Marilyn Manson – Pale Emperor

With an innate ability to scare small children into a stupor, Marilyn Manson is a one-off character; a beautiful freak. Yet, Marilyn Manson – the band – are slightly more restrained in their approach. They know exactly how to produce a worthy album, filled with addictive oddities and one-of-a-kind rock pieces. It’s almost needless to say that Pale Emperor certainly follows suit, a commendable new addition to the group’s already impressive portfolio.

Despite being in the music industry for almost two decades, Manson has not felt the need to recycle old conventions or cut corners with Pale Emperor. What he and the group have created here is entirely new ground, which is what makes it so wonderfully distinct and striking. The album is merely an evolution of what the group do best: crafting albums without the need for filler tracks or tacky diversions.

Each track is an axiomatic work of art, but there are a couple of songs that go far beyond that level of mystique. Third Day of a Seven Day Binge is one of these wonders, telling a challenging story between the tiered levels of raw, industrial rock. Deep Six will convert you to Manson’s dark side if you’re not already there. Other tracks that will have you erratically banging the repeat button are: Cupid Carries a Gun, Slave Only Dreams to Be King and Killing Strangers.

It can often be a fathomable impossibility for artists to stay relevant and fresh in a time when other new artists are churned out like butter. But Manson always knows how to cause a commotion and stay in the spotlight: by creating extravagant music alongside his equally as eccentric bandmates. Pale Emperor is the very example of this, and is well worth your hard-earned cash if you’re craving something truly unique and gorgeously bizarre.

Keira Trethowan

Pale Emperor was released on 16^th January 2015, for further information or to order the album visit here.

Watch the video for Deep Six here: