha"

[Gorvi]

Manson was cool when I was in high school, now he just seems like a guy looking for attention. Maybe he was always that way.

[Voodoo]

Every time Manson comes out of the shadows with a new album, just for a brief second I hope that he's finally realized just how shitty his work has become over the years, and turns it around.

He kind of got back on the right track with Eat Me, Drink Me, but this latest stuff just shows that he's a lost cause, and will probably never again be able to channel the fantastic writing abilities he displayed on his first three records. This new shit is pure amateur hour. Hell, his website used to look like he had some hand in it, now it just looks like Interscope set it up for him. Compared to the inroads Trent Reznor is making in terms of music distribution and communicating with fans, Manson looks like he's stuck in 2001.

Not sure I agree with you in regards to the band musically. I've heard 6 of the 15 songs and I consider them to be well written. We're From America is the weakest song of the 6 with The Wow being the strongest. You can definitely hear Twiggy's influence again in the music.

Marketing-wise, I haven't seen this much of a push on a Manson album ever. Even the heavy product tie to Hot Topic, while not a surprise, I didn't expect. Whomever is marketing the band this go-round is doing a very interesting thing.

[CES]

Not to bring hate to the man but that sounds awfully like his past songs. Doesn't this forum call bands out for that?

[Sandman]

Not to bring hate to the man but that sounds awfully like his past songs. Doesn't this forum call bands out for that?

Not when you bring a title with as much awesome as "Arma god damn mother fucking geddon" with it.

[Ten19]

Not when you bring a title with as much awesome as "Arma god damn mother fucking geddon" with it.
That's exactly my point. He used to write intelligent music, now he's just shrieking whatever comes into his head fifteen times as a chorus.

I think Bill Hicks had it right when it comes to musicians and drugs.

[Sandman]

That's exactly my point. He used to write intelligent music, now he's just shrieking whatever comes into his head fifteen times as a chorus.

I think Bill Hicks had it right when it comes to musicians and drugs.

I wouldn't go as far as calling Manson's early music intelligent but it was kick ass all the way through Holy Wood. I've never seen Manson live before and those first albums are what I'm looking forward to hearing most. I actually kind of hated Eat Me, Drink Me. Golden Age was ok and had some good songs but it was the start of his decline. He will never ever top Antichrist Superstar though. That was the just the shit and can't be duplicated.

[Ten19]

I wouldn't go as far as calling Manson's early music intelligent but it was kick ass all the way through Holy Wood. I've never seen Manson live before and those first albums are what I'm looking forward to hearing most. I actually kind of hated Eat Me, Drink Me. Golden Age was ok and had some good songs but it was the start of his decline. He will never ever top Antichrist Superstar though. That was the just the shit and can't be duplicated.

For me, at least, Portrait of An American Family, Antichrist Superstar and (especially) Mechanical Animals are effing fantastic, and continue to be to this day. The lyrics were well written and invoke vivid imagery (no matter what your religious/political affiliation) and the songs truly kicked ass while sounding like nothing else. After that, I think he started running out of things to say and interesting ways to say them, and the music suffered as well. So instead of analyzing where he went wrong, he just keeps sliding down the hill. I chalk it up to a few factors, namely the lack of heavy drug use, all of the publicity, and his personal life.

[torrefaction]

That's exactly my point. He used to write intelligent music, now he's just shrieking whatever comes into his head fifteen times as a chorus.

I think Bill Hicks had it right when it comes to musicians and drugs.

I adamantly disagree, and am almost inclined you didn't pay as close attention to the lyrics post-Mechanical.

Look at the background material for Golden Age and Holy Wood:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Age_of_Grotesque
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Wood_(In_the_Shadow_of_the_Valley_of_Death)

I actually believe Eat Me, Drink Me was by far his worst and least intelligent album. It was like a rockstar's blog about their divorce. I wish he had've done it under a different name, as I really didn't think it fit the "Marilyn Manson" project at all.

[Sandman]

Manson as much as Metallica, White Zombie, Pantera and Slayer are all responsible for getting me into metal around the mid 90's. For that reason, Antichrist Superstar will always have a special place in my music collection. I was 15 when that thing came and I still remember scratching the labels off the tape so my parents wouldn't know what it was.

[Ten19]

I adamantly disagree, and am almost inclined you didn't pay as close attention to the lyrics post-Mechanical.

Look at the background material for Golden Age and Holy Wood:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Age_of_Grotesque
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Wood_(In_the_Shadow_of_the_Valley_of_Death)

The background material was interesting yes, and I understood what he was trying to do, but it was very, very poorly executed compared to the previous efforts. That's what makes it all the more disappointing, is that I saw he was trying, but just ended up flailing about. Don't get me wrong, there was a good single here and there from the post-Mechanical albums, they just never drew me in as a whole like his previous work. I'm not just shooting from the hip here, I had (and sort of still do) a ton of respect for him as an artist, so I took great interest in what he was putting out.

I actually believe Eat Me, Drink Me was by far his worst and least intelligent album. It was like a rockstar's blog about their divorce. I wish he had've done it under a different name, as I really didn't think it fit the "Marilyn Manson" project at all.
I didn't really say that album was intelligent, and to be honest, I just liked the Heart-Shaped Glasses single. It was catchy and was fairly unique, but beyond that, yeah.

[LongStepMantis]

Manson as much as Metallica, White Zombie, Pantera and Slayer are all responsible for getting me into metal around the mid 90's. For that reason, Antichrist Superstar will always have a special place in my music collection. I was 15 when that thing came and I still remember scratching the labels off the tape so my parents wouldn't know what it was.

I still like Manson's work...but he just can't make an album to top Antichrist Superstar. I'd love it if he did, but I just see it as one of those things he's never going to top no matter how long his career lasts.

[CES]

Not when you bring a title with as much awesome as "Arma god damn mother fucking geddon" with it.

Doesn't that just typify his lyrical style? Crass for the sake of being crass. I'm not pretentious enough to hate that though and frankly, after a phase of listening to nothing but death metal, I lose all rights to be.

I'm not sure what it is about Manson, but his shock rock bit seems a little weak to me, though I suspect that's because i'm no longer in the target age demographic for it.

[Voodoo]

Antichrist Superstar is an album that is best listened through entirely in one sitting.

Having heard several tracks from the new album, I'd have to say that it reminds me of Portrait of an American Family the most. The songs sound much more 'playful' rather than raw angst or apolitical. Listening to The Wow on the way to work made me laugh a few times.

I had a dream
This one I feel the need to mention
I was happy for a while
and I stopped being scared
and ashamed to say what's on my mind
but you though I changed after a while
And said "you better treat me different or else"
"Or Else" seems like a stupid fucking thing to say to someone like me
Someone like me

Wow...
Wow...
Wow...

wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow

Don't be surprised I can look in the eye
It's hard to take you serious when you take me inside[x2]

I'm worse, than what you think you'd catch from me
"Complicated"s understated
Did you stop and take a look in who you fell in love with?
At who you fell in love with
It doesn't matter how many times I say it
It never gets old
That's what I have to say

Wow...
Wow...
Wow...

wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wowI also like the very playful synth arrangement of the song. It is the demo version of the song though so who knows what the real version will sound like. Personally, I'm most interested in 15 which Twiggy and Marilyn have said is their most favorite MM song ever. Haven't heard that one yet though.

[Voodoo]

Well I was invited and went to a listening party for the new album... hmm... I can definitely say that it doesn't mop up the floor with any previous album. It more or less stands fairly apart from the rest of the album with A LOT of previously used riffs, musical conversations and note trending. The album as a whole is probably the slowest in tempo than their previous works.

Personally, I'd say that it is a poor direction musically. It was an attempt to recapture what the band had already accomplished instead of moving themselves forward. Sure there are nice experimental tunes like WOW and Four Rusted Horses but the pop styled songs of We're From America and Arma-Goddam-Motherfuckin-Geddon are not repeatable admirations.

My favorites from the album are WOW are I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell (Alternative Version).

Oh, 15, the so claimed favorte some of Mr Manson and Twiggy... Yeah... LSD has permanent effects on the brain.

[Sandman]

Still looking forward to the release next week. Got it pre-ordered on iTunes. Also can't wait to see them on Mayhem.

[JayK47]

I wouldn't go as far as calling Manson's early music intelligent but it was kick ass all the way through Holy Wood. I've never seen Manson live before and those first albums are what I'm looking forward to hearing most. I actually kind of hated Eat Me, Drink Me. Golden Age was ok and had some good songs but it was the start of his decline. He will never ever top Antichrist Superstar though. That was the just the shit and can't be duplicated.

Agreed. I have all of his albums except Eat Me, Drink Me. It just sounded like ass. This album sounds interesting though.

[torrefaction]

My interest is fading, listening to this single again. I wish it had the swagger and intelligence of Portrait, the atmosphere and attitude or Antichrist, or the intelligence and mockery of some of his pre-eat me albums.

But I'm relistening to this, and doubting I'll give it more than a few listens.

Then again, I've always kinda disliked his singles, so I should really be reserving judgment.

Was Reznor the only one who managed to stay truly relevant?

(Other than Skinny Puppy but they're so far out of the mainstream that it hardly counts.)

Depeche Mode sounds more relevant than this.

[Sandman]

The whole thing is streaming in myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/marilynmanson

[Sandman]

WOW.....this album is.....different. Slow is definitely a good description for it. What happened to the heavy shit Manson used to do? You know you are in for something different when the first song on the album Devour You is a twisted slow love song.

[Dave]

WOW.....this album is.....different. Slow is definitely a good description for it. What happened to the heavy shit Manson used to do? You know you are in for something different when the first song on the album Devour You is a twisted slow love song.

I've only listened to the album once through; but I liked what I heard. Nothing really stuck out that I can remember (it's been a few days since I picked it up); but I brought it back to Greenland with me and I think it's going to get a lot better upon repeat listens.

[ZephidsEmbrace]

I like it. I think he lost his "umph" with Eat Me, Drink Me. Decent album, but not quite what I was expecting out of him. So far, this album seems significantly closer to what I wanted when Eat Me, Drink Me came out.

[Sandman]

I finally bought the album on iTunes and I'm enjoying what I'm hearing a bit more after sitting down and listening to it. I have a feeling this one will grow on me instead of being instantly forgettable like Eat Me, Drink Me was.

[JayK47]

Listening to some of it and it seems at least better than Eat Me, Drink Me. I'll have to consider the purchase.