Marilyn Manson
The Last Tour On Earth

THE REVIEW

Let me start this review by stating a cliché: you either love or hate the present Marilyn Manson.

Indeed, although the reverend has stopped frightening and disturbing our consciences for some years now, one cannot deny his power to channel everyone's attention, from the most frivolous media to the most illustrious musical experts. As for the initial statement, I side with the first faction (though with some distinctions) since the mix between hard-rock/metal and industrial offered here has always attracted me for its catchiness and immediacy; moreover, I believe that the person in question possesses a vocal timbre and a singing style absolutely fascinating, not to mention his ability to curate his image, creating and shaping it at will, to sell it like only that musical streetwalker Madonna knows how to do. In short, a true one-man band, something that has incidentally led him to clear out collaborators of all sorts (Twiggy Ramirez teaches...).

The album in question is the live one that was released in 1999 following the "Mechanical Animals Tour" and "Rock Is Dead Tour" and it delivers a band in great shape which, on one hand, begins heavily courting show-biz (especially the very commercial "I Don't Like The Drugs, But The Drugs Like Me"), while on the other hand, remains firmly tied to its not exactly mainstream beginnings (for example, the inevitable "Get Your Gunn"): for this writer, the best moment in Marilyn Manson's career.

In the 70 minutes of music offered, the entire discography up to that point of the band is revisited: from the early raw stages of "Lunchbox", passing through various classics such as "Rock Is Dead", "The Dope Show" and the ultra-famous "The Beautiful People" and "Sweet Dreams", ending with the semi-acoustic "The Last Day On Earth".

All the songs are interpreted flawlessly and manage to perfectly render the impact achieved live, thanks also to the quality of the sounds, yes, clean and tidy, but not for this reason sycophantic or excessively artificial. Yes, probably it's the live dimension that truly does justice to Marilyn Manson's music: whether because the famous frontman is what one would call a true stage animal, or because songs like "Antichrist Superstar" seem written precisely to be played in front of an adoring crowd.

In short, an album I absolutely recommend listening to if you are among those who appreciate the reverend's musical offering, while if you find yourself on the other side of the river, then most likely "The Last Tour On Earth" won't change your mind.

But it's known (and thus I conclude the same way I began, with a cliché!), tastes are tastes.