Klavs.net - Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor [cd/vinyl review] [Rating: 4/6]

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KP says:

Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor

Rating:

Updated:

2015-01-30 22:26:28

Type:

cd/vinyl review

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After a week of intense listening to the new Manson album, it hasn't opened fully up (like a birthday present) yet. There's one song I really love, some songs I enjoy and then some songs that I don't really care about.

Musically it is rather sparse and different for a Manson album. The usual industrial + glam + metal sound is not found a lot here. Personally I am not too happy with that. I like the normal Manson sound better. I guess Tyler Bates is to blame for this since he produced the album together with Marilyn Manson and is credited as composer of the music and also plays most instruments on the album. To me the album could use more catchy lyrics and more aggression and punch musically.

The albums begins with a fine run of songs. Killing Strangers is perhaps not really that fine but it works alright as the opener. Deep Six has a metal feel to it and should be able to kick ass live.

I can't decide if you're wearing me out or wearing me well
I just feel like I'm condemned to wear someone else's hell
We've only reached the third day of our seven-day binge
I can already see your name disintegrating from my lips

The album's first single Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge is my absolute favorite. As the only song on the album it has that great unique Manson sound also found on older material like The Red Carpet Grave, Slutgarden, The Gardener, Unkillable Monster to name a few. Then there's The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles which is a catchy song and clearly among my album favourites. The Devil Beneath My Feet is a nice song too with classic Manson lyrics.

I don't need a motherfucker looking down on me
Motherfucker looking down on me
At least I know wherever I go
I've got the devil beneath my feet

Cupid Carries A Gun has a nice chant Pound me the witch drums, witch drums that I always find myself singing along to. The rest of the lot Warship My Wreck, Slave Only Dreams to Be King, Birds of Hell Awaiting, Odds of Even just don't do it for me. They are not terrible or a pain to listen to. It's just not the kind of Manson I love.

The 2LP vinyl release is really luxurious. It's on white vinyl, it includes the 3 bonus tracks, there's three 12" art photos, there's a download code to 320kbps MP3s and generally it just stinks of quality. Only thing sadly missing are the lyrics. The CD is not really worth buying when compared to the 2LP. Of course there's also the luxury box, but I decided to skip that investment.

The 3 bonus tracks on the 2LP and the deluxe CD are named Day 3, Fated Faithful Fatal, Fall of the House of Death. They are acoustic versions of 3 of the album's songs Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge, The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles, Odds of Even. My honest opinion is that they are pretty pointless. Their electric versions are a lot better.

It's not the best Manson album ever, but if you invest some time in it, it's not that bad either. I certainly like it much better now than I did after the first few spins.

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Lyrics

[2015, Hell etc.]

Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor (cd/vinyl review)