Marilyn Manson Courts Controversy With "The High End of Low"

Marilyn Manson has revealed the track list and cover art for his new album The High End of Low, out May 26th. The album's first single "Arma... geddon" hit radio April 13th, with a title cut down from its original, not-radio-friendly "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon." Manson also previously released a free digital single, the dance-punky "We're From America." There are 15 tracks on High End, many with titles you'd expect to see on a Manson album: "I Have To Look Up Just to See Hell," "I Want To Kill You Like They Do In the Movies" and album opener "Devour." There's also a song called "WOW," which we too are excited about. As Rock Daily previously reported, this is Manson's first LP with Twiggy Ramirez since 2000's Holy Wood.

Manson is always up for a nice controversy, and he just might attract an angry mob thanks to the album's second song, "Pretty As a Swastika." That alone will get you a Parental Advisory sticker every time. As for the album's cover, it shows a simple photo of the shock rocker wearing a glo-necklace around his head like a sunken halo. If there's special significance to the pose, Manson hasn't revealed it yet. Fan reaction has been mixed so far (one commenter at Blabbermouth says, "The album cover makes him look like some evil 15 year old emo girl on MySpace"). Check out the rest of the track list, plus get the scoop on more of the Spring's big releases here.

The High End of Low
"Devour"
"Pretty As A Swastika"
"Leave A Scar"
"Four Rusted Horses"
"Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon"
"Blank And White"
"Running To The Edge Of The World"
"I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies"
"WOW"
"Wight Spider"
"Unkillable Monster"
"We're From America"
"I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell"
"Into The Fire"
"15"

Related Stories:

• Fans React To Marilyn Manson's Dance-Punky New Song "We're From America"
• Marilyn Manson Offers Free Song As New Album "The High End of Low" Lurks
• Marilyn Manson Scares Up Mayhem, Memories In NYC; Plus Photos

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter