Marilyn Manson
The Golden Age of Grotesque

THE REVIEW

"The Golden Age Of Grotesque" is the fifth studio album by Marilyn Manson, who, after the departure of bassist and composer of many past hits Twiggy Ramirez, are preparing, three years after the release of their last work, to once again haunt America and the world with an album inspired by the artistic and cultural movements developed in Germany in the years preceding World War II (particularly Dadaism and Expressionism), the Berlin cabarets and minstrel shows, degenerate art, and Nazism, fascism, vaudeville, and much more.

Marilyn Manson proves himself worthy of bearing such a name in choosing the symbol that represents the album and the tour, namely the Totenkopf (symbol of some SS units) to which Mickey Mouse ears are added, thus creating a perfect dualism between good and evil, malice and innocence.

The new look adopted by Manson and the band members is more refined than those of the past, drawing inspiration from artists like Gunter Bras, Kurt Weill, and Salvador Dalí, or even philosophers like Nietzsche, writers like Oscar Wilde or Aubrey Beardsley, and even Hollywood stars symbolizing the elegance of the 30s like Marlene Dietrich, while donning Nazi uniforms from World War II (worn especially during live performances). Among the accessories worn are metallic dental appliances, bowler hats, monocles made of mirror, suspenders, helmets, and the inevitable Mickey Mouse ears. 

Regarding the album's sound, this time much more electronic compared to previous albums, it is impossible to deny the high quality of the 15 tracks (sixteen with the cover of "Tainted Love" tucked at the end of the disc) that make it up, among which stand out the atmospheric title-track, the hypnotic "Para-Noir" (the most experimental on the disc), the grand "This Is The New Shit" (the second single released from the album), the excellent "(S)aint" (the third single released from the album), the evocative "[Spade]", and the impactful "mOBSCENE" (the first single released from the album). The other tracks can be enjoyed and maintain excellent levels throughout. 

For example, the intro, "Theater", is interesting, characterized by the sampling of the introduction of Federico Fellini's famous film "8½".

The lyrics of the tracks are filled with quotations, slang, wordplay, tongue twisters, and German words that hit the listener like a punch in the face as they are spit venomously and at supersonic speed by Manson, who gives an example of great vocal quality. In particular, the album proves to be the most explosive in Manson's discography, managing to keep adrenaline high until the last song.

To conclude, I highly recommend this album to anyone who does not let themselves be intimidated by prejudices against the artist, wishes to listen to great music, and wants to be transported by a beautiful and surreal atmosphere.