The High End of Low (Deluxe Version)

Marilyn Manson’s shock value tends to cloud perceptions of his musicality and intelligence. His music is imbued with the celebratory darkness and glam of Alice Cooper and David Bowie. His passion is palpable, wrapped in layers of dense metal guitar and industrial tones. For The High End of Low Manson regains the spirit of his late ‘90s period when he was public enemy #1. “Arma-goddamn-m**********n-Geddon” and “We’re From America” is Marilyn at his subversive best, exposing society’s hypocrisy and depravity. “I Want to Kill You Like They Do In the Movies” and “Pretty as a Swastika” add to Manson’s catalog of anti-love songs. Manson’s band — keyboardist Chris Vrenna, drummer Ginger Fish, and bassist Twiggy Ramirez (back in after a long hiatus) — operate on "blast-first ask-questions-later" marching orders. It’s the most raw and aggressive Marilyn Manson has sounded in years. No, Manson won't have to go door-to-door to shock people, as lampooned by The Onion; The High End of Low serves that purpose just fine.