Holy Wood - Marilyn Manson

'Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)' is the fourth full length studio album from Marilyn Manson, a nineteen track construction of music and one that has a run time of over an hour in length. It's really quite a powerful piece of music, a well put together album and one that features many excellent tracks. The album tackles subjects such as religion, fame, and gun crime also; the lyrical content of the album is strong and always Marilyn Manson here has plenty to say. The album begins with 'Godeatgod', the first of many tracks to reference God in the title of the track alone. It's a decent way to start the album, not the best track on 'Holy Wood ...  Read the complete review

...he who must be obeyed! This latest album from Marilyn Manson is by far his best yet, as is the live show that goes with it. Both musically and lyrically this album comes together nicely with some impossibly catchy tunes considering the genre in which it sits. I often wake up singing some of these tracks (but then I have always been strange!) To be fair, although I am greatly impressed with this album it does go slightly downhill in the final third, not to the point of being filled with tracks that shouldn't be released but it seems stretched to a point then finally drawn back into line with the final couple of tracks. But, hey, some people may ...  Read the complete review

Flourella And so it ends. My final Marilyn Manson review for the foreseeable future. In a sort of fittingly accidental fashion, I’m finishing at the end. Hollywood “In the shadow of the valley of death” (Cheery) is Manson’s current release, although as it was released in 2000 and he’s just finished touring, it may not be to long before another one finds it’s way into my friends CD collection and then eventually into my ears. As it stands though, this is Marilyn as up to date as he gets, indeed not to long ago this album won album of the year at the Kerrang! awards (Mumble mumble Sunna should have won mumble groan). So ...  Read the complete review

One could sense a slight air of desperation emanating from the Marilyn Manson camp prior to the release of this album — the final installment of the shockmeister's self-described ""triptych"" that began with the industrial-flavored breakthrough of Antichrist Superstar back in 1996 and continued with '98's more melodic Mechanical Animals. Manson himself has seemed both defiant and apologetic when discussing the latter release, whose refined glam-rock irony pleased some of those previously allergic to his weltanschauung, but also alienated his core audience of neo-goth kids. In recent interviews, Manson's line re Holy Wood has thus ...  Read the complete review

Since the early 90's, controversial publicity stunt, and all round bad guy, Marilyn Manson, along with his band of mismatched Alice Cooper wannabe's, have been attempting to set the world on fire with their anti-christian screaming and in many ways succeeding. They have appealed to many fine young persons as their answer to the problems they face today. In adolescent years, teenagers are naturally rebellious, and so to fit in with them and gain their approval, it doesn't take a genius to work out that you simply have to act like them. Marilyn Manson and co. does it with style. Their previous album outings though, have proven to more worthy of ...  Read the complete review