release date: Jul. 19, 1994
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,32]
producer: Trent Reznor
label: Nothing / Interscope - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 5. "Cyclops" - 7. "Get Your Gunn" - 8. "Wrapped in Plastic"
Studio debut album by American metal rock band Marilyn Manson produced by Nine Inch Nails' front figure Trent Reznor and released through his newly founded label Nothing Records. At this stage Marilyn Manson was now seen as a band, although, it was initially named Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids from 1989, which included founding member Marilyn Manson [aka Brian Warner] on vocals with guitarist Daisy Berkowitz [aka Scott Putesky] and bassist Olivia Newton Bundy [aka Brian Tutunick]. From around 1990 Bundy left and was replaced by Gidget Gein [aka Brad Stewart], and from around '91 the band also included keyboardist Madonna Wayne [aka Stephen Bier] and drummer Sara Lee Lucas [aka Fred Streithorst]. The band name was shortened to Marilyn Manson in '92 when the five initiated the works on what would be this album - initially titled "The Manson Family Album", but the band was very unsatisfied with the production sound and contacted Reznor who accepted to rework the recordings at what point Gein was replaced by the band's roadie Twiggy Ramirez [aka Jeordie Osbourne White] due to Gein's heroin addiction.
Stylistically, it's industrial metal and alt. metal, which incorporates various samples on almost all tracks, and thematically, the band keeps to compositions and songs drawing its attention on the hypocrisy of American lifestyle.
The early works by Marilyn Manson nor this album has never been a personal favourite of mine. It's simply too heavy metal-based for my liking, and I reject the music like I do with albums by Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Metalica, Korn and many others who deal with heavy metal, as I never was a fan of the metal 'circus'. The only reason I ever came around this album is because of my interest in the band's later works with a stronger gothic rock tone pointing at some of the 1980s post-punk artists, and because I do like some alt. metal bands, who incorporate elements from the world of alt. rock, post rock or punk-rock, and then I really like the videos Marilyn Manson made together with Canadian-Italian director Floria Sigismondi.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]
