Easily his best since Holy Wood, no question. Is it better than Holy Wood? I'm not so sure. I agree that Holy Wood had some duds on it and dragged too long. However, the stronger tracks on that record beat out the stronger ones on Born Villain. Even Coma Black alone, for me at least.

Either way, I am glad he is "back" back. Favorite cuts are Hey Cruel World, No Reflection (album version), Overneath The Path Of Misery, The Gardener, and Children Of Cain. I also enjoy the cover of You're So Vain.

The ONLY songs I do not enjoy at all are The Flowers Of Evil and another track (the name escapes me).

Mechanical Animals>Antichrist Superstar>Holy Wood>Born Villain>Portrait Of An American Family>>>>>>The Golden Age Of Grotesque>>>Eat Me, Drink Me>>>>The High End Of Low.

Sorry if the extra greater-than signs are obnoxious.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2012 11:12PM by GhostNight.

From the AMG, 3.5 Stars

by Fred Thomas

With their eighth studio album, Born Villain, Marilyn Manson return from the depths of their mid-2000s limbo with almost an hour of the type of evil industrial and glam-infused metal they made their name on in their earliest days. While the band's blazingly controversial public profile died down tremendously since their late-'90s heyday, legions of devoted fans followed them through the next decade's bevy of changes. The departure of founding member Twiggy Ramirez coincided with a few of the band's weakest albums, and even his return to the fold on 2009's The High End of Low couldn't redeem a substandard record from what seemed like a flailing band past its prime. Born Villain sheds some of the more introspective leanings of prior offerings and accentuates all the throbbing rhythms, metallic guitars, and bilious disgust that defined the band's best work. Lead single "No Reflection" screams "comeback," with Manson channeling a Sisters of Mercy vocal over the sinister pulse of the verses before huge choruses explode in darkly catchy bursts. "Children of Cain" draws again on the later-period Bowie influence that defined much of the band's glammy Mechanical Animals album, and an unlisted cover of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" turns the FM staple into a gruesomely churning romp. Moments like these are the aural equivalent of a knowing smirk from the band, acknowledging that even the princes of darkness might have a lighter side. "Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms" finds the band working in a curiously grunge-tinged mode, with sludgy riffs meeting huge distortedly melodic choruses that would fit in nicely with Badmotorfinger-era Soundgarden. All of these songs find Manson himself in typically depraved form, with lyrical content as sexually, morally, and socially devious as it's been since 2000's devilish Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death). "Pistol Whipped" tells a tale in great detail of a sadomasochistic relationship and song titles like "Murderers Are Getting Prettier Every Day" speak for themselves. Even while Born Villain is a return to form for the band, the album becomes tedious at right about the halfway mark. The songs are overly long and all rely on similar dynamics to propel their crunchy angst. Though sounding inspired and sonically rejuvenated in its best moments, as the album wears on one gets the sense of a band trying a little too hard to revisit its former glory. Without remaking "The Beautiful People," there's still a feeling that they're reaching to remember how to make a Marilyn Manson record and put the purgatory of their past few efforts behind them. All told, Born Villain is as valiant and exciting an effort as the group has come up with in years. While not reaching the dizzying heights of Marilyn Manson's early material, it suggests a band getting its legs back after a long period out to sea, and could lead the way to even brighter future wickedness.

listening to BV for the first time...can't give my sincere thoughts about it until a few listens. But right now...the music isn't capturing me like EMDM or THEOL.AND, Mansons voice on this record is more like HL...I prefer his voice on EMDM and THEOL.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2012 02:02PM by Demonseed25.

I just want to have a little rant:

I don't have a copy of Born Villian as yet, because for whatever fucking reason it doesn't seem to be making it to the shelves of any major chain here in Brisbane until the end of the week.

GhostNight posted:

Demonseed25 posted:

listening to BV for the first time...can't give my sincere thoughts about it until a few listens. But right now...the music isn't capturing me like EMDM or THEOL.AND, Mansons voice on this record is more like HL...I prefer his voice on EMDM and THEOL.

I take it you haven't listened to his earliest records, then? Or at least didn't enjoy them? Because this record is pure Manson. A perfect blend of the triptych records with a new flavor. The past two records, he tried to be something he's not because nobody was fascinated by him anymore. Now, he doesn't seem to care. He will be himself, regardless who takes notice. Good for him.

Eat Me, Drink Me & The High End Of Low were side steps, diversions. His mind was in a dark place and that is what resulted. You are entitled to your opinion of course, but I don't know how someone could prefer his singing from that era. When I hear a song like "Arma-goddamn-mother-fucking-geddon", "Pretty As A Swastika", or "Heart Shaped Glasses", I get pissed off from his vocals alone.

Actually, I've heard all of MM's studio records and like them.I disagree with you that Manson ''tried to be something he's not'' with THEOL and EMDM. Those albums were very personal to Brian Warner because they had to do with his past relationships.BTW, HW happens to be my favorite MM record.But, THEOL and EMDM are still really good IMO!Songs like ''If I was your vampire'' ''Just a car crash away'' ''Evidence''''Eat me drink me'' ''Devour'' ''Four Rusted Horses'' ''I want to kill you like they do in the movies'' ''Into the fire'' and several others, can't be beaten...and the vocals are Mansons best ever in the studio IMO.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2012 07:12AM by Demonseed25.

Luckily this is an album Spotify picked up in it's entirety yesterday and is offered now to it members. Reminding me why I give them that $10 a month. (Because Spotify Mobile leaves a bit to be desired in functionality).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2012 09:53PM by Rogue1.

I'm listening to the new album now... I fucking love it. While I personally liked Eat Me, Drink Me and The High End Of Low (the latter a fair bit more than the first), I think this album outranks both of them. I understand the inspiration and depth behind the former two, but this one just has a sound that many of the tracks on them just don't have, Eat Me, Drink Me especially. I have a feeling I'm going to be listening to Born Villain quite a bit over the next few weeks, until, of course, I inevitably overplay it and get a little tired of it for a little while

Really enjoying the new album, very refreshing. Great buy

An idea of what to expect for this upcoming round of shows:

Providence, RI.

Set list:
Hey Cruel World
Disposable Teens
Love Song
No Reflection
Mobscene
Dope Show
Slo-mo-tion
Rock Is Dead
Personal Jesus
Pistol Whipped
Tourniquet
Hate Anthem
Sweet Dreams
Antichrist Superstar
Beautiful People

Rogue1 posted:

An idea of what to expect for this upcoming round of shows:

Providence, RI.

Set list:
Hey Cruel World
Disposable Teens
Love Song
No Reflection
Mobscene
Dope Show
Slo-mo-tion
Rock Is Dead
Personal Jesus
Pistol Whipped
Tourniquet
Hate Anthem
Sweet Dreams
Antichrist Superstar
Beautiful People

Yup..MM was here a week ago..I thought about buying a ticket...glad I didn't though cos no HEOL or EMDM songs were played in the setlist...So I didn't miss out on much =)

I'm really starting to enjoy Born Villian.My favorite tracks are:Breaking The Same Old Ground,Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms,Hey, Cruel world, and No Reflection



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2012 11:16AM by Demonseed25.

GhostNight posted:

If you like Hey, Cruel World & No Reflection, then methinks you woulda liked that setlist.

haha..it's just that from what i've heard on youtube of manson's performances from the past couple years he doesn't seem to put much heartfelt emotion into his pre EMDM and THEOL songs.But, yea, it definitely would have been cool to hear him perform HCW & NR.
I am starting to become really addicted to the song NR - No Reflection.

cute_annie posted:

Should I be patient and listen to it several times until it grows on me?

it took me 3 listens to enjoy the album.

Good song but the video... What do you think?

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2012 08:54PM by cute_annie.

I'm quite enjoying this Studio Album and the slo mo video. They seem more into the music & being artists (not that they ever weren't)...

Listened to BV a few times now. I like it!

Curious to see Manson do You're so vain... when TR did it in 99... Manson even sung it with him on stage... is there a connection or is this stricktly between Manson and Depp?

Wow, what a washed up parody of his former-self. These new videos are just cringe-worthy. EMDM and HEOL were just terrible, and BV is Manson revisiting Mechanical Animals with less inspiration and poorer production. Antichrist Superstar is Manson's only worthwhile album.