Marilyn Manson - Born Villain

 This is just massive news for me. Infamous shock rocker and all round Godly figure, Marilyn Manson has to be one of my favourite musicians ever. I've been waiting for ages for a chance to discuss him and his music on this blog and now, I finally have the chance. See, Manson has been a huge influence on me and was really what first got me into heavier music, I own every Manson album and recognize and listen every song contained with upmost joy and overall love. And finally after more than two years, we finally have a new single! Taken from his still-untitled-ninth album, I've been presented with a new video, directed by Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf for new song, Born Villain.

 A good way to describe the track is to say it takes the depth and complexity of 2009's The High End of Low, the ferocity and viciousness of 1994's Portrait of an American Family, which is played with the kind of sleekness and industrial beauty heard on 2003's The Golden Age of Grotesque. In that sense it is a sinister and powerful examination of Manson over the ages, combining various styles of various albums. It's simply spellbinding as you just get lost in the world of industrial grisliness.

 And then there's the video. Wow. The video... LaBeouf is much darker than I had imagined him to be. He pointed out in interviews regarding the video, Born Villain "has all these references to Macbeth and all this Shakespeare and heavy theology, so we tried to make Manson's Un Chien Andalou macabre Macbeth - that's sort of what that [video] became." With various interludes in the video featuring recitals of lines from Macbeth, this statement manages to come through, the rest of the video... leaves me speechless, a surrealist fans dream come true. Just don't watch if epileptic, or easily offended, or squirm at the sight of blood. There's a good chance my blog could be removed if I post this video, but it's so worth it.

 Overall, Born Villain shows various elements of Mansons life in music all combined to create something of a gothic masterpiece and shows signs for a truly glorious new album.