Marilyn Manson turned 40 earlier this year, and perhaps not coincidentally his new album, The High End of Low, reflects an attempt to become a more thoughtful, mature shock-rocker. Like his last album, 2007’s Eat Me, Drink Me, The High End of Low is chiefly concerned with heartbreak and isolation, and while it still contains his trademark button-pushing theatrics, the truth is that Manson’s more compelling when he’s singing about himself than when he’s trying to startle the rest of us. No matter how much his supporters would argue otherwise, Marilyn Manson has become a joke to a lot of rock fans. In the 15 years since he released his full-length debut, Portrait of an American Family, he’s been doling out the same shtick – creepy makeup, self-consciously outrageous lyrical content, and a mixture of metal, goth, industrial rock and new wave music. By the dawn of the 21st century, Manson’s gimmicks had lost their luster, and his albums from earlier this decade reflected a man struggling to stay relevant. But that changed with Eat Me, Drink Me, which demonstrated a more candid approach to introspective lyrics that didn’t seem inspired by artificially constructed personas but, rather, his actual life. The High End of Low continues in that style – the shock-rock gimmicks remain, but at least they’re not quite so prevalent.
The Return of a Former Bandmate and the Departure of a Lover
Those looking for proof that Manson’s still up to his tired old tricks will find several reasons to scoff at The High End of Low – song titles like “Pretty as a Swastika” and “I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies” almost make it too easy for his detractors. But two important factors contribute to making The High End of Low a strong collection. The first is the return of former Marilyn Manson band member Twiggy Ramirez to the fold. Twiggy was an integral co-writer on many of Manson’s best ‘90s albums, and he helps to give the new record a real spark. The other important factor is that The High End of Low seems to be at least partly written in response to Manson’s breakup with much-younger actress Evan Rachel Wood. While he sometimes overindulges his penchant for melodramatic vocals, like on “I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell,” more often than not Manson’s misery seems to directly feed the music’s desperate urgency.
Skewering America
Marilyn Manson is famous for his skewering of right-wing hypocrisy, and he’s still at it on The High End of Low, to mixed success. The goth-rock first single, which we’ll simply call “Armageddon” because its official title isn’t safe for a family publication, has a decent hook, but Manson’s monotone-demonic vocals and the band’s martial precision just aren’t that disturbing. Much, much better is the darkly satiric “We’re From America,” which paints the U.S. as a nation of zombie meatheads who believe they’re entitled to whatever they want. (“It’s where Jesus was born,” the narrator explains.) While most of The High End of Low is concerned with personal issues, “We’re From America” illustrates that Manson’s once-great strength – turning America’s manifest-destiny hysteria into tales of horrifying hard rock – hasn’t abandoned him.
Melodic, Varied Music
Some Manson fans disliked Eat Me, Drink Me because it was a more muted and melodic affair than his previous records. The High End of Low is a louder, more aggressive record than its predecessor, but it also stretches out into different styles. “Four Rusted Horses” is a slow, stripped-down blues, while “Running to the Edge of the World” is a brooding acoustic-guitar-and-string-section ballad. And the loss of love has brought out the melancholy in Manson, triggering great moody tunes like “Unkillable Monster” and “Leave a Scar.” He might not be as “scary” as he used to be, but Manson makes sure that his misery is gripping.
Marilyn Manson's 'The High End of Low' - Bottom Line
At 15 tracks, The High End of Low could have used some trims, especially since the weaker songs feel like less-inspired variations on the album’s best tracks. Still, this is the second straight Marilyn Manson record to demonstrate some real artistic growth. Will he ever drop the America’s-favorite-ghoul routine? Probably not, but as he’s slowly learning, it’s not the only thing he can do to be a success.
'The High End of Low' – Best Tracks:
“We’re From America” (Purchase/Download)
“Running to the Edge of the World” (Purchase/Download)
“Unkillable Monster” (Purchase/Download)
“Leave a Scar” (Purchase/Download)
“15” (Purchase/Download)
Release date – May 26, 2009
Interscope Records
