Review Summary: Will Manson lose fans because of this record? Yes. Will people who actually sit down and give this record a chance enjoy it? Most definitely. Manson's latest effort is quite possibly the crowning achievement of his career, it is an aural treat and should
Ahh... Marilyn Manson....the shock rocker that everyone loves to hate. It seems the man that had made a career out of being an androgynous alien, being an anti-Christ, and wiping his ass with the American flag had disappeared off the face of the earth after 2003's “The Golden Age of Grotesque,” releasing only a greatest hits CD between said album and his latest work of art “Eat Me, Drink Me.” However, just like Ozzy Osbourne, Manson “doesn't wanna stop,” fortunately in Manson's case, this is a good thing. Manson has written a flawed masterpiece, fueled by this deep sorrow caused by the loss of his guitarist, John 5, bassist, Twiggy Ramirez and the divorce of his ex-wife, Dita Von-Teese. In fact, Manson had described his latest LP as a savior from his suicidal thoughts. Truly, Marilyn Manson has put his heart and soul into the making of “Eat Me, Drink Me,” and trust me folks, it shows.
While Manson has been known for his abrasive, downtuned, industrial tracks (The Beautiful People, Rock is Dead, Target Audience, et al.), “Eat Me, Drink Me” seems to tread down another path that listeners have never see from Manson. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Manson is no longer under Nothing Records, the record label of former partner, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame. Every song on the album covers a different genre. Whether is the slow death march of “If I was Your Vampire,” or the pseudo-new wave “Heart Shaped Glasses,” Manson has made a melting pot of sounds. The majority of the tracks are guitar driven, rather than using samples or keyboards, a major change for Manson which may turn off fans of “Holy Wood” or “Anti-Christ Superstar.” The songs are so guitar-driven that they even feature solos. Yes that's right kiddies guitar solos in a Marilyn Manson record, you have not read incorrectly. These solos, as well as the musicianship overall is phenomenal throughout the album, in fact, I have never been more impressed with the musicianship of a Marilyn Manson album. Don't believe me? Check out “The Red Carpet Grave” and “Putting Holes In Happiness” and tell me I'm wrong. Yeah. Didn't think so.
My personal favorite aspect of this album is that it rocks like a bastard, while still staying true to Manson's roots. Throughout the album I see traces of Manson's career, most notably influences from the “Mechanical Animals” era. Dark themes of death, suicide, and depression echo throughout, while also exploring love and happiness. It seems as though both extremes of human emotion flow throughout the album. There is also many references to Alice in Wonderland (“Are You The Rabbit”). In many instances I am able to close my eyes and drift off into some strange world through Manson's hypnotic voice much as Alice drifted off into Wonderland. Seriously folks, it's that deep. From the opener “If I Was Your Vampire” to the epic closer “Eat Me, Drink Me,” Manson's dark dreamy world comes to life for the listener.
Despite the positive aspects of this album, there are some negative ones. First of all, we have ridiculously cheesy lyrics that really kill some songs for me. For instance in “If I Was Your Vampire,” the line “I love you so much you must kill me now...” is just plain ridiculous. Also, with cheesy song titles such as “Mutilation Is The Most Sincere Form Of Flattery,” and “You Me And The Devil Makes Three,” it makes me wonder if Marilyn Manson writes the song titles for Panic! At The Disco. Another negative aspect is repetition of lyrics over, and over, and over again. I mean, one can only repeat the same chorus so many times before the listener loses focus altogether (e.g. “Just A Car Crash Away).
The aforementioned negative aspects are so petty however that they do not completely turn the listener off from the record. Will Manson lose fans because of this record? Yes. Will people who actually sit down and give this record a chance enjoy it? Most definitely. Manson's latest effort is quite possibly the crowning achievement of his career, it is an aural treat and should be heard by any music lover, regardless of his or her preconceptions of Marilyn Manson. This record is truly enough to silence the unbelievers and to be appreciated by those willing to give it a chance.
Pros:
Rocks hard while still retaining the “Manson Touch”
Wide variety of genres
Not as abrasive as his earlier work
Cons:
Cheesy lyrics/song titles
Repetitive verses
Recommended Tracks:
“If I Was Your Vampire” (Guilty Pleasure)
“Putting Holes In Happiness”
“The Red Carpet Grave”
“Heart Shaped Glasses”
“Eat Me, Drink Me”
Overall: 4.5/5
