~ Cash is a Poor Man's Money ~

Manson builds upon the confidence he acquired from The Pale Emperor and cranks the obnoxiousness way up. #3 is all about tension and release. Manson comes in shouting after a minute, and the next time it happens listeners will almost certainly want to scream along. On the second chorus his angry yelling sounds like it's on the brink of collapse towards the end, which reminds me of the raw vocals from the previous record. The tail end of "JE$U$ CRI$I$" ... read more

~ LOVE is EVOL, CON is CONFIDENCE, EROS is SORE, SIN is SINCERE ~

The obvious change in The Pale Emperor is the slower tempo. The warm twangy guitars kick in immediately and let you know that this record isn't going to be anything like its predecessor. The band creates a blend of gothic emotional rock that sounds noticeably more mature than anything else in their catalogue. The sound is crisp, clean and organic. Manson himself isn't coming from the perspective of a vampire or a born villain, ... read more

~ I'm not man enough to be human, but I'm trying to fit in ~

Unfortunately this is the band's most apathetic record. It's still listenable, just disappointing. I think a lot of the boredom stems from the song writing and song concepts for BV, as "You're So Vain" just had more liveliness than everything before it.

Manson's usual style of singing, which sits somewhere between talking and yelling is the bread and butter of BV. There were still plenty of screams, and I was surprised by ... read more

~ If you don't know what forever feels like, I'll show you what it feels like without it ~

Manson's vocals are intimate and incredibly emotive, like EMDM to an extreme. There's more screaming and intensity than the band's previous LP, but while Manson's cleaner vocals sound life-like, his screams often sound compressed. It often doesn't feel organic.

"Arma-Goddamn-M**********n-Geddon" is clearly the catchy song designed for you to sing after the album ends. I'm a TGAOG fan; I don't ... read more

How many guitar solos do you want?
MM: "Yes"
(The guitar solo in "Putting Holes In Happiness" is a gift that keeps on giving)

People seem to tell horror stories of this album for some reason, but I think a lot of that is due to this band in particular releasing an emotional rock record instead of something more in-your-face that they might have been hoping for and/or expecting. While I was actually hoping and expecting something heavier, I must admit that EMDM sounds ... read more

~ Put it in your middle finger and sing along ~

This is Manson at his most obnoxious and it honestly suits him.
TGAOG is a sharp and harsh-sounding commentary centred around vaudeville and the concept of art. This is arguably the band's first departure from dark serious music, and it's incredibly self-aware. "Everything has been said before".

With plenty of catchy hooks and playful writing, TGAOG is entertaining. It's easy to get into and even sing along. Manson's tried and tested ... read more

~ All the drugs in this world won't save her from herself ~

Marylin Manson's second addition to the concept album triptych is the glam rock inspired story of Omēga fitting into Earth, a world that appears numb to their emotions. It is one of the most successful unexpected albums ever.

This album marks the first time Manson hasn't assumed the role of a relentless avatar of chaotic wrath, but he doesn't lose impact. Techniques like the creepy possessed high pitched voice (seen mostly in AS) ... read more

~ The blackest of kingdom lay open ~

No amount of layering and effects can fully substantiate the deadpan vocals; it often feels like something is missing. The harsh sounding sections of "Mirage Mirage" and "21 Grams" went in the right direction. At these times it felt like more of a cohesive style, but then it returned to some "singing" that made me wince a bit. "Abyssus" had the best vocal decisions because it stayed in Tim's comfort zone. I would ... read more

~ Each thing I show you is a piece of my death ~

Marylin Manson's most renowned album is the wrathful industrial first part of the concept album triptych.

Primarily the vocals are harsh screams that gel well with the obnoxious instrumentals. There are also plenty of changeups to creepy possessed voices and (what could almost be described as) Manson's own style of talk singing. There's plenty of electronic work to credit for the more obscure tracks like "Cryptorchid", and I really ... read more

~ Dress me up and me your dying God ~

Marylin Manson peaks with this album, the final part of their concept album triptych. Holy Wood is a tremendously dark and scathing commentary on many aspects of society. It's also full of standout tracks and just generally a lot going on!

Vocals are passionate, varied, and cleverly augmented by a range of layering techniques and effects.
The instrumentals combine the chaotic darkness of AS with the clean sophistication of MA to create a diverse and full ... read more

When flat vocals meet really flat instrumentals, the result is Not My God's debut. This album was painfully repetitive, uneventful and boring.

Worst song? I can only say most of the album.
Best song? "Sowing Discord" is a diamond in the rough - the only enjoyable song to me with some interesting Nero sounds.

~ Let me out into the world ~

Stellar guitar work ranging from dark melodies to modern blackened deathcore riffs makes up the backbone of TPIFS. The scream vocals are expressive but would benefit from more changeups. The cleans are quite haunting, particularly in "Another Life".

Worst song? "Forget Me".
Best song? "Shattered" has beautiful hooks.

~ Where do I begin? ~

Fury's predictable song and album structure is thoroughly redeemed by an emotive vocal performance that hits everything from delicate to gritty. The instrumental is really enjoyable. I honestly can't decide if I prefer the guitar or the drums.

Worst song? "Just the Beginning" might be the most forgettable for me.
Best song? The whole album inexplicably hits me in the feelings, but "If I Stay" probably the most. "Beautiful Chaos" has the most ... read more