MARILYN MANSON THE GOLDEN AGE OF GROTESQUE ALBUM NOTHING, INTERSCOPE, UNIVERSAL RELEASE: MAY 12, 2003 REVIEW: MAY 16, 2003

I have never been a real follower of Marilyn Manson. But when the first heavy chords of "This Is the New Shit" hits me in the stomach like a sledgehammer, I kneel like a true believer. Because it’s the heavy, phat and overwhelming production (by new member, Swede Tim Skold) that strikes at first glance. This is state of the art destructive music, set to ruin the sanity and speakers of all listeners. I have not heard guitars this heavy since "Untouchables" by Korn, and here the songs are much better.
Actually, these songs - industrial style German cabaret rock anthems - are better than anything Marilyn Manson himself has put out - ever. Just listen to "rock your head off"-anthem "Ka-boom Ka-boom", previous single "Tainted Love" singalong tune "mOBSCENE" or, my personal favourite "Golden Age of Grotesque". This is truly the new shit and the only drawbacks are the fact that Mr Manson still thinks he must complain about everything he doesn’t like. Why not just kick back and be a great star? I wonder. The songs would be even better without this much bitching about everything. And the record would be even better if there weren’t this many songs - 16. At least a third doesn’t actually make the cut, and wouldn’t even have been included in the good old days of vinyl.
But still - this is the album Manson should have made right after "Mechanical Animals" instead of the boring "Holy Wood". This is the album that points to the future for Marilyn Manson. If they get better than this I will really be scared. Now I’m only a born-again Mansonian and a little afraid.

KALLE MALMSTEDT