Marilyn
Manson
Holly
Wood (In the Shadow of the Vally) (2000)
Genre:
Alternative Metal, Industrial Metal, Heavy Metal
This
album is probably Manson’s magnum opus; it fuses and capitalizes on the best
aspects from Anti-Christ and Mechanical Animals, and was able to filter out
some of the short comings of those two albums. It’s the first Manson the I’ve
ever got my hands on, I remember not being very impressed the first time I
listened to it, but I’ve learned to really appreciate this production over time.
Vocals and Lyrics: Beyond the
shock aspect of the lyrics that get in the way at moments, the album has a
strong political message. 9
Instrumentation:
Guitar: Its
John 5 first album with Manson, he brings a heavier guitar attack to the band.
Bass: Twiggy
does a good job.
Drums: Mr.
Fish has some awesome drums.
Keys: Gacy’s
sound selection for his Synths is great as usual giving cohesion to the album. 7.25
Melody and/or
Structure: The songs structure depend more on heavy Riffs but melody isn’t forgotten
9
Sound, Production and Feeling:
The production goes back to a more glichy and a Nine Inch Nails’ish sound,
where Manson sounds the best. It’s one of his heaviest albums. 10
Songs: It’s hard to make a 19
track album and keep it interesting from start to finish, and Manson nails it. 15
The Bad:
Originality: This is Manson’s
best album, Nuff Said. 10
Overall: 60.25
