The band spent over a year quietly writing and recording in a studio in Death Valley prior to Manson taking three months out and not leaving his house to write his as of yet unreleased novel ''[[Holy Wood (novel)|Holy Wood]]'', with only the single "[[Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes (single)|Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes]]" — an outtake from ''Antichrist Superstar'' — appearing during that time. On November 14, 2000, ''[[Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)]]'' was released. Returning to the darker, more visceral sound of ''Antichrist Superstar'' with the help of producer [[Bon Harris]] who Manson dubbed "the sixth member of the band." The album had largely been recorded at the mansion of Houdini, the band turning out more prolific than ever writing one hundred pieces of music, thirty of which were turned into legitimate songs and nineteen of which ended up on the album. In spite of the events in Denver it had always been Manson and the bands intention to record a more visceral, uncomprimising follow-up to ''Mechanical Animals''. At the end of ''Holy Wood'' the listener hears a revolver as it turns around on the song "[[Count to Six and Die (The Vacuum of Infinite Space Encompassing)]]". Some have interpreted this to mean that we never hear the sixth bullet because we have already been executed — a highly nihilistic message — but the obverse is true. The shot is not heard because it never comes, as Manson himself said, "when that song ends, it is not the ending. The "chamber" was empty and seeing death in the face was what made life so much more precious. Everyone is afraid, you are not alone."

The band spent over a year quietly writing and recording in a studio in Death Valley prior to Manson taking three months out and not leaving his house to write his as of yet unreleased novel ''[[Holy Wood (novel)|Holy Wood]]'', with only the single "[[Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes (single)|Astonishing Panorama of the Endtimes]]" — an outtake from ''Antichrist Superstar'' — appearing during that time. On November 14, 2000, ''[[Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)]]'' was released. Returning to the darker, more visceral sound of ''Antichrist Superstar'' with the help of producer [[Bon Harris]] who Manson dubbed "the sixth member of the band." The album had largely been recorded at the mansion of Houdini, the band turning out more prolific than ever writing one hundred pieces of music, thirty of which were turned into legitimate songs and nineteen of which ended up on the album. In spite of the events in Denver it had always been Manson and the bands intention to record a more visceral, uncomprimising follow-up to ''Mechanical Animals''. At the end of ''Holy Wood'' the listener hears a revolver as it turns around on the song "[[Count to Six and Die (The Vacuum of Infinite Space Encompassing)]]". Some have interpreted this to mean that we never hear the sixth bullet because we have already been executed — a highly nihilistic message — but the obverse is true. The shot is not heard because it never comes, as Manson himself said, "when that song ends, it is not the ending. The "chamber" was empty and seeing death in the face was what made life so much more precious. Everyone is afraid, you are not alone."

Despite much critical acclaim, Holy Wood was Marilyn Manson's worst selling album. Described by the band as the third part of a trilogy begun with Antichrist Superstar and continued in Mechanical Animals, its overarching theme is an exploration of the relationship between death and fame in American culture, and its lyrics and artwork contain many references to John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald, John Lennon and Mark David Chapman, and even Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. The ''Guns, God, and Government'' world tour expanded upon the exploration of America's fascination with violence, and with the tour's logo — a rifle and handguns arranged to resemble the Christian cross — Manson made no attempt to conceal what he saw as the source of that fascination.

Despite much critical acclaim, Holy Wood was Marilyn Manson's worst selling album. Described by the band as the third part of a trilogy begun with Antichrist Superstar and continued in Mechanical Animals, its overarching theme is an exploration of the relationship between death and fame in American culture, and its lyrics and artwork contain many references to John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald, John Lennon and Mark David Chapman, and even Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. The ''Guns, God, and Government'' world tour expanded upon the exploration of America's fascination with violence, and with the tour's logo — a rifle and handguns arranged to resemble the Christian cross — Manson made no attempt to conceal what he saw as the source of that fascination.