Defend the Indefensible: Marilyn Manson's "Antichrist Superstar"

This was a release that upon its release, I found to be sophomoric to the point where I wouldn't listen to it with the rest of my classmates. Also playing into it was the fact that I was briefly into Judeo-Christianity, and also found the guitar playing to be very uninspiring. I guess I considered them a Green Jello type act that just took itself too serious and was using the "antichrist" angle to sell records as any other shock rocker had done prior.

Why, then, do I like this album so much now? Certainly it's not a landmark by any means - the lyrics aren't real interesting (except for the moments in which Rev decides not to be as inflammatory like Tourniquet), and there is certainly filler, but there is also some very entertaining shock rock on this album if taken as such.

I do think it was wise for him to reinvent himself as he did after this album - mainstream America grew much more accepting of 'extreme' viewpoints, so an 'antichristian' soldier today doesn't really come across as shocking, and he did quite well being glam inspired. But I think this was a nice coda to his attack on soccer moms across America.

"Beautiful People" has a good riff.

to be fair i think his association with Mr. Reznor helped immensely too.

Bobby Conn is a better antichrist IMO

I can't defend this guy, he sucked all the fun out of shock rock.

Hey! You! Are you tryin' to be me?
Your middle name is Barnaby Glade

Haha. That's a nice variation on the misheard lyrics.

I remember liking the first half or so of the album, but it just goes on for way, way too long with zero variation in the second half.

Mechanical Animals, on the other hand, I have listened to more than I should probably admit.

MA is teh nuts, no need to be ashamed.

MA is easily his worst seller yet best album

@J3ff: I think I agree with you re: the second half. That could be why I remember very little of it.

I still think Smells Like Children is my favorite release of his. short, mostly remixed old songs....that sound better than the original mixes.

i bought the 1st cd the day it came out due to the trent reznor association. liked 3 or 4 songs so kinda wrote them off, didnt care for antichrist superstar at all and ended up hating it as it was everywhere. when MA came out i liked the sound of it aka roxy music,japan ,ziggy stardust etc influence, thought it was great. sold it one time i needed money for new cds (pre internet days)

but the track that put me off MM most was that fucking eurythmics cover

this is totally easily defensible. its great fun, catchy, stupid rock. mechanical animals is indeed even better.

cosign, this record is dope

yea i revisited this a few yrs ago and still dug it, lotsa hooks v. catchy

MA is easily his worst seller yet best album

― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, March 14, 2010 8:17 PM (42 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

hardly, it went platinum and his last three didn't even go gold

this is totally easily defensible. its great fun, catchy, stupid rock. mechanical animals is indeed even better.

― Jamie_ATP, Monday, March 15, 2010 12:56 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

agreed. also agree with

I remember liking the first half or so of the album, but it just goes on for way, way too long with zero variation in the second half.

― smacked down over Twitter (J3ff T.), Monday, March 15, 2010 12:13 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark

Smells Like Children might be my favourite...it's the one that most resembles the Butthole Surfers (except for maybe the first one?)...Eurythmics cover kinda sucks, absolutely fucking love the Patti Smith cover though...

Off this one, I really liked Tourniquet and 1999...

A friend of mine used to play the first album a lot and I think I might rather like it if I listened to it properly - it's their most erm pop-industrial, right?