Album Review - Marilyn Manson: Born Villain

Marilyn Manson
Born Villain
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

Let's face it, Marilyn Manson's prime is long since past. Gone are the massive sales, tours, and controversy that came with his classic album Antichrist Superstar. That album was such a cultural watershed, hitting at the right time and Manson, being the excellent marketer he is, rode that wave for all it was worth. Perhaps sensing that his sound might devolve into self-parody, he switched gears on follow up Mechanical Animals, adopting a more electro/glam/David Bowie inspired persona, that drove off a good majority of his fans. Since then, Manson appears to be chasing that long gone Antichrist Superstar ghost, to middling effect. While the two records following Antichrist Superstar have their moments, his output in the 2000s, while not forever tarnishing his reputation, definitely saw the gears grinding. After a three year absence, Manson returns with Born Villain, which, while not necessarily breaking new ground, is a step in the right direction and his most solid album in years. Apparently, Manson retreated to a more spartan studio setup for this record in order to get back to the basics. It immediately shows as the tracks seem very streamlined, keeping the individual elements to a minimum and not filling the spaces with cluttered arrangements. From an overview of the record, you can tell Manson went back to listen to classic records from Killing Joke, Sisters of Mercy, and a bevy of old goth/industrial masters. There is a reignited purpose here that has been lacking in his last couple of records. While there are still issues that pop up occasionally, it's been a long time since I can actually say that a Manson album is recommended.

First single "No Reflection" is the perfect example of where Manson gets it right. A driving beat pushes the track forward, featuring only a fuzzy bass line, grinding guitars, and a furious growl from Manson.



"Murderers Are Getting Prettier Every Day" is practically old school industrial Manson featuring machine-gun pounding beats and a tidal wave of brutal guitar licks.



While there is a renewed vigor here, it doesn't mean the entire album is one note. There is a lot of stylistic diversity as well. Title track "Born Villain" utilizes low key drum programming and evocative guitar work. Manson actually allows the song to breathe and evolve slowly, and shows that sometimes quiet can be just as creepy.



"Children of Cain" works along a throbbing electronic base, clunky drum programming creating a martial beat, and Manson chanting the dark lyrics. The track is subtly (and subtle is not a word usually associated with Manson) colored by stark keyboards.



In case you were wondering whether this album was another genre hopping work from Manson, never fear, there are plenty of typical Manson tracks on Born Villain that will satisfy the faithful. The slow grind of "Slo-Mo-Tion" has Manson singing about a television wasteland where they "Pump in the laughter/of dead-audience applause/and teenage rape candidates."



"Overneath the Path of Misery" begins with Manson creepily reciting the "sound and fury" Shakespeare speech from Macbeth before launching into the guitar heavy tract about victimization and the media.



And "Hey, Cruel World..." gets things started off on the record with a typical Manson take on religion and the world, screaming out "hey, cruel world…/you don’t have what it takes/we don’t need your faith/we’ve got fucking fate."



The only issues I have with Born Villain are that the record is far too long. At 14 tracks and over an hour, about halfway through the album it begins to lose a little steam. Also, with Manson being more minimalist, as it were, there are several tracks (most notably "The Gardener," "Disengaged," and "Pistol Whipped") that border on almost being bland. And again, we are subjected to another Manson cover which is generally a love it or hate it proposition with him. Why he chose to cover Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" with Johnny Depp on guitar is a mystery. He adds nothing of consequence to the track, and it ends the album on a sour note.



Born Villain is definitely a welcome return to form for Marilyn Manson and hopefully is a harbinger of even better music to come. By stripping away the excess and focusing on the essence of what makes his music so immediate, Manson has emerged from a period of creative torpor, becoming relevant once again.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.