The Golden Age of Grotesque

Marilyn Manson

Nothing/Interscope Records

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The Golden Age of Grotesque

Marilyn Manson

Nothing/Interscope Records

In the May 15, 2003 issue of Rolling Stone, Marilyn Manson wrote a column titled “The Dead Rock Star” in which he reflected on rock stars becoming immortal by dying in their prime, a la Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain. After the Columbine High School shootings on April 20, 1999, it seemed as if Manson and his music were only going to be immortalized by infamy. Record sales were down and death threats were up as blame for the shootings was pointed toward the shock rockers. With the release of the band’s latest album, The Golden Age of Grotesque, don’t look for Marilyn Manson to burn out or fade away anytime soon.

As introduced in the second track, “This is the New S—,” Manson indeed gives us a taste of what’s to come on the album. The album’s tone is less dark than previous releases, but profanity, vulgarity and growled lyrics still ensue, with an abundant amount of sexual references throughout the album.

Probably the most blasphemous track on the album is “Para nior,” where girls list reasons for screwing Manson. In “Slut Garden,” Manson sings about a church, a steeple and a lewd act making everyone “God’s people.” It doesn’t take a listen to the song to figure out what exactly that act is.

On “mOBSCENE,” the first single to be released off the album, the old traditional cheer “Be Aggressive” is revamped by Manson’s cheer squad to say, “Be obscene, be be obscene.” It’s extremely catchy. Who ever thought Marilyn Manson would produce catchy music?

This is the first Marilyn Manson album to be recorded without bassist Twiggy Ramirez, who was fired by Manson because of his lack of devotion to the band. His replacement, Tim Skold, the former bassist for KMFDM, produced the album. The two aren’t musical strangers; they collaborated on a cover of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” for the “Not Another Teen Movie” soundtrack.

Before Manson made it as a musician, he was a writer who enjoyed a brief stint as a music journalist. His penchant for writing stuck with him, as he brilliantly penned all of the songs on The Golden Age of Grotesque.

The music is influenced by a plethora of 19th and 20th century movements such as surrealism and dandyism. The illegal-in-America liquor absinthe also played a key role in the outcome of the album.

But wherever Manson sought his influences, the final product is soaked with mind-titillating tunes that are merely a preview of what’s to come in terms of Manson’s ever-evolving musical style.