Marilyn Manson has had one heck of a career in my opinion and one that has seen it’s fair shares of ups and downs. He rose to the very top for a long time only to drop off a little bit before reclaiming his place in the world. The album that truly catapulted him into the spotlight was none other than his second studio album Antichrist Superstar which came out on October 8, 1996 via Nothing/Interscope and was produced by Manson, Trent Reznor, Sean Beavan, and Dave Olgilvie. The lineup credited with working on the album are Manson (Lead Vocals, Guitars), Daisy Berkowitz (Guitars), Twiggy Ramirez (Bass/Guitars), Madonna Wayne Gacy (Keys/Loops), Ginger Fish (Drums), and Zim Zum who does live guitar on Dead To The World. While the album was extremely controversial in it’s day, it was also hugely successful as well. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Top 200 charts in the US while peaking at number two in Canada, and number five in New Zealand while the album was certified platinum in the US (almost hitting double status). It also received a crap ton of accolades since it’s release with too many to list, but Rock Sound in France ranked it 11TH on their 150 greatest albums of our lifetime list.
1. Irresponsible Hate Anthem– The first track of the album, cycle I: The Heirophant, and the first track to kick off this rock opera concept album.I believe the track was recorded live as well. It’s in your face with a punk flare to it and features some awesome bass playing from Twiggy. It’s a track lashing back at the identity of America and the idea that we are free. 5/5
2. The Beautiful People– The lead single off the album is this drop d tuned power chord heavy track that kicks ass. On wikipedia, they describe the song’s meaning saying, “Lyrically, it is entwined with the Antichrist Superstar album’s overarching theme, a semi-narrative examination of the Nietzschean Übermensch. Within this context, “The Beautiful People” deals explicitly with the destructive manifestation of the Will to Power (“There’s no time to discriminate / hate every motherfucker that’s in your way”), while also exploring Nietzsche’s view of master-slave morality (“It’s not your fault that you’re always wrong / The weak ones are there to justify the strong”), particularly the concept’s connection with Social Darwinism and its relation to various political and economic systems such as capitalism and fascism (“Capitalism has made it this way/Old-fashioned fascism will take it away.” 5/5
3. Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World– I love this song and always thought it was underrated in this track that is all about the worm’s experiences in the world living among the “Beautriful People” of the world and all of the lies he experiences. The last minute of the track is one of my favorite segments on the whole album. 5/5
4. Tourniquet-The second single off of the album and probably one of the best Marilyn Manson songs ever written. The heavy Alice Cooper influenced track is said to be influenced by dreams that Manson had. He described them saying, “I’ve always had these dreams about making a girl out of all these pieces of prosthetic limbs, and then taking my own hair and teeth that I saved from when I was a kid and very ritualistically creating this companion.” It’s the last step before he becomes the little Horn. 5/5
5. Little Horn– The first track in Cycle II: Inauguration of the Worm and the in your face death rock track actually has a biblical reference to it. The Little Horn is the last beast of the four beasts that David dreams about that is ruled by 10 kings, but that Little Horn is the scariest one and that is the Antichrist Superstar in our story. 5/5
6. Cryptorchid-a techno like beginning with some bass playing and is the shortest track on the album (and his discography as well). The song overall is about how society likes to beat down their views into children’s heads before they can form their own opinions. 5/5
7. Deformography-a heavily keys/samples/loops driven track that is all about the worm wishing to get back at the “Beautiful People” of the world. 5/5
8. Wormboy– a crazy sounding track from Manson that mixes the guitars with the programming to give it a unique sound. I believe the song is about the worm being tempted by a being calling himself the Antichrist. He realizes that everything they said about sinning is true and he’s excited because he wants to live the sinful life but he’s not sure either. 5/5
9. Mister Superstar-A great rock track written by Twiggy that sees the worm as a rockstar now as he has evolved. I also think it’s a reflection of fame where no one knows you and wants to be around you until you become this big star. 5/5
10. Angel with the Scabbed Wings– a great track that sees the worm finally evolve into the the angel with the scabbed wings where he has people that worship and people that fear him. Definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album. 5/5
11. Kinderfeld– I have always loved the beginning and overall sound of this track which always sounded like a laser going off along with that ominous bass riff. I think the track is about the worm asking the Distengrator what it’s like to be that figure. 5/5
12. Antichrist Superstar– The first track of Cycle III: Disintegrator Rising and Manson says the song is about “I’m satirising the fascism of politics, of religion, and most importantly the fascism of rock’n’roll. Whether people are realising that, or simply buzzing off the spectacle, isn’t my concern. I’m thoroughly entertained by it as a massive piece of performance art because it has so many dimensions, because we’re the polar opposite of Nazism, would be the first to be destroyed by it, and we’re using that imagery against itself … Words and symbolism are only as powerful as you make them. Just looking at fascist imagery doesn’t make it hateful … All there is, is making people think for themselves. That’s it. No answers. You make your choice. Fascism is precisely what I’m out to destroy but if people see our show and see fascism, it’s in them already. It’s a self discovery and that’s what we’re here for, to make people think, enable self-discovery. I ain’t here to condemn or condone. I’m here to go against the grain. I’ve transformed my world so that I am my own work of fiction, with no boundaries to what I can do, no limits. I’m saying anyone can do that. Anyone.” 5/5
13. 1996– a industrial punk like pace on this song that is about being anti everything even anti you, etc. 5/5
14. Minute of Decay– a bass driven track that features some interesting sounds that the band created for the track. It almost seems like the track is sort of an off day for our main character who seems to be depressed about his new role. 5/5
15. The Reflecting God– This is an incredible song to hear live with it’s amazing chorus, but it’s another bass driven track that features some acoustic guitars in it by Danny Lohner as well as a wall of noise. It’s all about making up your own mind about life. 5/5
16. Man That You Fear– One of the eeriest songs ever written by Manson and the last track on the album. Things are different for the worm as he has become the man that everyone fears and there is no much he can do. 5/5
My Final Thoughts– This was one of the best albums that Manson ever wrote besides Mechanical Animals and one of the best alternative albums of the 90’s. The album was a perfect storm for him as it rose him to ranks that life was imitating art in a way as people feared him more. I gave the album five stars out of five for a final grade.
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