Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

Marilyn Manson’s “mOBSCENE” is a snarling, growling beast of a single, in that finest of Manson traditions. It’s got Marilyn’s ever-clever lyrical twists (my favorite is “be obscene, baby – not heard”), it’s got a wickedly brilliant faux-cheerleading chant (“Be! Obscene! Be! Be! Obscene!”), it’s got grinding, whirling-dervish guitars, smacking you upside the head until you nearly wanna scream “I submit!” It’s got nifty little technoid touches, courtesy of new member and coproducer Tim Skold (formerly of the gigantic goth-industrial godheads Skinny Puppy). And it’s got, most importantly, Marilyn himself sounding like he’s ready to eat you. He’s your horror-movie fever dream in the flesh, screaming for yours anyway he can get it. This ain’t the sound of teenaged rebellion, though (though it could be used as its conduit, and doubtless will by a myriad of black-clad teens, God love ‘em) – this is the sound of America cracking at its seams. Marilyn’s got a needle and thread, but he’s also got a new pattern. He’s John Ashcroft’s worst nightmare, and for that alone you should love him. But if that’s not enough for you, take him, sunder him, serve him up, and give thanks. He’s no personal Jesus; he’s the antiChrist superstar, baby, and he’ll die for his sins. On his own terms. Not yours.