Media Consumes Me

Welcome to the Gene Pool. Before I present our first album review, let me give you some background to the review process itself as well little information about me. I’m a lead singer for a band out of the Pocono Mountains. I’ve been involved with music in some way since I was four years old. I easily have one of the most varied tastes in music. The Gene Pool is going to be another outlet for me to share music with you, our reader. Some artists you’ve heard of, and others you probably haven’t. What makes the list of who gets to swim in the Gene Pool? Basically, whatever I feel deserves a look . I don’t believe in putting a numerical rating to a review, but I will definitely give you an idea of what I like and do not like about a piece, and you can go from there. So, on to our first review, into the realm of the known!

Nearly two years have passed since the release of Eat Me, Drink Me. In this writer’s humble opinion it was one of his greatest releases to date. Eat Me, Drink Me brought together the best of all his previous albums, mixed with the theme of a dark, twisted and fucked version of Wonderland.

Nearly two years later has Manson done it again? Has his previous album release set the bar impossibly high?

I’m glad to say no to both cases. In fact, The High End of Low turns out to be a complete reinvention of the sound that you know as typical Manson.

The opening track, Devour, makes it very evident in the first 20 seconds that this is a VERY different album. Gone is the heavy industrial sound that has made Manson the idol of lunchbox toting teens and the most misunderstood figure in music.

The High End of Low also brings about the long awaited reunion with Twiggy Ramirez, and all this reviewer has to say is, “About time!”. Their ability to compliment and drive each other to new creative lengths comes to the surface stronger than ever.

The result? Musical brilliance. Sure, some tracks ring with a sense of the familiar. “Pretty as a ($) sounds” like it could have easily fit on Antichrist Superstar. “Arma…geddon” could have fit on Golden Age of Grotesque.
However, many tracks on the album are practically acoustic, and that is by far where it shines. This is definitely a side of Manson you’ve never, ever heard. “Running To The Edge Of The World” (which is about 95% unplugged) and “Unkillable Monster” will blow the minds of Manson fans.

There’s basically something here for everyone. This album could easily gather new fans completely unfamiliar to Manson’s previous works. Long time fans of Manson’s, or those who haven’t been keeping up, should purchase and listen to this album immediately.

To conclude, The High End of Low is a work of pure music genius. Marilyn Manson is far from losing his touch, and has shown once again that there is no one out there like him. It is definitely one of Manson’s biggest ventures into unexplored territory and sound. Manson purists may find the difference to previous work a bit unsettling at first, but given time this album could grow on anybody.
Manson says of the new album, “I think my life definitely ended and began. The record sounds very final, but it’s almost optimistic – though that feels like a strange word to use. It’s a phoenix from the fire and a redemption resurrection.”

This reviewer could not put it any better. As far as I’m concerned this is easily his best work to date, and the Antichrist Superstar hasn’t lost his ability to shock and amaze.