release date: Oct. 8, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Sean Beavan, Marilyn Manson, Dave Ogilvie, Trent Reznor
label: Interscope - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" - 2. "The Beautiful People" - 4. "Tourniquet" - 7. "Deformography" - 12. "Antichrist Superstar" - 15. "The Reflecting God" -
2nd studio album by American industrial metal band Marilyn Manson originally released by Nothing Records. Guitarist Daisy Berkowitz (aka Scott Putesky) left the band while still recording the album with bassist Twiggy Ramirez, vocalist Marilyn Manson, additional musicians Danny Lohner and Robin Finck, as well as both co-producers Sean Beavan and Trent Reznor taking over the remaining guitar recordings.
Stylistically, the album marks a shift to a harder, simpler and in many ways more traditional hard rock style with loans from punk rock, gothic rock and metal rock. The band has left, what I find a murky, style and also the many samples and instead focused on a clearer industrial form, which has been praised by many. The two single releases (tracks #2 and #4) were both promoted with (acclaimed) music videos directed by Canadian-Italian director Floria Sigismondi. The album is regarded as the band's breakthrough album, and it was nominated and awarded several prizes. It's also the so far only Marilyn Manson album to be enlisted in "1001 Album You Must Hear Before You Die."
The album is not a favourite of mine but I do acknowledge the musical qualities of the album, although, I find it hard to listen to in its entirety. Tracks #1, #2 and #4 are the clearly best tracks here, and they all have a distinct punk rock influence, whereas several other tracks are more metal rock-founded, and therefore, from my perspective, less interesting; however, as a whole, I find it quite amusing / disturbing and clearly the band's best effort.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Spin 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]
