sleestakk's Full Review: Holy Wood: In the Shadow of the Valley of Death by...
Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth." -- Genesis 6:13
Requiem For A Dream
"When one world ends/something else begins/but without a scream/just a whisper because we just start it over again..."
Nearing the 37th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Manson has released their highly anticipated Holy Wood album and my skin has been crawling ever since. Even though I’ve been holding a worn CDR of all nineteen tracks in my tight grip for over a month, I’m elated to have the real thing in my grubby little paws. As I await the critics to trash the record, I am overwhelmed by the complexity that finally brings Manson’s story full circle.
The music, which successfully melds the sounds of the two previous albums, is intense, and the heaviness teems throughout. The ballads are especially somber and affecting. For those wanting to write Manson off, Holy Wood may come as an unexpected surprise with its overall message and strong compositions. This very well may be the best Marilyn Manson record yet. Saddle up, kids, it’s gonna be a long, bumpy ride!
The Beginning Of The End
"Dear god the paper says you were the king in the black limousine/Dear John and all the King's men can't put your head together again"
Swirling clouds surround as the Black Son casts a long shadow across the heartland of America. Marilyn Manson has arrived in the new Millennium with his maelstrom of misanthropy leading the way. Fists bleeding full of vengeance, Manson is ready to strike a blow to those who wished him long dead and forgotten. Holy Wood (in the shadow of the valley of death) marks the 4th full-length album for these goth-glam-slam heavy metal Hollywood residents and completes the three-part story arc, which began in 1996 with the band's Antichrist Superstar LP. But the story has only just begun....
Little Horn Is Born
"She put the seeds in me/plant this dying tree/she's a burning string/and I'm just the ashes"
So we're on the same page, Marilyn Manson formed as a ghoulish metal act in Ft Lauderdale, FL back in 1990 led by frontman Brian Warner who took the band's name as his own. After Nine Inch Nails toured through the area, NIN's Trent Reznor saw interest and took the band under his wing. The band’s debut, Portrait of an American Family, was the first record released under T-Rez's Nothing label in 1994 and since then, Manson has flipped popular music upside down and become a household name. Ozzy Osbourne once said that becoming a household name would be the greatest success anyone could achieve. And kid Warner has done it.
I Wanna Be A Big Rock n’ Roll Star
"You'll never grow up to be a big-rock-star-celebrated-victim-of-your-fame/They'll just cut our wrists like cheap coupons and say that death was on sale today"
Manson breathed his first breath of notoriety back in '96 when he unleashed the hydras on the sleeping minds of America and turned the industry on its collective ear. An Antichrist Superstar was born. The abrasive sounding album spit venom into the eyes of the moral majority as Manson stabbed at the problems in our society; the herding of blind masses by a world bent on self-destruction.
The record buzz-sawed through its targets including religion, government and the hypocrisy that pervades our culture. Like anti-fascism hate rallies, Manson spewed the rage to his followers yet his message was clear; be an individual and think for yourself. As the media crosshairs only focused on the Shock Rock Theatre, Manson's musical unrest continued in the face of protesters. Instantly he was vilified while at the same time became the pasty-white poster child for rejected youth and outcasts everywhere. Mission accomplished.
Divine Re-Invention
"I'll put down your disco/and take your heart away/I'll be born again/I'm someone else/I'm someone new/I'm someone stupid just like you"
But Manson wasn't done. Heralded as the avenging savior from the dismal pop music climate in 1998, the band turned the tables again as Manson transformed his dark angel of doom persona into an androgynous space alien on drugs, Omega, if you will. From the dank dreariness of New Orleans, the band relocated to the glitter and gaudiness of Hollywood and redefined their sepia-toned serpentine spookiness into a vibrant plumage of Las Vegas-style cabaret of colors.
On the Mechanical Animals album, Manson was intentionally stroking his sardonic wit at the media creation he had become; it was a cynical, sarcastic look at the band defined by stronger melodies and a smooth, polished production. As the Drugs-R-Us-Vaudeville-rock-show rolled across the country playing in bigger arenas to greater crowds, Marilyn Manson hit a brick wall.
The Lamb of God
"Am I sorry your sky went black, put your knives in babies backs? /Am I sorry you killed the Kennedy's, and Huxley too?"
In the wake of the Columbine Tragedy in April of 1999 where two teenagers murdered 13 students before turning the guns on themselves, people wanted answers and the media needed a scapegoat and needed it fast. All fingers pointed to Manson. Eventually, despite the public outcry for Manson's head on a stake, we learned there was no connection between the incident and Manson; the two boys weren't even fans and voiced their displeasure for Manson before they commenced on their killing spree. But the damage was done. The band cancelled shows and ultimately stopped the tour. With emotions still running high, the doors started slamming; no one wanted to be associated with the band. Manson was on the verge of imploding. As he put it, it could've been "a complete career-destroying moment."
The Emperor Strikes Back
"And we don't want to live forever/and we know that suffering is so much better/this is for the people, they want to/getting high on violence, baby"
Instead of folding, Manson went into seclusion locking himself inside his home for three months. There he re-evaluated the situation and refocused his energy into now what has become Holy Wood. The album is, in one sense, a reaction to Columbine and you feel the anger and resentment in each song. It's Manson fighting back with fists swinging. This might have been an entirely different recording if that tragedy never occurred. On the other hand, Holy Wood is also the third and final act of Manson's story that, in turn, started writing him when he embraced the avatar of the Antichrist Superstar four years prior.
Red In My Head
"I've got love songs in my head killing us away/do you love your guns? god? the government?"
Why is my lead-in necessary? Why haven't I gone straight into the record and bypassed all the Manson melodrama? Well, simply put, Holy Wood is an album of many layers; some are deeply involved while others scorch the surface. This isn't a Britney Spears or N'Sync CD; nor is it Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock. Being cognizant of the events that preceded the making of the record is essential to fully understanding the album itself. And with the chord this record has struck in me, I’m not about to submit some half-assed review. Giving up anything less would be a disservice.
Creating Evolution
"This is your creation/the atom of Eden was a bomb/if Jack was the Baptist/we'd drink wine from his head/this is evolution/the monkey, the man, then the gun"
Although Holy Wood completes the triptych, it’s really the beginning, part one - the prequel to Mechanical Animals and Antichrist Superstar as prophesized by Manson when he began this journey. And as with those records, Holy Wood is somewhat autobiographical. It’s here where Manson reinterprets the theory of creationism blended with the science of evolution.
The story traces the steps of Adam Kadmon, the first man on Earth, as he struggles to evolve towards stardom. But conflicts arise when Adam realizes that he has become the very thing he hates the most, a piece of merchandise that can be bought or sold. The glamour and celebrity aren’t all they’re cracked up to be and cataclysmic events ensue as Adam incites a spirited revolution. And even then he still is just a product.
I Want To Disappear
"Today I am dirty/and I want to be pretty/Tomorrow I know that I'm just dirt/We are the nobodies/we wanna be somebodies/when we're dead/they'll know just who we are"
For Holy Wood, when Manson lay dormant cooped up in his attic for three months, he surrounded himself with materials sought to inspire and provoke his ideas. He dipped into alchemy and mysticism; he even fashioned his own personal tarot. Manson adopted the symbol for Mercury to represent his new venture and acquired a taste for absinthe to make his thoughts more lucid.
But Manson’s greatest lyrical influences would still be based on the original dichotomy and hypocrisies that compelled him to start this band in the first place. And with the media feeding frenzy around Columbine, Manson had an endless well to draw from; particularly the dark days he endured during the aftermath.
Christ and Kennedy
"If you die when there's no one watching/and your ratings drop and you're forgotten/if they kill you on their TV/you're a martyr and a lamb of god/nothing's going to change the world"
Manson's predilection to manifest into his art the images that shaped his beliefs validates his message in Holy Wood. According to Manson the most violent and shocking movie ever made is the Zapruder film, the original 8mm footage that graphically details the assassination of JFK. Although this subject was injected into Mechanical Animals, it became even more effectual for Holy Wood. Manson's other fascination is the propagation of the crucifix, which to him is a very violent yet sexual image. These profound influences on Manson's life, the assassination of Kennedy and the crucifixion of Christ (and the eerie similarity between the two), show up once again on this album as core imagery.
Primates and Pistols
"You say you wanted evolution/the ape was a great big hit/you say you want a revolution, man/and I say that you're full of sh!t"
Thematically, Manson uses the term "apes" not only to convey the visage of man before man existed, a "beginning" so to speak, but also to symbolize man’s propensity towards violence. By his account, evolution and creationism are braided together before reaching their final union, the gun. Manson has touched upon this motif before but never to such great lengths where this violent machine becomes the pinnacle, the end result, of mankind.
On Holy Wood, the words "gun" and "god" are exchanged; eventually they become synonymous. The album begins and ends with a clicking revolver, but it’s the deathly sound of Russian roulette that finally concludes the last track, "Count to Six and Die". Enough can’t be said about the role the gun has in Manson’s evolution and revolution. It’s an effective yet horrifying token by grand design.
An Old Fashioned Death Song
"We're on a bullet/and we're headed straight into god/even he'd like to end it too/we take a pill, get a face/buy our ticket/and we hope that heaven's true"
The strongest musical trinity on the album comes by virtue of three tunes simply named "The Love Song," "The Fight Song," and "The Death Song." Each directs Manson’s anger to a different issue; America’s obsession with guns; the belief in false gods; and living in a world with no future. Naturally, these spill over into other selections on Holy Wood but in just these three songs, Manson has already made his point; society has evolved on path towards complete self-destruction and world annihilation. While at first this may be hard to digest, after thinking about it... I mean really thinking about it, the comparisons are rather frightening.
In The Soul of The Desert
"You can point your gun at me and hope it will go away/but if god was alive, he would hate you anyway"
Before the recording phase, Manson took several trips out to Death Valley for inspiration and maybe to savor a desolate environment by God’s creation. In Manson’s world, the valley of death is wrought by chaos and contradiction. "Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis)," "President Dead," and "A Place in the Dirt" all conjure up man’s penchant for violence and the need for a patsy. Manson has been named in the blame game and knows it all too well. In Holy Wood, violence has become a drug whose addiction leads to the deconstruction of our values and the things we hold most dear, our children. This makes Manson’s allegory even more terrifying and poignant.
Orchestrating Armageddon
"I would have told her then/she was the only thing that I could love in this dying world/but the simple word of 'love' itself already died and went away"
Finally having a tight unit of band members each contributing bits and pieces to Manson’s puzzle, the music on Holy Wood is dense with instrumentation that galvanizes the album’s vision of societal upheaval; the aggressive panoply of sounds is perfect. The band has married the better elements of the two prior albums creating a rambunctious metal stomp in some areas and a streamlined, sonic dirge in others.
The resonance on Holy Wood finds a middle ground between the jack boot kick in the face of Antichrist and the retro space opera of Animals. The band also relies on the "Manson hook" for up-tempo marketable tunes such as "Disposable Teens" which is "The Beautiful People" redux. It wouldn’t be Marilyn Manson without staple riffs and signature grooves. Yet the music is as calculated as the lyrics, and the slick production captures the band’s sound on its most primal and visceral levels.
Tell Me Something Beautiful
"Angels with needles poked through our eyes and let the ugly light of the world in/and we were no longer blind"
This is the album I expected from Marilyn Manson. And I'm not afraid to express my fanboy exuberance over the release of this record. I've been along for the ride since July '94 and I'm not ready to get off the boat yet. Although Holy Wood should please even the most moderate Manson fans, it's difficult to predict whether it will draw new listeners. I'd like to think it would despite Manson's pandering to those that already buy into his rhetoric. And please don't think for a second that I accept everything thing the man has to say. I've been around Manson long enough to know when he's serious or merely posturing to get a rise out of his fans and critics.
My personal feelings toward Manson & Co. extend beyond the music and the messages, but it still boils down to whether the band is good or not. If they weren't, I wouldn't bother. Fortunately, Manson knows how to push the right buttons and keep his fans interested in what he has to say. I'm not the first to admit that his act isn't entirely original or that some of his devoted admirers can be rather obnoxious. But that's rock n roll, baby! What matters is that I dig the music, and the fact that the record reinforces the urge to think makes it infinitely better.
One Trick Pony
"She was the color of TV/her mouth curled under like a metal snake/although Holy Wood was sad/they'd remember this as Valentine's day"
Manson will always have his detractors who will never see the brilliance in his methods or performance. The Religious Right will never accept Manson’s ideals and understandably so. Politicians and thought police will always be roadblocks in his way. Peers are quick to label Manson a rip-off, derivative of the theatrical musicians that came before him. Critics will decry him as the seedy salesman rolling into town hustling his snakeskin oil and miracle tonic of formula-driven rock excess. Manson will remain parents’ worst nightmare while their children find solace in his words and music. Yet Marilyn Manson is perfectly comfortable in this position; it gives him purpose and reason to be. And like a wounded animal, this is when Manson is the most dangerous.
The Third and Final Beast?
"The world that hates me has taken its toll/but now I have finally taken control/You wanted so bad to make me this thing/And I want you now to kill the king"
Say what you want about Marilyn Manson, the man, the band or the phenomena, you can’t deny his impact on music or culture in the few years he has been on the scene. For some, he is the scene. For others, he’s a dry, witless freak with a flabby ass devoid of talent in his 15th minute of fame. But for a lanky, midwestern kid with a big dream, he must have done something right. Plus he’s mustered enough controversy to be named Public Enemy #1 more than once.
For me, music is at its most spiritual when it carries a meaning of great importance; sometimes it’s just in the music and other times it’s in the words. For Manson, it’s both. It’s sad to think that, in most cases, Manson has only been preaching to the choir while those who really need to hear his message lack the open-mindedness to listen. Unfortunately even the most powerful messages fall on deaf ears.
Man That You Fear
"I’ve got an angel in the lobby/he’s waiting to put me in line/but I won’t ask forgiveness/for my faith has gone dry"
It’s often said that children are the future. Sadly in the world according to Manson, children are born dead. They move about listless, without a soul; they aren’t encouraged or given a chance to be themselves. In Holy Wood, the future isn’t bleak... it’s non-existent. While the majority is spoon-fed convenient portions of boy bands and pop divas, a sobering rumble brews in the underbelly of America. Don’t be surprised if our savior comes dressed in black carrying a hammer, a sickle and a gun.
"Mankind needs a god but god does not need mankind." - Marilyn Manson
Track Listing:
HOLY WOOD
(in the shadow of the valley of death)
A: In the Shadow
GODEATGOD
THE LOVE SONG
THE FIGHT SONG
DISPOSABLE TEENS D: The Androgyne
TARGET AUDIENCE (NARCISSUS NARCOSIS)
"PRESIDENT DEAD"
IN THE SHADOW OF THE VALLEY OF DEATH
CRUCI-FICTION IN SPACE
A PLACE IN THE DIRT A: Of Red Earth
THE NOBODIES
THE DEATH SONG
LAMB OF GOD
BORN AGAIN
BURNING FLAG M: The Fallen
COMA BLACK
a) EDEN EYE
b) THE APPLE OF DISCORD
VALENTINE'S DAY
THE FALL OF ADAM
KING KILL 33º
COUNT TO SIX AND DIE (THE VACUUM OF INFINITE SPACE ENCOMPASSING)
If Marilyn Manson ignites our feelings and compels the listener to think, then his job is done. It's up to us to shape the world and make the future a better place. And despite Manson's grim depiction in Holy Wood, I know he'd agree.
Compare it to Artist's Discography: Completely characteristic of style, inspired and horrific Great Music to Play While: Inciting a revolution R.I.Y.L.: Elvis, John Lennon, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Diamanda Galas, Radiohead Recommended listening for: Parents of Manson fans Recommended as a gift for: Freethinkers Dedication to: Angelynx, may her eloquent prose continue to inspire Thanks to: LT, for the encouraging words
Written in the house where the Rolling Stones lived during the making of Let It Bleed, and recorded at the home of the late magician Harry Houdini, Ho...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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