Editing Mechanical Animals (album)

{{Disambiguation|the album|the song|Mechanical Animals (song)|the tour|Mechanical Animals (tour)}}

{{Album
| Name        = Mechanical Animals
| Type        = studio
| Artist      = [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]]
| Cover       = Mechanical-Animals.jpg
| Released    = September 14, 1998 <small>(Australia)</small> (<yearsold y="1998" m="09" d="14"/> years ago)<br/>September 15, 1998 <small>(France, Germany and the United States)</small>
| Recorded    = 1997–1998 at the White Room, Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California and Conway Studios
| Genre       = Glam rock, post-industrial rock, electronic rock, space rock
| Length      = 62:38
| Label       = [[Nothing]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| Producer    = Michael Beinhorn, [[Marilyn Manson]], [[Sean Beavan]]
| Discogs     = http://www.discogs.com/master/18027
| Last album  = ''[[Remix & Repent]]''<br/>(1997)
| This album  = '''''Mechanical Animals'''''<br/>(1998)
| Next album  = ''[[The Last Tour on Earth]]''<br/>(1999)
| }}

'''''Mechanical Animals''''' is the third full-length studio album by [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]]. It was released on September 14, 1998, in Australia and on September 15, 1998, in the US, Germany and France through [[Nothing]] and [[Interscope Records]] and marked the beginning of the band's brief foray into glam rock, a sharp contrast to the harsh and abrasive Industrial rock and metal sound of their earlier and succeeding efforts.

It is a rock opera concept album and the second instalment in a [[Triptych|trilogy]] that includes ''[[Antichrist Superstar]]'' and ''[[Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)]]''. After the release of ''Holy Wood'', Manson revealed that the over-arching story within the trilogy is divulged in reverse chronological order. ''Holy Wood'', therefore, begins the story, followed by ''Mechanical Animals'', and concluding with ''Antichrist Superstar''.<ref name="AP#148">{{cite journal |first=Tom|last=Lanham |date=2000-11 |title=Marilyn Manson: Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fonder |trans_title= |journal=Alternative Press |issue=#148 |pages=76‐86 |publisher=Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. |accessdate=2010-11-22}}</ref>

It debuted at № 1 in its first week of sale, making it the first Marilyn Manson album to do so. It spawned four singles ("[[The Dope Show]]", "[[Rock Is Dead]]", "[[I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)]]" and "[[Coma White]]").

== Recording and production ==
{{cquote|"If 'Antichrist Superstar' was sort of my comparative fall from grace, Lucifer being kicked from heaven, this next record is about what happens on Earth now, (It's about) sort of trying to fit into a society that thinks it's full of emotions and that you're a callous person, when in fact you're the one that actually has all these feelings and it's the world that's kind of numb to them. It's almost the antithesis of what I just did." |source=—[[Marilyn Manson]] discussing the then unnamed album's principal motif with MTV News.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1431772/marilyn-manson-discusses-new-concept-next-album.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Discusses New Concept For Next Album |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1997-12-03 |accessdate=2011-03-20}}</ref>}}

=== Aborted sessions with the Dust Brothers ===
Following the conclusion of their year-long [[Dead to the World (tour)|Dead to the World]] tour in September 1997, the band relocated from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Hollywood, California.<ref name=MMNewHappyFace/> Work on ''Mechanical Animals'' initiated soon after. By early December of that year, their frontman began opening up on the then new and unnamed record's development, sitting down with MTV's "Year In Rock" special (which aired on Friday, December 12 at 7:30 pm).<ref name="MTV Marilyn Manson Discusses New Concept For Next Album"/> Early on, there were also reports that the new album would be produced by the Los Angeles-based production team, the Dust Brothers. According to MTV News, "[They] have completed work on a few tracks on the next effort from Marilyn Manson..."<ref name="MTV Manson Line Up For Dust Brothers">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425619/manson-weiland-wyclef-beck-line-up-dust-brothers.jhtml |title=Manson, Weiland, Wyclef, Beck Line Up For Dust Brothers |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1997-12-03 |accessdate=2011-03-20}}</ref> However, nothing came of this reported collaboration and none of the reported completed tracks have surfaced.

Manson's friend, [[The Smashing Pumpkins]] frontman [[Billy Corgan]], also served as an unofficial music consultant to the band during these early development stages.<ref name=MMNewHappyFace/> After playing a few of the early songs for Corgan, he advised the band that "This is definitely the right direction, but if you're gonna do this, go all the way with it. Don't just hint at it."<ref name=MMNewHappyFace/>

=== Sessions with Michael Beinhorn and Sean Beavan ===
The band subsequently employed Michael Beinhorn as principal producer, co-producing the record with [[Marilyn Manson]]. [[Sean Beavan]] was also brought in to supply additional production work.<ref name="MTV Manson Taps Studio Ace Beinhorn">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1431758/manson-taps-studio-ace-beinhorn.jhtml |title=Manson Taps Studio Ace Beinhorn |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-05-08 |accessdate=2011-03-21}}</ref> By May of that year, having just completed his obligations for [[Hole]]'s then-new album, ''Celebrity Skin'', Beinhorn's camp confirmed that the nascent Manson project was halfway complete and on course for a late summer or early fall release.<ref name="MTV Manson Taps Studio Ace Beinhorn"/> Manson, for his part, spent the early part of the year on break from the studio to promote his autobiography, ''[[The Long Hard Road Out of Hell]]''.<ref name="MTV Manson Taps Studio Ace Beinhorn"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Reiss |first=Randy |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/3355/19980223/index.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Presses Flesh At Book Signing |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2011-05-31}}</ref>

[[File:MechanicalAnimalsZimZum.jpg|200px|thumbnail|right|Zim Zum in Mechanical Animals]]

During his February 24, 1998 interview on National Public Radio's ''Fresh Air'' radio talk show to promote the book he divulged that, having exhausted the topic of organized religion in the previous album, the upcoming release will see a major shift in thematic focus: "After going through what I just did in the past two years, it's almost like Edward Scissorhands or E.T.—someone who feels like they're in a place where they're not accepted or don't belong [...] It's more from that perspective. It's much more vulnerable music that I'm making on this new album. Both sonically and lyrically it's about the depression of alienation, rather than the aggressiveness of it. It's about the emptiness."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/3456/19980303/index.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Endorses Net Censorship |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-03-03 |accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> Guitarist [[Zim Zum]] divulged that in one instance the band recorded a song a day for two weeks straight during a particular spree of creativity.<ref name="VH1ZimZumQuits">{{cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/450080/19980723/index.jhtml |title=Zim Zum Quits Marilyn Manson To Pursue Solo Career |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-07-23 |accessdate=2011-06-12}}</ref>

Final mixing and post-production took place in a studio in Burbank, California.<ref name=MMNewHappyFace>{{cite web |last=Ali |first=Lorraine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/marilyn-mansons-new-happy-face-19980902 |title=Marilyn Manson's New (Happy) Face |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1998-09-02 |accessdate=2011-06-07}}</ref> In July 1998, after having contributed guitar work to 12{{#tag:ref|The album's liner notes actually credit Zim Zum with only 8 songs.<ref name="Allmusic MA"/>|group=N}} of the album's 14 tracks, Zim Zum left the band under amicable terms to pursue his own solo project.<ref name="VH1ZimZumQuits"/> He was replaced by the former guitarist of English industrial metal band 2wo, John Lowery (rechristened by the band as [[John 5]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/450020/19980720/index.jhtml |title=Manson's Guitarist Replaced |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-07-20 |accessdate=2011-06-12}}</ref>

== Concept ==
:''for a complete overview of the Trilogy see [[Triptych]].''

In the album, [[Marilyn Manson|Manson]] takes on two roles, being a substance addicted glam rocker and a gender ambiguous Alien called ''Omēga'' (pronounced oh-mee-gah) who, much like [[David Bowie]]'s ''Ziggy Stardust'', falls down to earth, is captured and then turned into a rock star product with a band called ''The Mechanical Animals''. He has become numb to the world, either lost or high in outer space or the Hollywood Hills, through excessive drug use as a coping mechanism with his life as a product of his corporate masters. Manson's other role is that of ''Alpha'' who is based on himself and his experiences around this time. Acting as Omēga's foil, Alpha is only just beginning to feel emotion for the first time and trying to learn how to use them properly. He begins to despair about how little emotion most humans feel, observing them to be "mechanical animals". Both are looking to come back into the world - looking among the mechanical animals for the thing they need to make themselves whole. They call it [[Coma White]], unsure if she is real or simply a drug induced hallucination<ref>{{cite web|last=Heath |first=Chris |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/14639/80382 |title= The Love Song of Marilyn Manson |publisher=Rolling Stone Magazine (RS 797) |date=1998-10-15 |accessdate=2010-09-11}}</ref>. Subsequently, seven of the fourteen songs are from the perspective, lyrically and musically, of Omēga and his fictional band The Mechanical Animals, while the other seven are by Alpha (Marilyn Manson). The Omēga songs are typically those most nihilistic and superficial lyrically, such as "[[The Dope Show]]", "User Friendly" and "New Model No. 15". The album artwork features a dual liner note book, in which one half has lyrics for the Omēga songs, and when flipped over, has those for the Alpha songs.

Marilyn Manson later noted in an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' magazine that "''Mechanical Animals'' was to represent the point where the revolution got sold out, a hollow shell of what the essence of Marilyn Manson was. It was a satire, and a lot of people interpreted it as 'This is what he really is.' I was making a mockery of what I was, taking a shot at myself."<ref name="RS The Third Face of Marilyn Manson">{{cite journal |last=Hochman |first=Steve |month=July |date=2000-07-20 |year=2000 |title=The Third Face of Marilyn Manson |journal=Rolling Stone |volume= |issue=845 |pages= |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |doi= |accessdate=2011-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1436775/20000803/index.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson's Unholy Doings |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=2000-08-03 |accessdate=2011-04-04}}</ref>

=== Manson on the concept of the album ===
{{Videos
| 0go8Sysi11M =
}}

== Composition ==
Unlike Marilyn Manson's previous work, ''[[Antichrist Superstar]]'', ''Mechanical Animals'' is, on an aesthetic level, far less dark. In both image and music, ''Mechanical Animals'' is inspired by 1970s style, Bowie-esque glam rock (Manson has often cited [[David Bowie]] as his biggest influence). Most songs contain lighter melodies, however, this 'lightness' does not necessarily extend to the lyrics. The music is also far more complicated than most of his work.

The song "[[Great Big White World]]" raised concerns, among some groups, of possibly being a racially-motivated reference until Manson himself cleared up the rumors by stating that it was about cocaine.

''Rolling Stone'' described Manson's crooning on the title track, "[[Mechanical Animals (song)|Mechanical Animals]]", as evocative of "the sultry vibe of T. Rex's Marc Bolan".<ref name=MMNewHappyFace/>

"[[I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)]]" features guitar work by [[Dave Navarro]].<ref name=MMNewHappyFace/>

== Promotion ==
Unlike its [[Antichrist Superstar|predecessor]], ''Mechanical Animals'' featured more promotional techniques to raise sales. Five days before the album's release, the band performed "The Dope Show" at the [[1998/09/10 Los Angeles, CA|1998 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Pecorelli |first=John |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/behind-the-scenes-at-the-vmas-19980911 |title=Behind the Scenes at the VMAs |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1998-09-11|accessdate=2011-06-08}}</ref> The "Ziggy-in-Vegas" performance saw Manson strut into the stage in a blue vinyl coat with a faux-fur collar before stripping down, mid-way into the song, to a blue skin-tight costume with cut-outs that revealed the prosthetic breasts and androgynous genitalia of his Omēga character.<ref name="walkingonthemoon"/> The performance also included a trio of "besequined" back-up singers that harmonized with the frontman as he sang along.<ref name="walkingonthemoon"/> ''Rolling Stone'' remarked that "[i]ncontrovertibly, Marilyn Manson stole the show."<ref name="walkingonthemoon">{{cite web|last=Sherman |first=Heidi |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/walking-on-the-moon-98-vmas-report-19980911 |title=Walking on the Moon: '98 VMAs Report |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1998-09-11|accessdate=2011-06-08}}</ref> Several adverts were also used to promote the album, including,<br>

{{Videos
| KryDTyFBYO8 = Television Promotional Commercial
}}

{{Photos
| MABillboard.jpg = Mechanical Animals Billboard featured in Times Square In New York City (courtesy of [[The Nachtkabarett]]).
}}

== Release ==
At a time before the ubiquity of peer-to-peer file sharing, the first singles from both Beinhorn-produced albums were leaked three weeks before their intended release dates and played "nearly a dozen times" on New York radio station WXRK (92.3 FM) and its Los Angeles-based sister station, KROQ (106.7 FM), on the weekend of July 31 to August 2, 1998.<ref name="VH1TunesLeakedOnRadioNet">{{cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/500067/19980804/index.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson, Hole Tunes Leaked On Radio, Net |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-08-04 |accessdate=2011-07-10}}</ref> Interscope neither confirmed nor denied that the leak originated from them but joined Hole's label, DGC Records, in issuing a cease and desist order to WXRK on August 3.<ref name="VH1TunesLeakedOnRadioNet"/>

In spite of this the Manson single, "The Dope Show", was subsequently recorded and converted by a fan into a near CD-quality MP3 and made available on an unofficial fan site for download soon after.<ref name="VH1TunesLeakedOnRadioNet"/> The following weekend, San Francisco radio station Live 105 (105.3 FM) played both singles again.<ref name="VH1SFStationJumpsGun">{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/500255/19980812/index.jhtml |title=S.F. Station Jumps Gun On Manson, Hole Singles |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-08-12 |accessdate=2011-07-10}}</ref>

=== Singles ===
Arguably, this album's most successful song is "[[The Dope Show]]", which fared extremely well on both video and single charts in the United States and abroad. It continues to reign as the band's most commercially successful song. The music video debuted the band's controversial new, androgynous glam rock sound and image to the world. It is inspired by Alejandro Jodorowsky's controversial art film ''The Holy Mountain'' as well as the David Bowie film, ''The Man Who Fell to Earth.'' Again, Bowie's influence has been enormous on this album, with both influences noted publicly by Manson himself.

The third single, "[[Rock Is Dead]]", was featured in ''The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture'', soundtrack album for the film ''The Matrix''—the song is played during the end credits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Music-Motion-Picture/dp/B00000IFW8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1290357303&sr=1-1 |title=The Matrix: Music From The Motion Picture (Explicit Lyrics, Soundtrack) |publisher=Amazon.com |accessdate=2010-11-22}}</ref>

=== Cover and packaging ===
{{cquote|"The shock of the image was increased because it looked like a real photograph.." |source=''The Greatest Album Covers of All Time''<ref name="GreatestCovers"/>}}

The controversial album cover, believed to rank among the greatest cover art ever, has won critical acclaim and numerous awards.<ref name="GreatestCovers">{{cite book |last1= Miles |first1= Barry |last2= Scott |first2= Grant |last3= Morgan |first3= Johnny |title= ''The Greatest Album Covers of All Time'' |archiveurl= |archivedate= |accessdate=2011-04-15 |type= |edition= |series= |volume= |date= |year=2005 |month= |origyear= |publisher=Anova Books |location=United Kingdom |isbn=9781843404811 |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=}}</ref> The infamous photo depicts Manson as an androgynous naked figure with breasts, six fingers and airbrushed genitalia.<ref name=MMNewHappyFace/> It is the brainchild of New York City-based longtime Manson photographer Joseph Cultice. Designer Paul Brown has said of the cover, "I'm extremely proud of it. I said more in one of his covers than any novel could. It made people think and cringe."<ref name="GreatestCovers"/> ''The Greatest Album Covers of All Time'' explains that "The shock of the image was increased because it looked like a real photograph,"<ref name="GreatestCovers"/> which Manson claimed to represent "sexlessness and vulnerability," in addition to his own "affection for prosthetic limbs."<ref name="GreatestCovers"/> In 2003 VH1 declared that ''Mechanical Animals'' had the twenty-ninth greatest album cover of all time,<ref name="Vh150 Greatest Album Covers">{{cite web | title = The Greatest: 50 Greatest Album Covers | url = http://www.vh1.com/photos/gallery/?fid=1478677&pid=1542312 |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) | accessdate = 2011-03-15}}</ref> It is also featured in Grant Scott's book "The Greatest Album Covers of All Time."

The prosthetic breasts Manson adorned for the cover shot were manufactured specially by George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. Interestingly, Manson has stated in interviews that Johnny Depp is the current owner of these prosthetic breasts, while Manson himself owns Depp's strawberry-blonde wig worn in the film ''Blow''. Manson is in reality, naked, and covered head to toe in latex paint, provided by the same movie make-up company. His genitalia are covered by a thin cup of plastic to create the androgynous appearance of the newborn character he calls Alpha. The hips were photoshopped onto the picture, and were taken from a photograph of Elle McPherson, although others claim they are Heidi Klum's.

The album also features an alternate, less graphic cover which is contained on the reverse side of the album liner notes. It is coincidentally, the cover for an album of the same name by Omēga and the Mechanical Animals, a fictitious band comprised of characters played by the members of Marilyn Manson. The photo featured on this alternate cover art is a prime example of dissimulation, or the psycho-artistic method of distributing knowledge or ideas in plain view, but in a way that only certain members of the mass public can comprehend, often with multiple meanings present; one meaning for the select few who understand, and another meaning for the masses. An example from this image is the haunting, still unsolved symbolism of the numeral 15;<ref name="VH1 Marilyn Manson's Numbers May Be Up">{{cite web|last=Kaufman |first=Gil |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/510494/19990103/index.jhtml |title='98's Best: Marilyn Manson's Numbers May Be Up—And They're '1' and '5' |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-01-03|accessdate=2011-04-30}}</ref> Manson quite cunningly hides the figure 5 in plain view, including the five syringes edited into the background behind him, the number of fingers he holds up, the number of visible buttons on his suit, et cetera. The cover art text is also an anagram which, when rearranged, reads 'Marilyn Manson Is An Alchemical Man'.<ref name="Kerrang The Holy Wars">{{cite journal |last1=Alexander |first1=Phil |last2= |first2= |date=2000-11-08 |title=The Holy War |journal=Kerrang! |volume= |issue= |pages= |publisher=Bauer Media Group |doi= |url= |accessdate=2011-04-30}}</ref>

[[File:MarilynMansonE86.jpg|200px|thumbnail|right|Original cover art, with nipples]]
[[Joseph Cultice]] stated in an interview that the original Omēga had nipples on their breasts, but due to record company's demand they were removed.

When released on vinyl, the record was split into two separately sleeved albums on opaque white and transparent blue colored vinyl; the first credited to Marilyn Manson, and the latter to Omēga and the Mechanical Animals. The Manson album dealt with songs of love and alienation, while the Mechanical Animals disc contained anthems of sex and drug use.

In the liner notes of both the CD and vinyl pressings of the album, a graphic is used to illustrate how to read numerous messages hidden throughout the packaging. This instructional graphic differs between both versions of the album: the liner notes of the CD display a blue jewel case overlapping green text, while the liner notes of the vinyl display a blue circle (used to represent the disc itself) overlapping green text. When viewed through the original blue CD packaging or the transparent blue LP, one can read hidden messages in yellow text in the booklet, which becomes green (such as "www.comawhite.com," "I no longer knew if Coma White was real or just a side effect," and "now children it's time for recess, please roll up your sleeves"). Regarding the many other purported hidden meanings contained in this epic album (and there are many, many hidden things, supposedly), is [[Recurrences of the number 15 in Marilyn Manson's music|the influence and presence of the number 15]]. One blatant example is the band's new logo on the controversial album cover, it reads "MAR1LYN MAN5ON" with a figure 1 for the 'i' in Marilyn and a figure 5 for the letter 's' in Manson, the Omēga-head logo contains 15 squares on the forehead, another obvious instance being the track "[[New Model No. 15]]", and "[[User Friendly]]", in the pre-verse of which, Manson harmonizes with exactly fifteen "doo's" each time it is sung. Other notes of interest on the number 15 include the fact that Marilyn Manson's birthday is January 5 (1/5), 15 tracks appear on the album, The Devil's tarot card is XV (15), and the album's release date was September 15 (or 9/15, which is 9+1+5=15). Also, throughout the CD booklet, there are simple multiplication facts accompanied with letters. 3x5=15 and "ma," which are the initials for "Mechanical Animals". There is a 15th track that plays when you insert the CD into a computer. Two scales of measurement often used in TBI diagnosis to determine a patient's level of consciousness. They are the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the Ranchos Los Amigos Scale (RLAS). The GCS is a simple 15-point scale used by medical professionals to assess severity of neurologic trauma, and establish a prognosis.

A limited tour edition of ''Mechanical Animals'' was released in the UK (including other locations like Australia and even Mexico, where only 100 copies of this edition arrived) with an illustrated hardcover sleeve by Marcus Wild. Though limited edition, the album is easily attainable in certain regions. The packaging is identical to the original version except for the bonus eighteen page [[Mechanical Animals comic book|comic book]] by Wild, illustrating scenes from "[[I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)]]" music video.

''Mechanical Animals'' features a hidden, fifteenth track, playable only on a computer; it is untitled and experimental, further playing on the album's theme of the character Omēga and conformity. Upon entering the album into a computer, an autorun file starts a program that displays two of Manson's paintings while the song plays in the background.

==== Decoded hidden messages ====
When viewed through the original CD's transparent jewel case or the transparent blue LP, one can read hidden messages in yellow text in the liner notes, which becomes green. The following is a list of all instances of hidden text in the booklet of the CD version:

* On the page with the lyrics to "[[The Speed of Pain]]", a blue message written in broken lines reads 'SPEED OF PAIN' in yellow, the 'SP' is replaced with an 'FR'. The new message reads 'FREED OF PAIN'

* On the same page of the color equation the yellow text embedded between the big "a pill to make you numb" (above the lyrics to "[[Coma White]]") says upside-down in yellow: ''www.comawhite.com'', which is an early promotional site for the album.
 
* On the same page as the lyrics to "[[User Friendly]]", right under them is a diagram of washing your face in airplane facilities. Behind it, in yellow and again reversed, says "''I NO LONGER KNEW IF COMAWHITE WAS REAL OR JUST A SIDE EFFECT''".
 
* On the page with the lyrics to "[[Fundamentally Loathsome]]" and "[[I Want to Disappear]]", at the top, in yellow is the Omēga logo, the words "''A SUN WITH NO PLANETS burning in circles''". Also on the same page is "''NOW CHILDREN IT'S TIME FOR RECESS, ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES''".
 
* On the following page to the previous one above, the page with the album credits, is found the lyrics to the hidden track "[[Untitled]]" that plays when the CD is inserted in a computer and the autorun program loads: ''IN THE END I BECAME AND I LED THEM / AFTER ALL NONE OF US REALLY QUALIFIED AS HUMANS / WE WERE HARDWORN AUTOMATIC AND AS HOLLOW AS THE "O" IN GOD / I REATTACHED MY EMOTIONS CELLULAR AND NARCOTIC / FROM THE TOP OF HOLLYWOOD IT LOOKED LIKE SPACE / MILLIONS OF CAPSULES AND MECHANICAL ANIMALS / A CITY FILLED WITH DEAD STARS AND A GIRL I CALLED COMAWHITE / THIS IS MY OMĒGA.''

* On the cover of the "OMĒGA & The Mechanical Animals", a prelude to Manson's fourth album is shown when turned upside down. The phrase ADAM5 appears right above mansons arm. Adam may be a biblical reference to the first man, or 1, creating yet another "15" in the mysterious series. As of now there is no deciphered meaning behind this.
 
* And finally, on the page with the lyrics to "The Dope Show", in yellow text says, ''EVEN MACHINES CAN SEE THAT WE ARE DEAD.''

=== Controversy ===
As early as August 14, 1998, a month before the release, the three largest retailers in the United States—K-Mart, Wal-Mart and the Target Corporation—refused to stock the album citing the obscene cover and the expectation that it will carry a Parental Advisory sticker for violating their policy of not selling material with explicit lyrics or content.<ref name="MarilynMansonNewLPBannedByMajorChainStores">{{cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/500302/19980814/index.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson's New LP Banned By Major Chain Stores |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-08-14 |accessdate=2011-07-11}}</ref> In an attempt to appease some of the retailers Nothing and Interscope discussed plans to cover the "breasts" with a sticker and enclose the entire package in blue cellophane—similar to the brown paper bag tactic employed exactly 30 years before by distributors on the explicitly nude cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's ''Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins''.<ref name="MarilynMansonNewLPBannedByMajorChainStores"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-11053175 |title=Lennon's toilet in Liverpool Beatles auction |work=''BBC News'' |publisher=BBC |date=2010-08-22 |accessdate=2011-07-11}}</ref> Wal-Mart still refused to sell the album, and consequently pulled all previous albums by Manson in light of the Columbine tragedy on April 20, 1999 (after the release of ''Mechanical Animals,'' and after the cover controversy). To this day, Wal-Mart's corporate website states that Manson's work, among the work of other artists, will not be sold in their stores, but 2003 saw the mass sale of Manson's fifth LP, ''[[The Golden Age of Grotesque]]'' in nearly all Wal-Marts; representatives claimed they chose to sell the album because it was "commercially viable" and was "on the Top Ten charts."

== Reception ==
=== Critical reception ===
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = allmusic 
| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="Allmusic MA">{{cite web|last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=mechanical-animals-r374601/review|pure_url=yes}} |title=Mechanical Animals Allmusic Review |work=''allmusic'' |publisher=All Media Guide (Rovi) |date=1998 |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''NME'' 
| rev2Score = {{rating|7|10}} [http://www.nme.com/reviews/marilyn-manson/106 link]
| rev3 = Robert Christgau
| rev3Score = C+
| rev4 = ''Rolling Stone'' 
| rev4Score = {{rating|3.5|5}} [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/242421/marilynmanson?pageid=rs.ArtistDiscographyMainReleases&pageregion=mainRegion link]
| rev5 = ''Entertainment Weekly''
| rev5Score = (A-) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,63710,00.html link]
| rev6 = ''Salon.com''
| rev6Score = (favorable) [http://www.salon.com/ent/music/reviews/1998/09/23review.html link]
| rev7 = ''Los Angeles Times'' 
| rev7Score = {{Rating|4|4}} [http://articles.latimes.com/1998/sep/13/entertainment/ca-22190 link]
| rev8 = ''Sputnikmusic'' 
| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}} [http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/2067/Marilyn-Manson-Mechanical-Animals/ link]
}}
The album received general acclaim. Analyzing the album's intentions, Barry Walters of ''The Village Voice'' commented, "''Mechanical Animals'' celebrates sexy celebrity in a typically Mansonian bacchanalia of contradictions. He's said all along that dirty media dominance is the cleanest and closest thing to divinity in a world that crucified the god in itself and replaced it with blind faith. Now he understands first-hand that stardom sucks, yet while he lifts a platform boot against its phony fat ass he still can't help reveling in the excess. ''[[Antichrist Superstar]]'' critiqued fame in order to make him famous. Having been there/done that, Manson wants more because more is the American way he's hell-bent on subverting—even as he's soaking in it."<ref name="Who's Beautiful Now 1">{{cite web|last=Walters |first=Barry |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/1998-09-22/music/who-s-beautiful-now/ |title=Who's Beautiful Now? page 1  |work=The Village Voice |publisher=Village Voice Media |date=1998-09-22 |accessdate=2011-03-09}}</ref> Of the record's musical direction Walters noted "Flexing far more range than rage, Manson's feminization shifts his vocal power center from a diseased gut to a broken heart.<ref>{{cite web|last=Walters |first=Barry |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/1998-09-22/music/who-s-beautiful-now/2/ |title=Who's Beautiful Now? page 2 |work=The Village Voice |publisher=Village Voice Media |date=1998-09-22 |accessdate=2011-03-09}}</ref> You'd think the puppet couldn't dance without Daddy [[Nine Inch Nails|NIN]] pulling the strings, yet ''Mechanical Animals'' is melodic, catchy, even soulful in a flagrantly soulless way...Guitars roar and whine, bass booms, drums race, and synths twitter with a tweeness that's gonna turn Durannie grannie Nick Rhodes's gray roots green."<ref name="Who's Beautiful Now 1"/> ''USAToday'' commented "Manson and producer Michael Beinhorn have rediscovered the adrenalin in '70s glam-rock, sprinkling Gary Glitter and Ziggy Stardust over Gothic theatrics."<ref name="AmazonEd">{{cite web|last= |first= |url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/B00000AFGM/sr=1-1/qid=1289952101/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music&qid=1289952101&sr=1-1 |title=Mechanical Animals <nowiki>[Explicit Lyrics]</nowiki> Editorial Reviews |publisher=Amazon |date= |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref> Jon Wiederhorn of Amazon.com commented "Mechanical Animals is a brash, decadent, and glittery display of self-indulgent hooks and melodramatic vocals that sounds like Aladdin Sane-era [[David Bowie]] and T. Rex at their most boisterous crossed with the more modern sounds of today's industrial nation."<ref name="AmazonEd"/> Ann Powers of ''Rolling Stone'' commented "''Mechanical Animals'' gets its cavelike spaciousness from [goth] influences and tweaks them with an industrial crunch [...] He and his band approach its terrain the way a 1960s rocker like Eric Clapton approaches the blues, with respect and a sense of entitlement."<ref name="Powers2004"/> Annalee Newitz of ''Salon'' commented "With "Mechanical Animals" Manson is softening up, turning away from his dour preoccupation with religious fascism and toward space-age genderfuck chic. The creamy synth sound and drugged-out lyrics that dominate Manson's latest CD prove that two antithetical '80s musical genres—heavy metal and new wave—can indeed be fruitfully combined [...] "Mechanical Animals" is a far better album than the recent "Antichrist Superstar," taking Manson in new directions without turning the volume down on his magnetic weirdness." <ref name="Salon MA">{{cite web|last=Newitz |first=Annalee |url=http://www.salon.com/entertainment/music/reviews/1998/09/23review.html |title=Mechanical Animals review |work=Salon |publisher=Salon Media Group |date=1998-09-23 |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref> David Browne of ''Entertainment Weekly'' commented "Looking back in mascara'd anger, Manson and [producer Michael] Beinhorn have fashioned music steeped in glam rock and concept-album bombast but updated with a crunching intensity [...] He layers the songs with cooing backup singers, electronica burbles, skulking guitars, and synths at their most decadently new wavy. The effect is often spectacular."<ref name="BrowneEW"/> 
Lorraine Ali of ''Los Angeles Times'' commented "songs swagger with lipstick-wearing attitude, have fun with sleazy subject matter and actually convey some (gasp) human emotion [...] This album is the first time we actually experience Manson as a band, not a phenomenon filtered through Reznor's mixing board wizardry or a freak show accompanied by a soundtrack. An album that's powerful from start to finish is far more surprising than any controversial Manson high jinks [...] this record ensures his further infiltration of teenage America and earns him a new spot in the annals of great, big, pompous pop albums."<ref>{{cite web|last=Ali |first=Lorraine |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1998/sep/13/entertainment/ca-22190 |title=Marilyn Manson, Dressed to Kill |work=Los Angeles Times |publisher=Tribune Company |date=1998-09-13 |accessdate=2010-12-04}}</ref> According to ''New Musical Express'' "[...] Mechanical Animals, MM album number four, marks a total shift in Manson's assault. Where the Antichrist Superstar game plan was about gaining notoriety through outrage, rather than winning souls over on musical grounds, Mechanical Animals aims straight for the singalong heart of stadium-land. And rips it out, and holds it aloft in triumph [...] Of the 14 tracks here, ten could be singles. On this evidence alone, 'Mechanical Animals' is an unashamedly crass bid for total world domination [...] they already have the goth kids. Now, their sights have turned on everyone else."<ref name="NME MA">{{cite web|last= |first= |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/marilyn-manson/106 |title=Mechanical Animals NME Review |work=NME |publisher=IPC Media |date=1998-08-09 |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref>

Not everyone gave the album a glowing review. Music critic Robert Christgau commented "If only the absurd aura of artistic respectability surrounding this arrant self-promoter would teach us that not every icon deserves a think piece, that it's no big deal to have a higher IQ than Ozzy Osbourne, that the Road of Excess leads to the Palace Theater [...] Its strategy is to camouflage the feebleness of La Manson's vocal affect by pretending it's deliberate—one more depersonalizing production device with which to flatten willing cerebella whilst confronting humankind's alienation, amorality, and failure to have a good time on Saturday night."<ref>{{cite web|last=Christgau |first=Robert |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=5327 |title=Mechanical Animals Consumer Guide Review |work=The Village Voice |publisher=Village Voice Media |date=1998 |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref> ''Spin'' magazine commented "Manson may appeal to mopey eighth graders, but he's essentially mining the same agitprop territory and "premillenial" confusion that hipster, highbrow heroes such as Alec Empire and Tricky take for granted. Manson shares with Empire a preference for destroying the master's house with the master's tools. Like Tricky, Manson uses gender confusion as a coping mechanism, less identity politics than identity evasion." <ref name="AmazonEd"/> Joshua Klein of ''The A.V. Club'' commented "Really, who is supposed to buy this sudden transformation from self-proclaimed "Antichrist Superstar" into Ziggy Stardust? Surely not his fans [...] Surprisingly, those most likely to appreciate Manson's change in spirit may be honest-to-goodness rock 'n' roll fans. ''Mechanical Animals'' is first and foremost more musical than anything Manson has done [...] His music packs both industrial muscle and anthemic conviction, even as it playfully steals from the Bowie songbook. What it lacks, sadly, is any sense of wit, as songs doggedly hammer at safe taboos like drugs, sex, drugs, stardom, drugs, and death. And drugs [...] But even Manson must realize that with this release, people actually have a reason to line up in the first place."<ref>{{cite web|last=Klein |first=Joshua |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/marilyn-manson-mechanical-animals,21052/ |title=Mechanical Animals AV Club music review |work=The A.V. Club |publisher=The Onion, Inc. |date=2002-03-29 |accessdate=2011-03-09}}</ref> Stephen Thomas Erlewine of ''Allmusic'' commented "With pal Billy Corgan as an unofficial consultant and Soundgarden producer Michael Beinhorn manning the boards, Manson turns Mechanical Animals into a big, clean rock record [...] It can make for a welcome change of pace, since his glammed-up goth is more tuneful than his clattering industrial cacophony, but it lacks the cartoonish menace that distinguished his prior music. And without that, Marilyn Manson seems a little ordinary [...] Manson should have remembered—demons are never that scary in the light."<ref name="Allmusic MA"/> Despite this, Greg Burk of ''LA Weekly'' would go on to call "''Mechanical Animals'' one of the greatest albums of its decade."<ref name="LAWeeklyPage4">{{cite web|last=Burk |first=Greg |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2001-01-18/news/marilyn-a-re-examination/4/ |title=Marilyn:A Re-Examination (page 4) |work=LA Weekly |publisher=Village Voice Media |date=2001-01-18 |accessdate=2010-11-22}}</ref>

=== Commercial performance ===
In the United States, ''Mechanical Animals'' debuted with a Soundscan-confirmed first week sales of 223,000 units.<ref name="MMshowshedope">{{cite web |last=Boehlert |first=Eric |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/marilyn-manson-shows-hes-dope-19980924 |title=Marilyn Manson Shows He's Dope |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1998-09-24 |accessdate=2011-06-04}}</ref> Propelled by both the first single's heavy rotation on the radio and on MTV as well as the band's attention-grabbing main show performance at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, the record briefly displaced ''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' for the № 1 position on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref name="MMshowshedope"/><ref name="Billboard Mechanical Animals charting">{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/album/marilyn-manson/mechanical-animals/322186 |title=Billboard 200 and Canadian Albums charting |work=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref><ref name="misedu">{{cite web |last=Skanse |first=Richard |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/miseducation-back-on-top-19980930 |title="Miseducation" Back on Top |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1998-09-30 |accessdate=2011-06-08}}</ref> By the second week, sales had dropped to 98,200 units and the album slid to the № 5 spot.<ref name="Billboard Mechanical Animals charting"/><ref name="misedu"/>

Although critically acclaimed, Mechanical Animals was initially not too well received by long time fans who complained about the willfully radio-friendly sound of the album and surmised that Marilyn Manson had "sold out". <ref>{{cite web|last=Burk |first=Greg |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2001-01-18/news/marilyn-a-re-examination/2/ |title=Marilyn:A Re-Examination (page 2) |work=LA Weekly |publisher=Village Voice Media |date=2001-01-18 |accessdate=2010-08-22}}</ref> The album was the lowest-selling № 1 album of 1998.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grein |first=Paul |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/20401/chart-watch-extra-what-a-turkey-the-25-worst-selling-1-albums/ |title=Chart Watch Extra: What A Turkey! The 25 Worst-Selling #1 Albums |work=''Yahoo! Music'' |publisher=Yahoo! |date=2008-11-21 |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref> Regardless, the album would go on to achieve platinum certification.<ref name="riaa">{{cite web |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Mechanical%20Animals&artist=Marilyn%20Manson&format=ALBUM&debutLP=&category=GROUP&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=Interscope&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2010&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Database Search for Marilyn Manson |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref>

Despite its later success, the album was marred by controversy. It was virtually blacklisted when Manson became the main scapegoat for the Columbine high school shootings of 1999, (despite the lack of evidence that the shooters were fans of the band or even that music causes violence) with unit sales halting very close behind the figure for its predecessor, ''[[Antichrist Superstar]]''.

=== Accolades ===
According to Acclaimedmusic.net ''Mechanical Animals'' is the 44th best album of 1998,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://acclaimedmusic.net/Current/1998a.htm |title=The Top Albums from 1998 |publisher=Acclaimedmusic.net |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> the 426th greatest record released during the 1990s<ref name="acclaimedmusic.net">{{cite web|url=http://acclaimedmusic.net/Current/Marilyn%20Manson.htm |title=Marilyn Manson Artist Rank  |publisher=Acclaimedmusic.net |accessdate=2010-11-20}}</ref> and the 2209th greatest of all-time.<ref name="acclaimedmusic.net"/> ''SPIN Magazine'' ranked ''Mechanical Animals'' the 7th Best Album in their 1998 End Of Year List.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/spinend.htm |title=Spin End Of Year Lists 1998 |work=Spin |publisher=Spin Media LLC |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> Online music magazine ''Addicted to Noise'' ranked ''Mechanical Animals'' 25th in their 1998 list of ''Albums of the Year''. <ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/> ''The Village Voice'' ranked ''Mechanical Animals'' 40th in their 1998 list of ''Albums of the Year''. <ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/> ''Kerrang!'' ranks ''Mechanical Animals'' 2nd in their 1998 list of ''Albums of the Year''.<ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/kerrang.html |title=''Kerrang!'' Albums Of The Year 1998 |work=Kerrang! |publisher=Bauer Media Group |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> ''Q Magazine'' listed ''Mechanical Animals'' among their picks for their 1998 ''Recordings Of The Year''.<ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlists.html |title=''Q Magazine''–Albums of the Year |work=Q Magazine |publisher=Bauer Media Group |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> Dutch magazine ''Muziekkrant OOR'' ranked ''Mechanical Animals'' 18th in their 1998 ''Albums of the Year'' list.<ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/1998.htm |title=Jaarlijst Oor 1998 |work=Muziekkrant OOR |publisher= Levisson (Graficus) |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> The record ranked 2nd in the Critics Top 50<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.rhein-zeitung.de/~tommi.s/mes95.htm#1998k |title=Kritiker Top 50 die fünfzig besten Platten 1998 |work=Musik-Express/Sounds |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> and 10th in the Popular Poll<ref>{{cite web|url=http://home.rhein-zeitung.de/~tommi.s/mes95.htm#1998l |title=Pop Poll 1998 Album des Jahres |work=Musik-Express/Sounds |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> of German magazine ''Musik Express/Sounds'' in their 1998 ''Albums of the Year''.<ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/> In 1999, American music journalist Ned Raggett listed ''Mechanical Animals'' 78th in his ''The Top 136 Albums of the Nineties''. <ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review">{{cite web|url=http://acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A1731.htm |title=Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review |publisher=Acclaimedmusic.net |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~tewing/ned/nedmain.html |title=The Top 136 Albums of the Nineties |work=''Netcomuk'' |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> Also in 1999, Australian magazine ''JUICE'' ranked ''Mechanical Animals'' 84th in their ''100 Greatest Albums of the '90s''. <ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/juice.html#100 Greatest Albums |title=''Juice'' 100 Greatest Albums of the '90s |work=Juice |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> In 2006, sister British magazines ''Classic Rock'' & ''Metal Hammer'' included ''Mechanical Animals'' in ''The 200 Greatest Albums of the 90s''. <ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3172289350&frmid=0&msgid=603249 |title=The 200 Greatest Albums of the 90s |work=Classic Rock ''&'' Metal Hammer |publisher=Future Publishing |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> Also in 2006, Dutch public radio broadcaster VPRO included ''Mechanical Animals'' in their ''299 Nominations of the Best Album of All Time''.<ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/VPROWatishetallerbestealbumMei2006.htm |title=299 Nominations of the Best Album of All Time |work=''VPRO'' |publisher=Membership Association |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> The French edition of the British magazine ''Rock Sound'' ranked ''Mechanical Animals'' 56th in their ''Top 150 Albums of Our Lifetime (1992-2006)''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3172289350&frmid=0&msgid=660921 |title=Top 150 Albums of Our Lifetime |work=Rock Sound |publisher=Editions Freeway |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref> and 2nd in their 1998 ''Albums of the Year''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://disques.de.l.annee.free.fr/rocksoun.html#1998 |title=Choix des critiques depuis 1993 |work=Rock Sound |publisher=Editions Freeway |accessdate=2011-03-06}}</ref><ref name="Mechanical Animals All Music Guide Info and Review"/>

== Mechanical Animals and Rock Is Dead Tour ==
[[File:Madrugs2.jpg|right|250px|thumbnail]]
Following the release of ''Mechanical Animals'', Marilyn Manson staged two worldwide stadium tours, titled the Mechanical Animals Tour and the [[Rock Is Dead (tour)|Rock Is Dead Tour]]. 

A concert film was recorded depicting both tours, titled ''[[God Is in the T.V.]]''.<ref name="AmazonGodisinTV"/><ref name="InterscopeGodisinTV"/> It was released on November 2, 1999 in VHS format by Interscope Records and features live concert footage of 13 songs culled from various concerts across the world as well as backstage and behind-the-scenes clips.<ref name="AmazonGodisinTV">{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Manson-God-T-V-VHS/dp/B00002NDKU/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1302862959&sr=1-1 |title=Marilyn Manson - God Is in the T.V. <nowiki>[VHS]</nowiki> (1999)|publisher=Amazon |accessdate=2011-04-15}}</ref><ref name="InterscopeGodisinTV">{{cite web|url=http://www.interscope.com/artist/releases/detail.aspx?&aid=554&in=8 |title=God Is In The T.V. |work=''Interscope Records'' |publisher=Universal Music Group |accessdate=2011-04-15}}</ref> 

=== Mechanical Animals Tour ===
{{Main|Mechanical Animals Tour}}

After declining a headlining slot at the failing Lollapalooza summer music festival (along with numerous other bands) in early 1998 due to delays in ''Mechanical Animals''<nowiki>'</nowiki> release, the band launched the first of their own headlining tours in support of the album.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fischer |first=Blair |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/cruel-summer-lollapalooza-98-canceled-19980403 |title=Cruel Summer: Lollapalooza '98 Canceled |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1998-04-03 |accessdate=2011-06-08}}</ref> It was originally intended to start on June 25, 1998, with a series of 6 festival dates in Europe lasting until July 12, 1998.<ref name="VH1Gingermono">{{cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/400077/19980624/index.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Shows Canceled |work=''VH1'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-06-24 |accessdate=2011-06-12}}</ref> However the planned summer European leg was scrapped and the tour's launch date was rescheduled to October 25, 1998 after drummer Ginger Fish became ill with mononucleosis.<ref name="VH1Gingermono"/> 

Beginning on October 25, 1998 and lasting until January 31, 1999, the Mechanical Animals Tour included two legs spanning a Fall to Winter World Tour in Europe, Japan, and North America and a 6 show headlining stint at the Big Day Out tour in Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1431731/marilyn-manson-kicks-off-tour.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Kicks Off Tour |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1998-10-28 |accessdate=2011-03-21}}</ref> In total, the band completed 46 shows out of the 52 originally planned.

=== Beautiful Monsters/Rock Is Dead Tour ===
{{Main|Support for Hole's Beautiful Monsters Tour|Rock Is Dead (tour)}}

Beginning on February 28, 1999 and lasting until August 8, 1999, the tour included three legs spanning Europe, Japan and North America with a total of 9 completed shows for the Beautiful Monsters Tour and 43 completed shows (out of 46 planned) for the Rock Is Dead Tour. 

The tour is particularly notable for a number of incidences that plagued its progress. Following the conclusion of the Mechanical Animals Tour in January of 1999, the band was once again offered a headlining slot by the organizers of the Lollapalooza festival for the 1999 summer season (as part of an attempt to resurrect the by-then-defunct festival) which they declined.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fischer |first=Blair |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bush-zombie-may-save-lollapalooza-19990211 |title=Bush, Zombie May Save Lollapalooza |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=Wenner Media LLC |date=1999-02-11 |accessdate=2011-06-08}}</ref> Instead, the band struck a deal with [[Hole]] to co-headline the latter's [[Support for Hole's Beautiful Monsters Tour|Beautiful Monsters Tour]].<ref name="MTV Courtney Talks About Tour"/> Immediately, the joint venture began experiencing problems due to dispute between both group's leaders.<ref name="MTV Hole Walks Out"/><ref name="MTV Courtney Talks About Tour"/> After only 9 shows (spanning a total of two weeks) the tour imploded,<ref name="MTV Hole Walks Out"/><ref name="MTV Courtney Talks About Tour">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430069/courtney-talks-about-holemanson-tour.jhtml |title=Courtney Talks About Hole/Manson Tour |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-01-07 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430058/hole-marilyn-manson-avoid-nostalgia-tour-rolls-into-seattle.jhtml |title=Hole, Marilyn Manson Avoid Nostalgia As Tour Rolls Into Seattle |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-03-05 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref> resulting in Hole's departure on March 14, 1999 and the tour being renamed Rock Is Dead.<ref name="MTV Hole Walks Out">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430056/hole-walks-out-on-tour-manson-injury-postpones-several-dates.jhtml |title=Hole Walks Out On Tour, Manson Injury Postpones Several Dates |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-03-15 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430055/marilyn-manson-holes-departure-from-tour-not-personal-thing.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Says Hole's Departure From Tour "Not A Personal Thing" |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-03-15 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref> [[Monster Magnet]], who were already opening for Manson<ref name="MTV Courtney Talks About Tour"/>, assumed Hole's place on the tour's playbill.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430057/marilyn-manson-talks-rock-survival-tour-with-hole-marches-on.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Talks Rock Survival As Tour With Hole Marches On |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-03-10 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430051/manson-resumes-tour-without-hole-taps-nashville-pussy-jack-off-jill-upcoming-dates.jhtml |title=Manson Resumes Tour Without Hole, Taps Nashville Pussy And Jack Off Jill For Upcoming Dates |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-03-22 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref> A minor controversy erupted surrounding the tour's revised nomenclature as [[Korn]] and [[Rob Zombie]] were already in the middle of another tour with the same name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430059/korn-revisits-bad-memories-manson-hole-tour-gets-rolling.jhtml |title=Korn Revisits Bad Memories Of Manson And Hole As Tour Gets Rolling |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-03-03 |accessdate=2011-03-07}}</ref> 

The first two performances of the [[Rock Is Dead (tour)|Rock Is Dead Tour]] were canceled after Manson suffered a hairline fracture on one of his ankles during the final show with Hole at The Forum in Los Angeles. The tour was resumed on March 17, 1999.<ref name="MTV Hole Walks Out"/> The tour, however, would stagger yet again following the Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999. In the ensuing aftermath, the band was pointed out as a cause of the tragedy in Littleton,<ref>{{cite web|last=France |first=Lisa Respers |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/04/20/columbine.pop.culture/index.html?iref=allsearch |title=Columbine left its indelible mark on pop culture |work=''CNN'' |publisher=Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (Time Warner) |date=2009-04-20 |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=D'Angelo |first=Joe |last2=Vineyard |first2=Jennifer |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1442018/20010322/marilyn_manson.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Bows Out Of Denver Ozzfest Date |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=2001-05-22 |accessdate=2010-11-16}}</ref> prompting the group to cancel the remaining North American engagements out of respect for the victims, explaining, "It's not a great atmosphere to be out playing rock 'n' roll shows, for us or the fans."<ref name="NYTimesStern">{{cite web|last=Sterngold |first=James |url=http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/29/us/terror-in-littleton-the-culture-rock-concerts-are-cancelled.html?ref=marilyn_manson |title=Terror in Littleton: The Culture; Rock Concerts Are Cancelled |work=The New York Times |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=1999-04-29 |accessdate=2010-11-22}}</ref><ref name="BBC Manson cancels rest of US tour">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/331363.stm |title=Manson cancels rest of US tour |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=1999-04-29 |accessdate=2010-11-18}}</ref><ref name="MTV Marilyn Manson cancelled">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1427257/19990422/story.jhtml |title=Marilyn Manson Concert, Other Denver Events Cancelled In Wake Of High School Shooting |work=''MTV News'' |publisher=MTV Networks (Viacom) |date=1999-04-22 |accessdate=2010-11-16}}</ref>

== Track listing<ref name="Allmusic MA"/><ref name="AmazonEd"/> ==
# "[[Great Big White World]]" – 5:01
# "[[The Dope Show]]" – 3:46
# "[[Mechanical Animals (song)|Mechanical Animals]]" – 4:33
# "[[Rock Is Dead]]" – 3:09
# "[[Disassociative]]" – 4:50
# "[[The Speed of Pain]]" – 5:30
# "[[Posthuman]]" – 4:17
# "[[I Want to Disappear]]" – 2:56
# "[[I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)]]" – 5:03
# "[[New Model No. 15]]" – 3:40
# "[[User Friendly]]" – 4:17
# "[[Fundamentally Loathsome]]" – 4:49
# "[[The Last Day on Earth]] – 5:01
# "[[Coma White]]" – 5:38
* "[[Untitled]]" <small>(Multimedia track)</small> – 1:21

=== B-sides ===
* "[[A Rose and a Baby Ruth]]" <small>(A George Hamilton IV cover)</small> – 2:18
* "Coma White" (Acoustic Version) – 5:33
* "[[Get My Rocks Off]]" <small>(A Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show cover)</small> – 3:05

== Alternate Vinyl Tracklisting ==
Alternatively, [[Mechanical Animals]] is considered to be a dual album containing  seven songs from the perspective of Alpha, and seven by his alter-ego Omēga. This was reflected in the album's initial vinyl release in 1998, where the first LP, pressed on white wax, presented the Alpha songs, and the second, translucent blue LP presented the Omēga songs. The hidden track, [[Untitled]], is not included on non-CD releases (except 2007 Ukrainian CD re-release which does not contain the multimedia part), nor recognized on either side of the album. However, the song itself provides the storyline that appears throughout both Alpha & Omēga's album. Interestingly, the 2001 vinyl reissue on Simply Vinyl was pressed on 180 gram black vinyl in its regular CD tracklisting, while the 2012 Universal Music UK 'Back to Black' reissue retains the original, alternate tracklist below (pressed on regular black vinyl).<br><br>
<small>
'''Alpha Songs'''
#"[[Great Big White World]]"
#"[[Posthuman]]"
#"[[The Speed of Pain]]"
#"[[The Last Day on Earth]]"
--
#"[[Disassociative]]"
#"[[Mechanical Animals]]"
#"[[Coma White]]"

'''Omēga Songs'''
#"[[The Dope Show]]"
#"[[Rock Is Dead]]"
#"[[I Want to Disappear]]"
#"[[Fundamentally Loathsome]]"
--
#"[[I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)]]"
#"[[New Model No. 15]]"
#"[[User Friendly]]"
</small>

== Album credits ==
<small>ALL TRACKS: dinger & ollie music, administered by dinger & ollie music, BMI ©1998 all rights reserved / [[Marilyn Manson|MANSON]]: all tracks, songs of golgotha music / [[Twiggy|RAMIREZ]]: all tracks except 12, blood heavy music / [[Stephen Bier|GACY]]: all tracks except 2,3,8,9 & 10, DCLXVI music / [[Zim Zum|ZIM ZUM]]: only tracks 1,3,5,6,9,11,12 & 14, violent delight music

'''[[Disassociative|DISASSOCIATIVE]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez,gacy,zum) vocals: manson, rhythm guitars and bass: ramirez, lead guitar: zum, keyboards: gacy, live and electric drums: [[Ginger Fish|fish]] / '''[[The Speed of Pain|THE SPEED OF PAIN]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez,gacy,zum) vocals and vocoder: manson, background vocals: john west, lynn davis, nikki harris, alexandra brown, acoustic guitar and bass: ramirez, keyboards,shaker and mellotron: gacy, arp synthesizer: manson, beinhorn, lead and synth guitar: zum, drums: fish / '''[[Mechanical Animals (song)|MECHANICAL ANIMALS]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez, zum) vocals: manson, bass, acoustic and rhythm guitars: ramirez, ryhthm and lead guitar: zum, piano and other keyboards: gacy, drums: fish / '''[[Rock Is Dead|ROCK IS DEAD]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez,gacy) vocals: manson, all guitars and bass: ramirez, keyboards: gacy, drums: fish / '''[[Fundamentally Loathsome|FUNDAMENTALLY LOATHSOME]]''' (lyrics: manson/music:gacy, zum) vocals: manson, bass: ramirez, piano and other keyboards: gacy, lead and rhythm guitar: zum, drums: fish / '''[[The Dope Show|THE DOPE SHOW]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez) lead and background vocals: manson, bass, rhythm and lead guitars: ramirez, piano: gacy, syncussion and electric drums: manson / '''[[I Want to Disappear|I WANT TO DISAPPEAR]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez) vocals: manson, all guitars and bass: ramirez, drums: fish,samples: gacy / '''[[Posthuman|POSTHUMAN]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez,gacy) vocals: manson, [[Rose McGowan|rose mcgowan]], bass and rythm guitar: ramirez, electric percussion and keyboards: gacy, drums: fish, additional lead guitar: zum / '''[[New Model No. 15|NEW MODEL NO.15]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez,manson) vocals: manson, background vocals: kobi tai, dyanna lauren, guitars, bass and bass synth: ramirez, keyboards: gacy, drums: fish, pitifully predictable guitar solo: zum / '''[[User Friendly|USER FRIENDLY]]''' (lyrics:manson/music ramirez, gacy, zum) vocals: manson, pornography: dyanna lauren, guitars, bass, bass synth and noise: ramirez, piano and keyboards: gacy, scratching:dj [[Neil Strauss|neil strauss]], drums: fish / '''[[Great Big White World|GREAT BIG WHITE WORLD]]''' (lyrics:manson/music: ramirez, gacy, zum) vocals: manson, acoustic, rhythm guitar and bass: ramirez, keyboards: gacy, drums: fish, lead guitar: zum / '''[[Coma White|COMA WHITE]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez,gacy,zum) vocals and piano: manson,lead and rhythm guitars and bass: ramirez, keyboards and mellotron: gacy, acoustic and leadguitar: zum / '''[[I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)|I DON'T LIKE THE DRUGS (BUT THE DRUGS LIKE ME)]]''' (lyrics:manson/music:ramirez, zum) vocals: manson, background vocals: john west, lynn davis, nikki harris, alexandra brown, rhythm guitars and bass: ramirez, clavinet, strings and programming: [[Danny Saber|danny saber]], keyboards: gacy, outro guitar solo: [[Dave Navarro|dave navarro]] (spread entertainment, inc.), additional lead guitar: zum, drums: fish / '''[[The Last Day on Earth|THE LAST DAY ON EARTH]]''' (lyrics: manson/music:manson, gacy, ramirez) vocals and vocoder: manson, bass synth and all keyboards: gacy, lead and acoustic guitar: ramirez, lead guitar: manson, drums: fish / management: [[Tony Ciulla|tony ciulla]] / nothing: john a. malm, jr. / special thanks to: danny saber, [[Billy Corgan|billy corgan]], dust bros., jeff anderson, tom whalley, john ciulla, alex kochan, jay sendyk, david codikow, zepp, aaron and everyone / engineered by barry doldberg and [[Sean Beavan|sean beavan]] / programming & digital engineering by sean beavan / recorded at the white room, westlake and conway studios / westlake: michael parnin, charity lomax / conway: rob brill, wes seidman / record plant: jan fairchild, gordon fordyle / mastering: ted jensen, sterling sound / make-up: devra kinery, angela garcia / hair: alex dizon, jay / gold suit: jason farrer / reconstructive plastic surgry: dr. sm george / portrait photography: joseph f. cultice - one @ 212.925.1111 / [[John 5|john5]] & coma white photography: marilyn manson / object photography & digital illustration: chaos@buda.com / art direction & design: prbrown@bauda.com [bau-da design lab, nyc]</small>

Produced by Michael Beinhorn and Marilyn Manson<br>
Additional production by [[Sean Beavan]]<br>
Mixed by Tom Lord-Alge<br>

Marilyn Manson Is:<br>
Marilyn Manson: vocals<br>
Twiggy Ramirez: all guitars & bass<br>
M.W. Gacy: keyboards & synthesizer<br>
Ginger Fish: drums<br>
John5: live guitarist for mechanical animals<br>

www.marilynmanson.net<br>
AOL Keyboard: marilynmanson<br>

© 1998 Nothing/Interscope Records. All rights reserved.

== Cover gallery ==
{{Photos
| Mechanical-Animals.jpg = Slipcase front
| MechanicalAnimals(slipcaseback).png = Slipcase back
| MarilynManson(FrontCover).jpg‎‎‎ = Front cover
| MechanicalAnimals(back).png = Back cover
| MechanicalAnimals(disc).png = Disc
| MechanicalAnimals(insert).png = Inlay
| MechanicalAnimals(inlay).png = Traycard
| MechanicalAnimals(page1).png = Booklet, page 1
| MechanicalAnimals(page2).png = Booklet, page 2
| MechanicalAnimals(page3).png = Booklet, page 3
| MechanicalAnimals(page4).png = Booklet, page 4
| MechanicalAnimals(page5).png = Booklet, page 5
| MechanicalAnimals(page6).png = Booklet, page 6
| MechanicalAnimals(page7).png = Booklet, page 7
| MechanicalAnimals(page8).png = Booklet, page 8
| MechanicalAnimals(page9).png = Booklet, page 9
| MechanicalAnimals(page10).png = Booklet, page 10
| MechanicalAnimals(page11).png = Booklet, page 11
| MechanicalAnimals(page12).png = Booklet, page 12
| MechanicalAnimals(page13).png = Booklet, page 13
| MechanicalAnimals(page14).png = Booklet, page 14
| MechanicalAnimals(shockwave1).png = Shockwave gallery, ''[[Last Day on Earth]]''
| MechanicalAnimals(shockwave2).png = Shockwave gallery, ''[[Self Portrait (The Grey Series)|Self Portrait]]''
| MechanicalAnimals(shockwave3).png = Shockwave gallery, exit prompt
}}

== Charts, certifications and procession ==

=== Album ===
{| class="maintable"
|-
! class="stretch" | Charts (1998) !! Peak position
|-
| Australia (ARIA)<ref name="irch">{{cite web |url=http://irish-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Marilyn+Manson&titel=Mechanical+Animals&cat=a |title=International charting positions for Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals (Album) |publisher=Irish-Charts |accessdate=5 March 2011}}</ref><ref name="Billboard Mechanical Animals charting"/><ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals charting">{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=mechanical-animals-r374601/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic Billboard charts & awards |work=''allmusic'' |publisher=All Media Guide (Rovi) |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref> || 1
|-
| Austria (Ö3)<ref name="irch"/> ||6
|-
| Belgium (Flanders) (Ultratop 50)<ref name="irch"/> ||22
|-
| Belgium (Wallonia) (Ultratop)<ref name="irch"/> || 45
|-
| Canada (CANOE)<ref name="Billboard Mechanical Animals charting"/><ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals charting"/> || 1
|-
| Finland (Mitä Hitti)<ref name="irch"/> || 6
|-
| France (SNEP)<ref name="irch"/> || 14
|-
| Germany (Media Control)<ref name="GER-1">{{cite web | url=http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Marilyn+Manson/?type=longplay | title=Chartverfolgung / Marilyn Manson / Longplay | publisher=PhonoNet | accessdate=2009-03-23 }}</ref> || 7
|-
| Netherlands (MegaCharts)<ref name="irch"/> || 42
|-
| Norway (VG-Lista)<ref name="irch"/> || 3
|-
| New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref name="irch"/> || 3
|-
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)<ref name="irch"/> || 6
|-
| Switzerland (Hitparade)<ref name="irch"/> || 44
|-
| United Kingdom (OCC)<ref name="UK">{{cite web|first=Tobias|last=Zywietz|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M.HTM|title=Chart Log UK: M - My Vitriol|publisher=Zobbel|accessdate=2010-12-14}}</ref> || 8
|-
| United States (Billboard 200)<ref name="Billboard Mechanical Animals charting"/><ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals charting"/> || 1
|-
|}

=== Certifications ===
{| class="maintable"

|-
! Region !! Provider !! Certification !! Shipment !! Actual Sales
|-
| Australia || ARIA || Gold<ref>[http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-1998.htm "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 1998 Albums"] ''Australian Recording Industry Association''. Retrieved on March 05, 2011.</ref> || 15,000+ || —
|-
| Canada || CRIA || Platinum<ref name="CRIA">[http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php "CRIA Database Search for Marilyn Manson"] ''Canadian Recording Industry Association''. Retrieved on March 06, 2011.</ref> || 100,000+ || —
|-
| New Zealand || RIANZ || Platinum<ref>[http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart.asp "RIANZ Top 50 Albums Charts - Chart#1141 to Chart#ll55"] ''Recording Industry Association of New Zealand''. Retrieved on March 06, 2011.</ref> || 35,000+ || —
|-
| Sweden || IFPI || Gold<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.se/wp/wp-content/uploads/guld-platina-1987-1998.pdf|title=Guld & Platina|publisher=IFPI Switzerland}}</ref> || 20,000+ || —
|-
| United States || RIAA || Platinum<ref>[http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Mechanical%20Animals&artist=Marilyn%20Manson&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2010&sort=Artist&perPage=25 "RIAA Database Search for Mechanical Animals"] ''Recording Industry Association of America''. Access date: March 05, 2011.</ref> || 1,000,000+ || —
|-
|}

=== Singles ===
{| class="maintable"
|-
! Year !! Single !!class="stretch" | Chart !! Position
|-
| rowspan="10" | 1998
| rowspan="7" | "The Dope Show"
| Australia (ARIA)<ref name="irchthedopeshow">{{cite web |url=http://irish-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Marilyn+Manson&titel=The+Dope+Show&cat=s |title=International charting positions for Marilyn Manson - The Dope Show (Song) |publisher=Irish-charts |accessdate=5 March 2011}}</ref>
| 20
|-
| Mainstream Rock Tracks<ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals Singles chart">{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=mechanical-animals-r374601/charts-awards/billboard-single|pure_url=yes}} |title=allmusic Billboard Singles charts & awards |work=''allmusic'' |publisher=All Media Guide (Rovi) |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref> || 12
|-
| Modern Rock Tracks<ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals Singles chart"/> || 15
|-
| Netherlands (MegaCharts)<ref name="irchthedopeshow"/> || 63
|-
| New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref name="irchthedopeshow"/> || 28
|-
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)<ref name="irchthedopeshow"/> || 53
|-
| United Kingdom (OCC)<ref name="UK">{{cite web|first=Tobias|last=Zywietz|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M.HTM|title=Chart Log UK: M - My Vitriol|publisher=Zobbel|accessdate=2010-12-14}}</ref> || 12
|-
| rowspan="5" | "I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)"
| Australia (ARIA)<ref name="irchthedrugs">{{cite web |url=http://irish-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Marilyn+Manson&titel=I+Don't+Like+The+Drugs+(But+The+Drugs+Like+Me)&cat=s |title=International charting positions for Marilyn Manson - I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me) (Song) |publisher=Irish-charts |accessdate=5 March 2011}}</ref> || 45
|-
| Netherlands (MegaCharts)<ref name="irchthedrugs"/> || 83
|-
| New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref name="irchthedrugs"/> || 35
|-
| rowspan="5" | 1999
| Mainstream Rock Tracks<ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals Singles chart"/> || 25
|-
| Modern Rock Tracks<ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals Singles chart"/> || 36
|-
| rowspan="3" | "Rock Is Dead"
| Mainstream Rock Tracks<ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals Singles chart"/> || 28
|-
| Modern Rock Tracks<ref name="AllMusic Mechanical Animals Singles chart"/> || 30
|-
| United Kingdom (OCC)<ref name="UK">{{cite web|first=Tobias|last=Zywietz|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_M.HTM|title=Chart Log UK: M - My Vitriol|publisher=Zobbel|accessdate=2010-12-14}}</ref> || 23
|}

=== Release history ===
{{ReleaseHistory
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = au | date = September 14, 1998 | label = Interscope Records | format = Compact disc | catalog = INTD90273}}
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = fr | date = September 15, 1998 | label = Interscope Records | format = Compact disc}}
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = de | date = September 15, 1998 | label = Interscope Records | format = Compact disc}}
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = us | date = September 15, 1998 | label = Interscope Records | format = Compact disc | catalog = INTD90273}}
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = uk | date = September 1998 | label = Interscope Records | format = 2xLP 12" (White/Blue) | catalog = INT2-90273-1}}
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = uk | date = 2001 | label = Interscope Records | format = 2xLP 12" | catalog = SVLP 195}}
| {{ReleaseHistory/Item | country = uk | date = September 1998 | label = Interscope Records | format = Mini-cassette | catalog = INTC-90273}}
}}

== Trivia ==
* Manson later traded the prosthetic breasts he wore in promotional photographs for the album with Johnny Depp, for the wig Depp wore in ''Blow''.
* The idea of Omega having breasts came from Manson poking fun of at rumors that he had undergone breast implant surgery.
* The album's [[List of working titles for Marilyn Manson material#Working Titles for Albums|working title]] was "Great Big White World".
* To promote the album in Italy, a promotional CD-ROM called ''[[Mechanical Manson]]'' was released to the country in 1999.
* The entire album was written in Manson's old Laurel Canyon residence. The house is famous for actor, Mary Astor, using the home for secret romantic rendezvous with her colleagues.

== Credits and personnel ==
{{FixedColumns
| ;Marilyn Manson<ref name="allcredits">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/mechanical-animals-r374601/credits |title=Mechanical Animals credits |work=''allmusic'' |publisher=All Media Guide (Rovi) |accessdate=2010-11-17}}</ref>
* [[Marilyn Manson]] – vocals, producer, vocoder, photography
* [[Twiggy Ramirez]] – guitar (acoustic), bass, guitar, bass (electric), guitar (rhythm), noise
* [[Madonna Wayne Gacy]] – piano, drums, keyboards, synthesizer, drums (electric), sampling, mellotron, shaker
* [[Ginger Fish]] – drums, percussion, vocals, vocoder
* [[Zim Zum]] – guitar (acoustic), guitar, guitar (rhythm), keyboards, guitar synthesizer
* [[John Lowery|John 5]] – live guitar
| ; Production and personnel<ref name="allcredits"/>
* [[Rose McGowan]] – background vocals on "Posthuman"
* Michael Beinhorn – producer
* [[Dave Navarro]] – guitar solo on "I Don't Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)"
* [[Billy Corgan]] – consultant, backing vocals on "The Speed of Pain" (uncredited, however name was mentioned in the ''thank you'' section of the album booklet)
* Tom Lord-Alge – mixing
* [[Sean Beavan]] – programming, producer, engineer, editing
* Barry Goldberg – engineer
* Rob Brill – assistant engineer
* Ted Jensen – mastering
* [[Danny Saber]] – keyboards
* John West – vocals (bckgr)
* Alexandra Brown – vocals (bckgr)
* Lynn Davis – vocals (bckgr)
* Nikki Harris – vocals (bckgr)
* Kobe Tai – vocals (bckgr)
* Dyanna Lauren – background vocals (or, as the liner notes state, "pornography") on "User Friendly"
* [[Joseph Cultice]] – photography
* Devra Kinery – makeup
* Angela Garcia – makeup
* Alex Dizon – hair stylist
}}

== See also ==
*[[Marilyn Manson: Omega Web Address]]
*[[Marilyn Manson action figure series#Mechanical Animals Action Figure|The Mechanical Animals action figure]]

== References ==
<references/>

;Notes
<references group=N/>

{{Discography}}

[[Category:Mechanical Animals era]]
[[Category:Marilyn Manson discography]]
[[Category:Studio albums]]