Marilyn Manson is probably a follower of Alice Cooper and Kiss as far as you can call him a shock rocker. His first, three albums will be remembered for their amazing and first-experienced atmosphere but also for those strong tracks that we couldn’t get off our heads. After that, what? An attempt to become aggressive again with “Holly Wood…”, a “Golden Age…” that tried to be catchy again (see mObscene etc) and a rather ‘crybaby’ “Eat Me…” probably due to his personal issues.

So we reach 2009 and his new effort that marks the return of bass player Twiggy Ramirez in the band after 6 years. Still the album can’t be saved even with Sean Bevan, Chris Vrenna in the mix. It’s less boring than its predecessor, especially its second half but it’s weak, lacks inspiration and most of all: you can’t listen to the whole album, something that’s a big subject of new bands, too. The irony and fearless look of the past are now complaint and disappointment for reality. Is that an artist who acted like hermaphrodite to provoke? Are these ‘Depeche Mode playing American 90s rock’ tracks what we want from Manson? Or can you who loved his difference from others to listen to the same stuff from him the last 10 years? Since the feeling that comes from this album is its lack of freshness and any form of aggression.

Even if he tries to convince he’s a glam star with his pianos and ballad crap Marilyn is stuck in the mud. This decade was definitely his Waterloo. Let this become his own “High End Of Low”…