HardRockChick

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Record Recap: Marilyn Manson/The High End of the Low

dev@hard
May 31, 2009
3
4

cover

First let me get this out of the way- I HATE the cover art for this album. What is going on there?

On the other hand, I kinda like the album name. Mostly because I think it’s a good descriptor of the album itself (it’s not good but it’s not bad), Manson’s state of mind (coming out of a depression), and hopefully, a foreshadowing for his career (on the upswing from a low point, perhaps?).

I actually liked Eat Me, Drink Me. I thought it was a good change of pace, ‘Manson Unplugged’ if you will. However, I expected this next album to go back to the angry industrial Manson, when it actually is sort of splitting the difference. The result is a couple great songs, a couple terrible songs, and an all around lack of cohesion. It’s already been said, but there is a lot of repetitive stuff going on in this album.

Arma-blah-blah: I kinda like the beat, the psycho surf trip start, but the lyrics just kill me. All of them. No fucking and eating it for me, thanks.

Blank and White: It’s ok…..not terrible, but not memorable. It feels too shallow lyrically.

Devour: Me likey this one. Feels like it could have fit on EM,DM. The chorus is a bit generic and odd for Manson’s vocals, but I appreciate it. It ends strong, but the sudden cut off kinda bugs me.

Four Rusted Horses: Unexpected and I like it. It’s got the acoustic element blended with the industrial element and it sounds pretty powerful and unique.

I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell: This is an album of insanely long song titles. The beat is good- strong drums, bass, sounds more like old school Manson here.

I Want to Kill You Like They Do In the Movies: My favorite song by far. I’m sad they will probably not play it when I see them considering it’s nine minutes long. I like the way that Manson’s voice and the guitar seem to be in a race, fighting for the lead throughout the song.

Into the Fire: These lyrics REALLY bother me. I ain’t even gonna repeat it.

Leave a Scar: It’s a really poppy song for Manson lyrically. It’s catchy, but I feel like it is for the wrong reasons.

Pretty as a Swastika: I have mixed feelings about this song. It’s a good metal song, but it feels very surface level shocking, ya know what I mean?

Running to the Edge of the World: Starts out almost like ‘Wild Horses’….which is weird, then it turns into a Monster Ballad…Like Extreme ‘More Than Words’ style. Also weird.

Unkillable Monster: The title made me think I was getting something different than a slightly angry ballad.

We’re From America: Extremely catchy, extremely repetitive. Kinda tired of this theme right now.

Wight Spider: A solid song. The pace of it makes it stand out from the rest of the tracks. The name intrigues me….as do the lyrics. Hmmm….

WOW: Has Manson been playing World of Warcraft? This song is fucking weird. It has Jeordie written all over it. Which means there is something sort of endearing about it, but I’m scratching my head a bit. And shaking my ass a little.

15: I really want to like this song. But I feel it is lacking something and I don’t like hearing Manson talk about his birthday. It’s just too soft for me.

Because HRC has something chemically weird about her, and tends to not fully understand songs until she has seen them live….we’ll see how my two date following of Manson goes in early July…

Comments

  1. I've heard a couple of songs from the album so far (“Arma….” and “We're From America”) on satellite-radio so far, and is it me, or does his schtick seem kinda tired? Yes, we all know how terribly shocking he is. Yes, we all know how there's supposed to be this big artistic statement beneath the initial shock of his schtick. So?

    I'd presume that this was all his final report on the last eight years, and those who led it, sorta like the last Ministry album. I can honestly say that I'd rather hear Manson talk than hear his music, because the music is just camouflage to me, with the message lost in the sturm und drang of noise and specatcle.

    Which Alice Cooper still does better.

  2. your review of WOW made me giggle because that was my first reaction. i was like “dude, they let jeordie loose on this one.” i wish i liked the rest of the album as much as i love that one song. oh, and i also hate that cover art.
    -missroseline
    (the one who requested the bigger shot of the mountain view m&g picture, fyi)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

HardRockChick's Top 10 Albums of 2009

It was actually a pretty easy process to pick my top 10 albums for 2009. All I had to do…

December 20, 2009
5
1

Thoughts on Albums: Behemoth ~ Evangelion

Sometimes an album comes along at just the right time, and everything clicks. For me, Behemoth’s Evangelion sounds like how…

July 28, 2009
4
2

Record Recap: Fischerspooner ~ Entertainment

Fischerspooner, a Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode influenced ‘electro-clash’ duo from Brooklyn, is one of the more interesting live acts out…

April 25, 2009
2
0

Record Recap: IAMX ~ Kingdom of Welcome Addiction

What exactly is IAMX? Electronic? Rock? You really can’t accurately convey to someone what IAMX is; it has to be…

April 24, 2009
2
1

BRMC's The Effects of 333

BRMC released their latest album, The Effects of 333, at 3:33am on November 1. A psychedelic industrial soundscape, the album…

November 2, 2008
< 1
3

record recap: M.I.A.'s Kala

Having been fortunate enough to hear most of Kala’s tracks face to face with M.I.A., I’d been not so patiently…

September 3, 2007
< 1
0

Record Recap: The Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist

Billy Corgan is trying really, really hard to redeem himself. He’s been quite the whipping boy for the press over…

July 22, 2007
< 1
2

Record Recap: Velvet Revolver's Libertad

As many of you read, I had an exciting time seeing Velvet Revolver a couple of months ago. At this…

July 21, 2007
< 1
2

Record Recap: The White Stripes 'Icky Thump'

The White Stripes are one of the most critically acclaimed rock bands around today. Detroit American rock with a Southern…

July 6, 2007
< 1
0

Record Recap: Marilyn Manson's Eat Me, Drink Me

Manson’s 6th studio album, Eat Me, Drink Me, is one of his best. Mr. Shock Rocker has matured from being…

June 22, 2007
2
1