Over a decade ago, everything Marilyn Manson did seemed to shock people. Anyone that's shocked by their new album probably isn't thinking much about it at all.
Twiggy Ramirez has rejoined the group, and ex-Nine Inch Nails drummer and Tweaker genius Chris Vrenna is there, too. So is drummer Ginger Fish, who's been there for longer than anyone except Manson.
Along with lineup changes, the band has gone through different styles and themes with each album. There's little that's completely unfamiliar on The High End Of Low, but things work in a different way than they have in the past.
One big factor might be that Manson doesn't have anything to prove, really. By now, everyone probably likes him, hates him, or is indifferent. Since the shock value in this album is highly unlikely to get many people's attention, the over-the-top elements are probably just a part of what this band does.
I think it's past the point where you can measure where Manson the man ends and the artist begins. Whether he originally created a character for the stage or not, the character, the real person, and the artist are one and the same now. Here, he lyrically and vocally wallows in confident self-pity, unabashed trash, and a hopeless romanticism with an emphasis on the hopelessness. The feelings—anger, sadness, regret, and sado-masochism—are conveyed effectively, and I'm guessing that's because they're not only well-written, but they come from a genuine place.
Some songs show clear influence ("Wow" sounds like Nine Inch Nails, "Running To The Edge Of The World" is Bowie-esque) but by now, those homages are just part of MM's arsenal. They've been doing it for a long time, adding their own twists, and they do it well. There are some exciting new sounds, too, like the blues-tinged acoustic "Four Rusted Horses" and the repetetive, quasi-industrial "I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies." The latter goes on for nine minutes and Manson obsessively repeats certain lines. The result is curiously effective.
Not every track on the album is amazing, which isn't surprising considering the 72+-minute running length. but few if any are throwaways.
Marilyn Manson's seventh album is more than worth a listen—it's actually pretty great. Are you shocked?
www.marilynmanson.com www.myspace.com/marilynmanson