In a song on the second album of his Golden Phase – “Mechanical Animals”, in the company of “Antichrist Superstar” and “Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death)” – Marilyn Manson sang about how rock was dead . There was a moment, following the publication of “We Are Chaos”, in which we thought – in light of what happened on an extra-artistic level – that Brian Hugh Warner was also – musically – dead.
Four years after the aforementioned album, however, Manson returns to the scene. After the parenthesis signed by Shooter Jennings, Tylor Bates returns to the director's cabin, impeccable – from “The Pale Emperor” onwards – in giving new mature nuances to the sound of the Reverend. The novelty is the release under Nuclear Blast. A label that probably paved the way for a return of good old Manson, iconoclast and rock.
As anticipated by the three good singles: “As Sick As The Secrets Within” (after listening to the complete album the best song will be confirmed), “Raise The Red Flag” and “Sacrilegious”. Like when in the cinema they announce that the new “Alien” or “Terminator” will connect directly to the first chapters while ignoring the subsequent sequels, with “One Assassination Under God” Warner reconnects – also favored by a newfound physicality – to the glories of the past. Unfortunately, unrepeatable. So here he is surrounded by inverted crosses, lightning bolts, casts of the pagan idol Baphomet and texts/contexts in which he has always wallowed. Plus a marked self-quotation and the experience of recent years to weave the plot of the songs.
Musically, what does the twelfth album offer? Nothing new or essential, but at least there's something catchy and effective. For more fans hardcore a product immediately branded as commercial and which will instead make everyone else cry “danger escaped”. The dirty and heavy instrumental part is mitigated by pandering synthesizers and impactful choruses, but overall the songs are robust and tense, and the forty minutes of listening flow properly, closed however by the acoustic opening of “Sacrifice Of The Mass” , the only legacy of its predecessor.
The glorious past echoes in “No Funeral Without Applause”, while “Nod If You Understand” could – in the wake of “Revelation #12” and “We Know Where You Fucking Live” – open “Heaven Upside Down”. The voice of the Reverend – which places another of his paintings on the cover – holds up, as can be seen in theopening impactful “One Assassination Under God”.
With the second chapter a given, perhaps there's the possibility of some bigger gambles. For myself, also in light of what happened, perhaps a Cash-style dark-folk album under the aegis of Jennings. Who knows. Meanwhile, “Chapter 1” takes home an easy victory with little margin. But with what had happened before, maybe it was the only thing to do.
23/11/2024
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
