Brian Warner and his music vent Marilyn Manson were hardly going to shock anyone in 2015. There are a lot of weird stuff in the world that are available via internet and old fashioned parents became more powerless when it comes to stopping their children from following their dark idols. So, when it comes to shocking – game over, my friend, game over. Global social-music situation didn’t change much in the last ten years. That is why it is almost impossible for Manson to surprise people with his tiring singing followed by brutal distortion.
My favorite from the album Pale Emperor is definitely Deep Six. It will definitely cheer up all the fans that are desperate for industrial that we had a chance to hear around Hollywood album. Manson still screams pretty well, he knows how to put dynamic together, and for some reason he decides to be an artist and does something different. That different does not mean he is trying to be David Bowie and create opposite alter-egos. It just means he is experimenting. With Pale Emperor, he went for dark, smoky and drunk blues.
It is nice to hear that such an intelligent man is using his position to upheave something or someone. In Kiling Strangers, he sings We’re killing strangers, so we don’t kill the ones that we love…So blow us a kiss, we’ll blow you to pieces.
Slaves Only Dream To Be King and The Devil Beneath My Feet have that industrial rhythm. They are not concert worthy tunes. Cupid Carries a Gun and Bird of Hell Awaiting are full of fuzz-distortions. While I was waiting for majority of the album to disappoint me, the epic Odds Of Even happened. Dark and slow closing track that brings you back to the time of Pink Floyd.
It is ungrateful to expect Antichrist Superstar or Mechanical Animals again. I am not even sure that Manson has a fanbase who would be mad If he showed middle finger to the world with songs such as Fight Song or cry during power ballade Come White. Who knows what could happen. Rumor had it that this was only the first part of the double-album concept. Part II is supposed to be called The Well-Tanned Peasant. It’s been a year since Pale Emperor and we are still waiting.
This is a solid album. It is hard to be the enemy today, especially number one enemy. I think that is our number one problem.
