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Rating: I have never denied being a victim for a period of those false rumors that saw the leader of Marilyn Manson (real name Brian Warner) as the incarnation of the devil. Over the last two years, I have "awakened" and realized how uninformed the journalists were about the band in question, not at all satanic contrary to those overrated (in my opinion, don't hate me for this) nullities of Mayhem or that hypocrite Glen Benton. By casting away prejudices, I had the chance to discover the abundant quality contained in the sounds of the first four studio works released between 1994 and 2001, before the death, always speaking musically.
Discovered by the living genius Trent Reznor, after the phenomenal debut "Portrait Of An American Family" and the masterpiece "Antichrist Superstar" (undoubtedly one of the best albums of the '90s), in 1998 they released their second work of art, "Mechanical Animals," the second chapter of a "backward" trilogy (in the previous one, "The Worm" was the protagonist, here there is the extraterrestrial "Omega," eventually leading to Adam Kadmon later on). The sounds are still particularly heavy, but less industrial than the previous album, and more inclined towards glam rock mixed with electronics, almost an homage to Alice Cooper and T-Rex of the golden days with a hint of David Bowie.
There isn't a single piece particularly noteworthy; you can feel there's a lot happening, and that's precisely what allows the CD to be among Manson's best work. From the big launching singles ("Rock Is Dead," "The Dope Show," "I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)," the best of the three in my opinion), to the intensity of "The Speed Of Pain," perhaps one of Mr. Warner's most acoustic pieces, with an uncredited Billy Corgan doing backing vocals (not credited in the booklet), from the danceable madness of "Posthuman" or "New Model No. 15," to "Great Big White World," his tribute to this world in the throes of decay, not to mention the title track, or "Dissociative." But "Coma White" must be especially mentioned, the fourth single, a vigorous lament that sweeps everything away, the best way to end the space journey of this sci-fi "Omega."
The musicians all make a damn good impression. Besides Warner himself, who proves to have a rather raspy voice, there's guitarist Zim Zum (who plays on almost all the songs before making way for John 5), the somewhat schizophrenic keyboardist (with strange -in a positive way- playing styles, not really fortunately!) Madonna Wayne Gacy, then the peculiar Ginger Fish, accomplished drummer, and that bassist with real guts named Twiggy Ramirez, perhaps the one who, along with Trent, contributed most to the band's sound.
I'll finish by recommending you listen to this CD because, in my view, Marilyn Manson still had something to say, and in a big way. Then to write his swan song with the excellent "Holy Wood," and subsequently sell out to some kind of "clownishness." But now I wonder: will the recent return of Twiggy on bass, with the next work coming out towards the end of the year, be able to break the dead-end wall where the leader has remained stuck in recent years?
Only time will tell.
p.s.: yes, this is the second review of this work (there's a third one, but it's a comedic story that has me dying of laughter), but I couldn't resist the urge to write one...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 The Dope Show (03:47)
The drugs they say
To make us feel so hollow
We love in vain
Narcissistic and so shallow
The cops and queers
To swim you have to swallow
Hate today
There's no love for tomorrow
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low
And blow your mind
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another
The drugs they say
Are made in California
We love your face
We'd really like to sell you
The cops and queers
Make good-looking models
I hate today
Who will I wake up with tomorrow?
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low
And blow your mind
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not, then they love another
There's lots of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low
And blow your mind
Go blow your mind
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
03 Mechanical Animals (04:33)
Neurophobic and perfect
The day that we lost our souls
Maybe we weren't so human but
If we cry we will rust
And I was a hand grenade
That never stopped exploding
You were automatic
And as hollow as the 'O' in god
I am never gonna be the one for you
I am never gonna save the world from you
They'll never be good to you or bad to you
They'll never be anything
Anything at all
You were my mechanical bride
Phenobarbidoll
A manniqueen of depression
With the face of a dead star
And I was a hand grenade
That never stopped exploding
You were automatic
And as hollow as the 'O' in god
I am never gonna be the one for you
I am never gonna save the world from you
They'll never be good to you or bad to you
They'll never be anything
Anything at all
They'll never be good to you or bad to you
They'll never be anything
Anything at all
I am never gonna be the one for you
I am never gonna save the world from you
This isn't me i'm not mechanical
I'm just a boy playing the Suicide King
Playing the Suicide King
Playing the Suicide King
Playing the Suicide King
Playing the Suicide King
Playing the Suicide King
Playing the Suicide King
04 Rock Is Dead (03:10)
All simple monkeys with alien babies
Amphetamines for boys
Crucifixes for ladies
Sampled and soulless
Worldwide and real webbed
You sell all the living
For more safer dead
Anything to belong
Anything to belong
Rock - Is deader than dead
Shock - Is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that we're fed
So fuck all your protests and
Put them to bed
God is in the TV
Rock! La, la, la, la, la, la
Rock! La, la, la, la, la
Rock! La, la, la, la, la, la
Rock! La, la, la, la, la
One thousand mothers are praying for it
We're so full of hope
And so full of shit
Build a new God
To medicate and to ape
Sell us Ersatz
Dressed up and real fake
Anything to belong
Anything to belong
Rock - Is deader than dead
Shock - Is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that we're fed
So fuck all your protests and
Put them to bed
God is in the TV
Rock! La, la, la, la, la, la
Rock! La, la, la, la, la
Rock! La, la, la, la, la, la
Rock! La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Rock - Is deader than dead
Shock - Is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that we're fed
So fuck all your protests and
Put them to bed
Rock (Rock) - Is deader than dead
Shock (Shock) - Is all in your head
Your sex and your dope is all that we're fed
So fuck all your protests and
Put them to bed
05 Disassociative (04:51)
I can tell you what they say in space
That our earth is too grey
But when the spirit is so digital
The body acts this way
That world was killing me
That world was killing me
Disassociative
The nervous system's down
The nervous system's down I know (x2)
CHORUS
I can never get out of here
I don't want to just float in fear
A dead astronaut in space (x2)
Sometimes we walk like we were shot
Through our heads, my love
We write our song in space
Like we are already dead and gone
Your world was killing me
Your world was killing me
Disassociative
Your world was killing me
Your world was killing me
Disassociative
CHORUS
The nervous system's down (x4)
CHORUS
06 The Speed of Pain (05:30)
they slit our throats
like we were flowers
and our milk has been
devoured
when you want it
it goes away too fast
times you hate it
always seems to last
just remember when you think
you're free
the crack inside your fucking heart is me
(thought, not spoken):
i wanna outrace the speed of pain for another day
i wish i could sleep
but i can't lay on my back
because there's a knife
for everyday that i've known you
when you want it
it goes away too fast
times you hate it
always seems to last
just remember when you think
you're free
the crack inside your fucking heart is me
(thought, not spoken):
i wanna outrace the speed of pain for another day
lie to me, cry to me, give to me
i would
lie with me, die with me, give to me
i would
keep all your secrets wrapped in dead hair
i hope at least we die holding hands
for always.
07 Posthuman (04:18)
She's got eyes like zapruder
And a mouth like heroin
She wants me to be
Perfect like Kennedy
This isn't God, this isn't God
God is just a statistic
God is just a statistic
say,
"show me the dead stars,
all of them sing."
This is a riot
Religious and clean
God is a number you cannot count to
You are posthuman and hardwired
She's pilgrim and Pagan
Softworn and so-cial
In all of her dreams
She's a saint like Jackie-o
This isn't God, this isn't God
God is just a statistic
God is just a statistic
say,
"show me the dead stars,
all of them sing."
This is a riot
Religious and clean
COMA WHITE:
"all that glitters is cold, all that glitters is cold"
08 I Want to Disappear (02:57)
Look at me now
Got no religion
Look at me now
I'm so vacant
Look at me now
I was a virgin
Look at me now
Grow up to be a whore
And I want it
I believe it
I'm a million different things
And not one you know
Hey and our mommies are lost now
Hey ,daddy's someone else
And we love the abuse
Because it makes us feel like we are needed now
But I know
I wanna disappear
I wanna die young
And sell my soul
Use up all your drugs
And make me come
A yesterday man
I was a nihilist and
now today I'm
just too fucking bored
By the time I'm old enough
I won't know anything at all
Hey and our mommies ...
11 User Friendly (04:17)
Use me when you want to come
I've bled just to have your touch
When im in you i want to die
x 2
User friendly Fucking dopestar obscene
Will you die when your high
You'd never die just for me
She says,
"I'm not in love , but im gunna fuck you
Till some body better comes along."
Use me like i was a whore
relationships are such a bore
delete the ones that you've fucked
x 2
User friendly Fucking dopestar obscene
Will you die when your high
You'd never die just for me
She says,
"I'm not in love , but im gunna fuck you
Till some body better comes along."
12 Fundamentally Loathsome (04:50)
I want to wake up in your
white, white sun
I want to wake up in your world
with no pain
But I'll just suffer in a hope to die someday
While you are numb all of the way
When I hate it I know I can feel but
when you love it you know it's not real, no
When I hate it I know I can feel but
when you love it you know it's not real
I am resigned to this wicked fucking world
On its way to hell
The living are dead and
I hope to join them too
I know what to do and I do it well...
When I hate it I know I can feel but
when you love it you know it's not real, no
When I hate it I know I can feel but
when you love it you know it's not real
[solo]
Shoot myself to love you
If I loved myself I'd be shooting you
Oh yeah
Shoot myself to love you
If I loved myself I'd be shooting you
Yeah, oh yeah
Shoot myself to love you
If I loved myself I'd be shooting you
Oh yeah
Shoot myself to love you
If I loved myself I'd be shooting you
If I loved myself I'd be shooting you
Shoot myself to love you
If I loved myself I'd be shooting you
Shoot myself to love you [repeat 'til fadeout]
14 Coma White (05:40)
There's something cold and blank
Behind her smile
She's standing on an overpass
In her miracle mile
Cause you were from a perfect world
A world that threw me away today, today, today
To run away
A pill to make you numb
A pill to make you dumb
A pill to make you anybody else
But all the drugs in this world
Won't save her from herself
Her mouth was an empty cut
She was waiting to fall
Just bleeding like a poloroid
That lost all her dolls
Cause you were from a perfect world
A world that threw me away today, today, today
To run away
A pill to make you numb
A pill to make you dumb
A pill to make you anybody else
But all the drugs in this world
Won't save her from herself
A pill to make you numb
A pill to make you dumb
A pill to make you anybody else
But all the drugs in this world
Won't save her from herself
You were from a perfect world
A world that threw me away today, today, today
To run away
A pill to make you numb
A pill to make you dumb
A pill to make you anybody else
But all the drugs in this world
Won't save her from herself
A pill to make you numb
A pill to make you dumb
A pill to make you anybody else
But all the drugs in this world
Won't save her from herself
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Other reviews
By natopostumo
You can say anything about the album and the artist, but you cannot deny the courage.
Mechanical Animals may not be a masterpiece or a milestone of rock, but it is a work that deserves respect.
By Tepes
"If I break his ribs, he can take medical leave and spend the day at the bar talking about tits and asses with his friends."
"The messages conveyed are very profound and truly Luciferian, and indeed the songs say more or less ‘I do drugs and do what I want, if I want to screw a pony, I do it...’"
By Andy999
Mechanical Animals is the perfect sci-fi metaphor of Christianity. The messiah arrives to save but ends up being a victim.
It is impossible to describe what this album means. It is a drug, it is innocence, it is infinite space, it is the eclipse.
