The High End of Low | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 20, 2009 | |||
Recorded | March 2008 – January 2009 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 72:12 | |||
Label | Interscope | |||
Producer | ||||
Marilyn Manson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The High End of Low | ||||
|
The High End of Low is the seventh studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on May 20, 2009 by Interscope Records. Multiple editions of the record were released by the label, each containing unique bonus tracks. The album's lyrics were largely inspired by the personal troubles experienced by the band's eponymous vocalist relating to his divorce from burlesque performer Dita Von Teese, as well as his later relationship with actress Evan Rachel Wood.
Manson first began work on the album with guitarist Tim Sköld. However, Sköld left the band when the vocalist reunited with former bassist Twiggy Ramirez. The album was produced by Manson and Twiggy (who dropped the Ramirez moniker) along with former Nine Inch Nails co-producer and keyboardist Chris Vrenna, as well as Antichrist Superstar (1996) and Mechanical Animals (1998) co-producer Sean Beavan. It was the last album to feature the band's long-time drummer Ginger Fish.
The record received mixed reviews from music critics, with several publications praising it as their best album since Mechanical Animals; although others were critical of both its length and more personal lyrical themes. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and was their second consecutive number one on Billboard 's Top Hard Rock Albums. It also peaked at number six on European Albums, and within the top 20 in 18 other territories.
"We're from America" and "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" preceded the album as single releases. A music video for "Running to the Edge of the World" was also released, which was condemned as a perceived glorification of violence against women. The band, which featured former Wired All Wrong member Andy Gerold on bass, toured in support of the record. While promoting the release, Manson made a series of disparaging comments about Interscope, its artistic censorship, as well as its-then CEO Jimmy Iovine. It was the band's final album released by the label.
Marilyn Manson announced in November 2007, while on the "Rape of the World Tour" promoting previous studio album Eat Me, Drink Me (2007), that the then-current incarnation of the band would begin work on new material by the beginning of 2008. [4] This included that album's co-composer, Tim Sköld, as well as long-time drummer Ginger Fish, Chris Vrenna and Rob Holliday. [5] The first leg of the tour was a series of co-headlining shows with American thrash metal band Slayer. [6] [7] Manson indicated that Slayer guitarist Kerry King and former The Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha would be contributing to new material, [8] along with Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who remixed previous single "Putting Holes in Happiness" for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock . [4]
However, the following month, Manson encountered the band's former bassist, Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez), while staying at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. [9] He had quit the band in 2002 as a result of creative differences during the recording sessions for their fifth studio album, The Golden Age of Grotesque (2003). [10] It was announced in January 2008 that Twiggy would be rejoining Marilyn Manson as live bassist for the rest of the "Rape of the World Tour", [11] which resulted in Sköld exiting the band. [12] Manson explained: "There's too much tension there [between Twiggy and Sköld]. Those two couldn't be on stage with each other." [13] Work began with Twiggy on new material in March 2008, [14] although future collaborations with Sköld were not ruled out. [12]
Former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland joined the band as a live guitarist for their August headlining show at the 2008 ETP Fest in South Korea, [15] although Borland would quit to reunite with Limp Bizkit after just one other performance. [16] He later said he was reluctant to be a "hired gun", citing the band's refusal to record any of the nine songs he submitted for their then-upcoming album. [17] Manson clarified: "There was talk early on about collaborating with different guitar players on the record. That was before Twiggy and I got back together, because once Twiggy was back, there was nobody else, and I don't care what you have to offer—this was our record." [9] Manson and Twiggy announced at the 2008 Scream Awards in October that the album was "pretty much done", and indicated it would sound more like Antichrist Superstar than the band's recent material. [18] Manson later described the record as featuring "[lots of] guitar solos and brutal, reckless screaming", [19] and as being "very ruthless, heavy and violent". [20] The album was co-produced by Manson, Twiggy and Vrenna, along with Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals co-producer Sean Beavan. [21] [22]
Manson recorded his vocals at his Hollywood Hills home studio between November 2008 and his January 5, 2009, birthday. [23] He described the album as containing "extreme" autobiographical content relating to the dissolution of both his marriage to burlesque artist Dita Von Teese, and his later relationship with then-19-year old actress Evan Rachel Wood, [23] explaining: "Some of the things I say here, it's sad to say them—they're relationship-destroying statements. Some of it is stuff I should have said to my ex-wife. Some are things I've never said to the world." [19] Manson used his home as a canvas to document the disintegration of his relationship with Wood, writing the album's lyrics on walls and coupling them with paintings and drawings, as well as used condoms, bags of cocaine and other drug paraphernalia. [9] Much of the album's artwork was shot there. [21]
The songs on The High End of Low appear on the album in the order in which they were written. [23] The album contains material which spans across a wide variety of genres, such as industrial metal, [3] glam rock, [1] [2] garage rock, [24] blues, [2] country, [25] and synthpop. [1] Its first track, "Devour", is a mid-tempo rock song which begins with an acoustic guitar, with heavy drums and distorted, screamed vocals becoming more prominent as it progresses. [2] It was written in response to the "Shakespearean ideal of romance" presented on Eat Me, Drink Me. [9] Lana Cooper of PopMatters said the song "runs an emotional gauntlet", and could "very well be the most depressing break-up song of all time. The lonely plink of guitar strings being tuned give way to Manson's soul-wrenching eruption of "And I'll love you / If you'll let me". [But] he turns on a dime, and a few lines later is vowing revenge, spitting "I will blow your heart to pieces." [25] Metal Hammer later included it on their list of the 10 most underrated Marilyn Manson songs. [26]
This is followed by "Pretty as a Swastika", a "mosh pit-ready" heavy metal song. [2] Manson described it as one of his proudest moments lyrically. [9] According to Manson, its title was "something I said to a girl because of her complexion—with black hair, red lips and pale skin. I mean, it was a complex and poetic statement which soon led to intercourse, so I felt no reason for it to be seen as hateful or destructive." [27] At the insistence of Interscope Records, the song was re-titled on the album's back cover. [9] Manson was critical of this censorship, [28] [29] saying: "Rather than take it off the album, I decided to produce it on the sleeve with a different name, so it'll be sold in Walmart or wherever stores sell guns but are afraid to deal with lyrics. So I put "Pretty as a ($)", because all of their motivations are based on money." [27] "Leave a Scar" was written by Manson "about and for Evan on the day we broke up. Maybe some of the things I say in the song are cruel, but it is how I felt at the time." [30] [31]
"Four Rusted Horses" is a blues-inspired rock song, and was compared to the work of The Doors [2] and Johnny Cash. [25] [32] Manson described its lyric as being "almost a nursery rhyme. [...] everyone thinks that I was singing about the apocalypse, but it's more just about the four of us, my band, that managed to survive through all of this, and where do we go from here." [9] "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" is an uptempo rock song which was described by The Quietus as "classic Manson". [2] Caren Gibson of Metal Hammer claimed that the song was reminiscent of "Chain Reaction" by Diana Ross, as well as the work of Depeche Mode. [32] "Blank and White" deals with censorship, specifically the reaction to Time magazine's cover story "Is God Dead?", which saw protesters brandishing blank picket signs. The lyric "God is dead but god is still white / So shoot up the mall, the school or the president of whatever / Or whoever wants a fight" was censored by Interscope on all editions of the album. Manson has said that this made him happy artistically, as "the song is about censorship, and they censored [it]." [33]
"Running to the Edge of the World" is a David Bowie-inspired ballad, which features Manson singing in falsetto notes during its middle 8. [2] "I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies" is a primarily bass-driven rock song. [2] At over 9 minutes, it is longest song on the album. [25] Its lyrics document the disintegration of Manson's relationship with Wood, and his fantasies of "smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer." [9] It was one of the first tracks the band recorded for The High End of Low, and was originally 25 minutes long. Reluctant to release a double album, they re-recorded a shorter version following the completion of the album's final song, "15", with Manson asking the band: "How many minutes do I have left on this CD [...]? And it was 9 minutes. I said, 'Roll it, I'm going to sing it.' What appears on the record is one [unedited] performance." [23]
"WOW" is an industrial dance song, [2] and Manson has described it as a turning point for the album, explaining: "The first half of the record is kind of bitter and angry, but there's a confidence that starts to rebuild itself [at "WOW"]. I wanted to do a song that represented who I am, and why I started doing this in the first place." [23] Manson plays a one-stringed guitar on the song, [23] which also features the sound of him "snorting lines of something - whatever it might have been - as a percussion instrument." [19] In a review of the leaked demo, which was originally titled "The WoW", James Gill of Metal Hammer described it as "genuinely filthy and intensely sexy. [...] It doesn't have anything in the way of memorable hooks, but it's the sort of track that would sound amazing in a goth strip club... if one existed." [34] "Wight Spider" is one of the heaviest songs on the album, and has been compared to the work of Mastodon. [31] Metal Hammer also said of the track: "whether conscious or not, what [the band] learned from Trent Reznor is back: the track builds and builds without changing direction." [34] "Unkillable Monster" is a down-tempo rock song which alternates between a quiet-verse and loud-chorus structure, [35] and features layered, distorted vocals and guitars. [2]
"We're from America" is the most overtly political song on the album, referencing various aspects of neoconservatism in its lyrics, such as pro-war and anti-abortion rhetoric. [34] "I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell" was described by The Quietus as a "maggot-infested ride into the trough of melancholy." [2] The penultimate track, "Into the Fire", portrays the vocalists' mental state on Christmas—wherein he unsuccessfully attempted to contact Wood 158 times, and cut himself on the hands or face with a razorblade for each corresponding attempt. [9] It was the original album closer, with Manson describing it as a "glorious epic that I think will make Twiggy forever recognized as a guitar hero." [21] The album's final song, "15", was completed on Manson's January 5 birthday. [9] He called it "the most important song that's been written by Marilyn Manson as an entity. It's the most unusual song I have ever heard. I thought that the album was done, [...] but what was happening in my life had not resolved itself. So on January 5, one five, I sang '15', and the lyrics tell the story of that day." [21]
The title of the album was revealed through the 'Smoking Section' of Rolling Stone magazine on February 2, 2009, where it was also announced that a music video would be filmed for the track "I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies". [36] Throughout March, five rough mixes of songs from the album were leaked. [34] In an interview with a fansite, Chris Vrenna said of the leak: "I hate stealing of music in any form. If a band chooses to put tracks online, that's great. [...] I think true fans know that usually songs found online before the record is released are rough mixes, and will wait to hear the music the way the artist intended." [37] "We're from America" was released as a free download on the band's website from March 27, with a one-track digital single released through online retailers on April 7. [38] A CD single was released on April 14, and was exclusively sold at Hot Topic, the single CD also featured an alternate version of the song Four Rusted Horses. [39] It peaked at number three on Billboard 's Hot Singles Sales, spending six weeks on the chart. [40]
"Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" was the album's official lead single. [38] It was chosen as a single by Interscope after Manson played an instrumental version of the song to their artists and repertoire department, where an employee exclaimed: "This is gonna be a hit!". Manson is reported to have responded: "Well, I'm glad that you have no consideration for what I [might] put on top of it." [33] A heavily censored version of the profanity-laced track, re-titled to "Arma... geddon", [41] was serviced to radio in the US from April 13. [38] It peaked at number 37 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock, becoming their lowest-peaking single on that chart in the process. [42] A music video, directed by Los Angeles-based filmmaker and photographer Delaney Bishop, premiered on the website of British music magazine NME on May 14. [43] Delaney had previously directed the 2005 short film The Death of Salvador Dali , which starred Manson's ex-wife, Dita Von Teese. [44]
The High End of Low was made available for streaming on the band's Myspace profile four days before its US release. [22] The album was supported by "The High End of Low Tour". Rob Holliday did not rejoin the band, with Twiggy taking over on lead guitar and former Wired All Wrong member Andy Gerold performing bass. [45] The tour was visually inspired by the art of cinematography production, and featured cinema-derived stage lighting. Manson removed the distinction between on- and off-stage, with stagehands reapplying the band members' make-up and assisting with wardrobe changes in full-view of the audience. Prior to the commencement of each song, a stagehand would re-appear and signify that a new act had begun by using a clapperboard in front of Manson. [46] [47]
Prior to the album's release, Manson made a series of disparaging comments regarding Interscope and its artistic censorship; [9] [27] [28] as well as its then-CEO Jimmy Iovine, who Manson said "wasn't smart enough to understand what [we] do." [48] He also accused the label of caring more about Vitamin Water [the private equity venture of Interscope-signed 50 Cent [49] ] than music. [50] Several days after the album's release, Trent Reznor – who, as of 2015, remains friends and business partners with Iovine [51] – called Manson a "dopey clown", and said that "He is a malicious guy and will step on anybody's face to succeed and cross any line of decency." [52] Manson responded by accusing Reznor of professional jealousy, saying: "Since I've known Trent, he's always let his jealousy and bitterness for other people get in the way. I'm not talking about me—I sat back and watched him be jealous of Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan and a lot of other musicians in the past. I just don't find time to do that. I stopped thinking about him a while back." [53]
While promoting the album in the UK in June 2009, Manson appeared inebriated in a series of interviews. [54] [55] [56] An interview for Alan Carr: Chatty Man recorded during this period remains unaired, reportedly due to graphic language and content, as well as partial nudity. [57] [58] The following month, Manson issued a death threat against journalists whom he accused of making "cavalier statement[s] about me and my band." On a blog post on the band's Myspace profile, he wrote: "I will personally, or with my fans' help, greet them at their home and discover just how much they believe in their freedom of speech." [59] A music video for "Running to the Edge of the World" – in which Manson beats a Wood lookalike to death – was released on November 4, and was condemned as a perceived glorification of violence against women. [60] [61]
The band parted ways with Interscope on December 3. [62] On parting with the label, Manson said: "a lot of the creative control on which my hands were tied [has been regained]", and indicated that the band had started work on new material while touring. He also confirmed that he had rekindled his relationship with Wood. [63] The band's long-time drummer Ginger Fish stepped down as a member of Marilyn Manson in February 2011. [64]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 58/100 [65] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [66] |
Entertainment Weekly | C+ [67] |
The Guardian | [68] |
IGN | 6.8/10 [35] |
Los Angeles Times | [69] |
NME | [70] |
PopMatters | 7/10 [25] |
Q | [71] |
Rolling Stone | [72] |
Spin | 8/10 [73] |
The album received mixed reviews upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score 58, based on 11 reviews, which indicates "generally mixed or average reviews". [65] It also holds an aggregate score of 4.6 out of 10 at AnyDecentMusic?, based on 8 reviews. [74]
The album was acclaimed by several publications. Spin writer Doug Brod referred to it as the band's best record since Mechanical Animals. [73] Ed Power of Hot Press and John Earls of Planet Sound both rated the album 8 out of 10 and also compared the two releases, with the latter complimenting The High End of Low's "strutting glam and magnificently "over the top" ballads". [31] [75] In another 8 out of 10 review, Amy Sciarretto of Ultimate Guitar noted Twiggy's return to the band, and claimed that he "must be the catalyst sparking Manson's creative drive and gears, because [Manson] hasn't sounded this delightfully or determinedly pissed in quite a long time." [76] Similarly, BBC Music concluded that Twiggy's involvement saw the band resurrected after Eat Me, Drink Me, which they called "lacklustre", and said that the album provided a pointed satirical commentary on modern America. [1] Los Angeles Times reviewer Mikael Wood complimented its production, describing how the band had "sculpted a sound both harder-hitting and more finely detailed than on any previous Marilyn Manson record." [69] Allison Stewart from The Washington Post praised the album for its personal lyrical content, contending that Manson's divorce from Von Teese had led to a new musical high. [77]
Other reviewers criticized the album for its length, the level of experimentation, as well as its more personal lyrical themes. Rolling Stone reviewer Jody Rosen gave the album a mediocre review, citing its diminished shock value when compared to the band's previous material. Rosen considered the ballads to be the album's best songs, as they illustrated a more endearing depiction of Manson–as a melancholic human, rather than the Antichrist Superstar. [72] Phil Freeman of AllMusic criticized the lack of variety on the album. He also criticized its lyrics, saying that they "feel like [Manson's] trying to convince himself as much as the audience." [66] Entertainment Weekly called the album "occasionally satisfying", but said it was "unlikely to leave even a superficial cut." [67]
The album received some of its most negative reviews from the British and Irish press. A review for NME was critical of the album's personal lyrics, and claimed that Manson had emasculated himself by opening up. [70] In a one-star review, The Guardian called the album unconvincing, and criticized it for a lack of experimentation; [68] whilst Entertainment.ie writer Lauren Murphy chastised several songs for sounding too experimental and "completely misplaced", summarizing: "If he'd stuck to what he was good at – ear-piercing yelps, liberal dashes of real controversy and big, brawny metal songs with tough beats – he may have [had] a 'comeback' on his hands." [78] Conversely, Mayer Nissim from Digital Spy commended the album for its diversity, but was critical of its length and "ill-advised attempts at stadium anthems." He awarded the album three stars out of five and said: "It's far from awful, but not for the first time, you can't help but feel that Manson could do so much better." [24]
The High End of Low debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 as the highest new entry that week, with first-week sales of 49,000 copies. Despite reaching a higher charting position than their last studio album, Eat Me, Drink Me, which debuted at number eight, this was the band's lowest opening-week figure since the live album The Last Tour on Earth opened with 26,000 copies in 1999. [79] The album also peaked at number two on both Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums, [80] [81] and was their second consecutive number-one album on Top Hard Rock Albums. [82] As of February 2012, The High End of Low had sold over 148,000 copies in the US. [83] In Japan, the album debuted at number nine on the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 10,583 copies in its first week. [84]
All lyrics are written by Marilyn Manson; all music is composed by Twiggy and Chris Vrenna, except "Wight Spider" by Manson, Twiggy and Vrenna
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Devour" | 3:46 |
2. | "Pretty as a Swastika" ( [note 1] ) | 2:45 |
3. | "Leave a Scar" | 3:55 |
4. | "Four Rusted Horses" | 5:00 |
5. | "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" | 3:39 |
6. | "Blank and White" | 4:27 |
7. | "Running to the Edge of the World" | 6:26 |
8. | "I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies" | 9:02 |
9. | "WOW" | 4:55 |
10. | "Wight Spider" | 5:33 |
11. | "Unkillable Monster" | 3:44 |
12. | "We're from America" | 5:04 |
13. | "I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell" | 4:12 |
14. | "Into the Fire" | 5:15 |
15. | "15" | 4:21 |
Total length: | 72:12 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
16. | "Pretty as a Swastika" (Alternate Version) | 2:26 |
Total length: | 74:38 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
16. | "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" (Teddybears Remix) | 3:30 |
Total length: | 75:42 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
17. | "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" (Clown/Slipknot Remix Fuck the Goddamn TV and Radio Remix) | 4:23 |
Total length: | 80:05 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" (Teddybears Remix) | 3:31 |
2. | "Leave a Scar" (Alternate Version) | 4:02 |
3. | "Running to the Edge of the World" (Alternate Version) | 6:08 |
4. | "Wight Spider" (Alternate Version) | 5:28 |
5. | "Four Rusted Horses" (Opening Titles Version) | 5:02 |
6. | "I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell" (Alternate Version) | 4:07 |
Total length: | 28:25 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" (Alternate Version) | 3:39 |
Total length: | 32:04 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" (Clown/Slipknot - Fuck The God Damn TV and Radio Remix) | 4:23 |
Total length: | 32:48 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "Fifteen" (Alternate Version of "15") | 4:17 |
Total length: | 32:42 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
7. | "Into the Fire" (Alternate Version) | 4:34 |
Total length: | 32:59 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The High End of Low. [93]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Date | Format | Edition | Label | Catalog # | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | May 20, 2009 |
| Interscope | UICS-9107 | [92] | |
Australia | May 22, 2009 | 0-602527-061825 | [122] | |||
Germany | [86] | |||||
France | May 25, 2009 | Polydor | [123] | |||
United Kingdom | Interscope | [25] | ||||
North America | May 26, 2009 |
| B0013017-72 | [88] | ||
Marilyn Manson is an American rock band formed by namesake lead singer Marilyn Manson and guitarist Daisy Berkowitz in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1989. Originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids, they gained a local cult following in South Florida in the early 1990s with their theatrical live performances. In 1993, they were the first act signed to Trent Reznor's Nothing Records label. Until 1996, the name of each member was created by combining the first name of a female sex symbol and the last name of a male serial killer—for example, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson. Their lineup has changed between many of their album releases; the eponymous lead singer is the only remaining original member.
Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) is the fourth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on November 11, 2000, by Nothing and Interscope Records. A rock opera concept album, it is the final installment of a triptych that also included Antichrist Superstar (1996), and marked a return to the industrial metal style of the band's earlier work, after the glam rock-influenced production of Mechanical Animals (1998). After its release, the band's eponymous vocalist said that the overarching story within the trilogy is presented in reverse chronological order: Holy Wood, therefore, begins the narrative.
The Golden Age of Grotesque is the fifth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on May 13, 2003, by Nothing and Interscope Records, and was their first album to feature former KMFDM member Tim Sköld, who joined after longtime bassist Twiggy Ramirez amicably left the group over creative differences. It was also their final studio album to feature keyboardist Madonna Wayne Gacy and guitarist John 5, who would both acrimoniously quit before the release of the band's next studio album.
Portrait of an American Family is the debut studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on July 19, 1994, by Nothing and Interscope Records. The group was formed in 1989 by vocalist Marilyn Manson and guitarist Daisy Berkowitz, whose names were created by combining the given name of a pop culture icon with the surname of a serial killer: a naming convention which all other band members would conform to for the next seven years. The most prominent lineup of musicians during their formative years included keyboardist Madonna Wayne Gacy, bassist Gidget Gein and drummer Sara Lee Lucas.
Antichrist Superstar is the second studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on October 8, 1996, by Nothing and Interscope Records. It was recorded at Nothing Studios in New Orleans and produced by the band's eponymous vocalist along with Sean Beavan, former Skinny Puppy producer Dave Ogilvie and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. The recording of the album was marred by excessive drug use, which provoked a high level of antagonism between band members. Consequently, it was their last release to feature contributions from founding guitarist Daisy Berkowitz, who was acrimoniously fired partway through recording.
Mechanical Animals is the third studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 15, 1998, by Interscope Records. The album marked a major shift from the industrial metal and alternative metal styles of the band's earlier efforts, into an experimentation with 1970s glam rock with industrial rock and electronic rock styles. As their first release following the success of their breakthrough album, 1996's Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals' themes primarily deals with the trappings of fame and drug abuse.
Smells Like Children is an EP by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on October 24, 1995, by Nothing and Interscope Records. Produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, it represents an era of the band full of drugs, abuses, tours, sound experiments, and references to the Child Catcher, a villain from the 1968 musical film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Lest We Forget: The Best Of is a greatest hits album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 28, 2004, by Interscope Records. The album was conceived by the band's eponymous vocalist as a "farewell compilation", and was originally going to feature a duet with Shirley Manson of Garbage. Upon its completion, neither singer was satisfied with the duet, and it remains unreleased. Instead, the band recorded a cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" (1989), which became the only new track on the album and was released as a single. The deluxe version of the album included a bonus DVD containing sixteen music videos, one of which was the previously unreleased uncensored version of the music video for "Saint" (2004).
American rock band Marilyn Manson has released eleven studio albums, one live album, one compilation album, two extended plays, 35 singles, nine promotional singles, six video albums, and 46 music videos.
"The Dope Show" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released in September 1998 as the lead single from their third studio album Mechanical Animals. The lyrics were written by Marilyn Manson and the music composed by Twiggy Ramirez.
Eat Me, Drink Me is the sixth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on June 5, 2007, by Interscope Records. It was recorded in a rented home studio in Hollywood by lead vocalist Marilyn Manson and guitarist and bassist Tim Sköld, and was produced by Manson and Sköld. It was the band's first album not to be recorded as a five-piece, as John 5 departed from the group in 2004. Instead of replacing 5, Tim Sköld remained with bass and played guitar, and the band continued as a four-piece. Manson has stated that he sang most of the album lying down on the studio floor with his hands cupping the studio microphone, resulting in a very distinctive vocal sound. Of Sköld's compositions, a further two are said to have been turned into fully-fledged songs with lyrics, music and vocals completed but were not put onto album for fear of making it overwrought.
"Rock Is Dead" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released as the third single from their third studio album, Mechanical Animals (1998). It was written by the band's eponymous frontman, along with bassist Twiggy Ramirez and keyboardist Madonna Wayne Gacy, and was produced by Manson, Michael Beinhorn and Sean Beavan. A glam rock and heavy metal track with elements of electronic music and grunge, the song features electric and bass guitars, keyboards, and live drums in its instrumentation. The song was featured on the soundtrack of the Wachowskis' film The Matrix (1999).
"We're from America" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. The song was released as the first single from The High End of Low. Its title was revealed on March 18, 2009, in the month's issue of Kerrang!. The article erroneously states that the song was released during the second week of March 2009; however, this did not actually happen until March 27, when it was released for free as an MP3 on MarilynManson.com, accompanied by a new layout for the website. The song was reissued as a digital single on April 7, 2009, and is currently available on iTunes and Amazon.com.
"Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released as the second single from their seventh studio album The High End of Low. It has been remixed by the Teddybears. The song was released for download on May 5, 2009, along with the pre-order of The High End of Low. The song was included in the game Saints Row: The Third on one of the in-vehicle radio stations.
"Running to the Edge of the World" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. The track is from their seventh studio album The High End of Low (2009). The song is a soft rock power ballad with elements of blues, electronic music and 1980s heavy metal music that was written and produced by the band's eponymous frontman, Twiggy Ramirez and Chris Vrenna and co-produced by Sean Beavan. The track is about sex, death and destruction and features guitar and strings in its instrumentation and falsetto vocals from Manson. Music critics deemed the song a musical departure from the band's previous work and compared it to the music of other rock acts, particularly David Bowie.
Born Villain is the eighth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on April 25, 2012 by Cooking Vinyl and Marilyn Manson's independent record label Hell, etc. It was the band's first release since the departure of Ginger Fish, who had been their drummer since 1995, and was their only album to feature Fred Sablan. The record was co-produced by the band's eponymous vocalist alongside former Nine Inch Nails member Chris Vrenna, who left shortly after its completion to focus on other production work.
The Pale Emperor is the ninth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on January 15, 2015, through lead singer Marilyn Manson's Hell, etc. label, and distributed in the United States by Loma Vista Recordings and internationally by Cooking Vinyl. The album was issued in standard and deluxe editions on CD and double LP vinyl, and as a limited edition box set. The standard version of the album contains ten tracks; the deluxe edition includes three acoustic versions as bonus tracks.
Heaven Upside Down is the tenth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on October 6, 2017, by Loma Vista Recordings and Caroline International. The record had the working title Say10 and was initially due to be issued on Valentine's Day. However, the release was delayed by numerous events, most notably the death of Marilyn Manson's father, Hugh Warner, who died during production and to whom the album was later dedicated. The record has many of the musicians who performed on the band's previous album, The Pale Emperor (2015), including the producer Tyler Bates and the drummer Gil Sharone. Despite Manson's early implications, long-time bass guitarist Twiggy Ramirez did not participate on the album. He left the group following a sexual assault allegation by a former girlfriend.
We Are Chaos is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was produced by Marilyn Manson and Shooter Jennings, and was released on September 11, 2020, by Loma Vista Recordings and Concord Music. The title track and "Don't Chase the Dead" were both issued as singles. The album was a critical and commercial success upon release, garnering mostly positive reviews and becoming their first number one album in Portugal, and their first number one record in Australia since 1998's Mechanical Animals.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)