Marilyn Manson

Antichrist Superstar

The Best Album ever at times, other times Not so Hot

Review Score:

(8/10)
I enjoy this album for its great, harsh, industrial guitars and rythms. I would say there are many fanatical reviews here (100000/10??), which I will try to steer from. As a metal album, Anticrist Superstar is an absolute classic with obviously a lot more than a trent reznor influence (surpasses in many ways, but mainly just different). In listening, I have noticed three sections or phases this album goes through. I will rate these different sections.

1st-I would rate the opening, Hate Anthem and Beautiful People as near perfect openers, although with some obvious sounding lyrics. They do a great job of setting up the tone and information on the concept of the antichrist superstar as well. 9/10. A lot of people don't like these songs, especially hate anthem. Not me though, I appreciate the unmatched raw energy. Beautiful people is just awesome, although over played.

2nd-Next, Dried Up, Tourniquet, Little Horn, Wormboy, Superstar, as well as deformography and cryptorchid really show how great this album is when it hits its stride. These are high energy songs with some great industrial guitars that show off manson's voice. Especially good are Little Horn, Tourniquet, and Superstar. Great buzz words in all of these. Deformography and cryptorchid are not the best, but all right. Even with them, this section gets 10/10.

-Finally, the last half. I like concept albums as much as the next guy, but this final section just does not do it for me. Some people actually prefer this section to all others and this can only be a testiment to the many levels this album can be enjoyed on. I personally feel like these songs were fast songs slowed down, not genuine slow metal songs like "scare crow" by Ministry. Maybe manson didn't have the energy for twenty songs with a tempo like the first half. Its not terrible, however, especially angel with the scabbed wings, and some of the later songs hit some good notes. Also, the lyrics work more closely with his overall album concept (the life and death of the antichrist) here than in any other section. However, these songs just wouldn't stand up by themselves. 6/10

Reminder- awesome album. One of the top five metal albums of all time, maybe the best. Seriously.

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