The High End of Low (album)
| The High End of Low | |||||
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| Studio album by Marilyn Manson | |||||
| Released | May 2009 | ||||
| Recorded | March 2008–Late 2008 in Hollywood, California | ||||
| Label | Interscope | ||||
| Marilyn Manson chronology | |||||
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Marilyn Manson’s seventh studio album, The High End of Low, was recorded in the Hollywood Hills throughout 2008 with Twiggy Ramirez playing guitar and bass, Chris Vrenna and Ginger Fish. Wes Borland is part of the live band but does not feature on the album. Sean Beavan, who mixed Mechanical Animals and Eat Me, Drink Me, is co-producer of the album, with Manson.
Manson says the album is about having his “soul trampled on by women” but is also something that “makes you laugh”. Manson claimed in an interview with Revolver that the album “wipes the floor with everything we’ve done before” citing it’s “guitar solos and brutal, reckless screaming” and lyrics which he described as “relationship-destroying statements”.
Background information
Initially Manson revealed the recording would take place between March and May 2008, that two Eat Me, Drink Me b-sides may be included, and that he would be working again with Tim Skold, as well as Slayer's Kerry King, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner and James Iha on the album; a demo of one song was also allegedly recorded, along with written ideas for other potential tracks.
In January 2008, however, it was announced that Tim Skold had departed from the band, coinciding with the return of former bassist Twiggy Ramirez. Manson said in an exclusive interview with The Heirophant that were are plans of recording an album together once the Rape of the World tour ended. Though he has yet to divulge any sonic or thematic details of the upcoming album, Manson has said that the four-year gap between the release of The Golden Age of Grotesque and it's successor was "a mistake I don't want to repeat in the future." Also, a major device in the reunion with the bassist was the desire of Manson and Ramirez to write music together again; these points almost unanimously mean that the band's seventh studio album will see conception and release.
In a February 2008 interview with Steppin' Out, Manson described the new album as, "very ruthless, very heavy, and very violent."
In March 2008, a news blog on the official MySpace profile of Twiggy Ramirez's side project Goon Moon stated that "Jeordie is working on a new Marilyn Manson studio album". A week later Manson's MySpace profile was updated with a new banner, showing a spectral analysis of an audio track, possibly referring to the fact that they are indeed in the studio recording new tracks. In addition to this the track "The Fall of Adam" was added the the page's music player, which may imply a reprisal of the Celebritarian theme.
In an interview with Kerrang!, Manson stated the album would likely see release by winter 2008, and that Slayer's Kerry King and the Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha would still be making an appearance on the album.
On October 19, 2008, Manson and Ramirez announced at the 2008 Scream Awards' after party that the album will "sound much like Antichrist Superstar" and that the recording sessions are "pretty much done." It was also revealed that live guitarist Wes Borland will remain with the band while they tour in support of the record. In an interview with Spinner.com released the following day, Manson put forth an explanation of Ramirez's experience working on the album: "This record is the record we always wanted to make and [Twiggy] is writing from a point of view that I've always written from lyrically. I don't think earlier on he had the opportunity to be damaged, and his soul to be trampled on by women as much as me. So now that his penis has been cut off metaphorically, and been smashed into fucking Sloppy Joe's, someone shit on his heart a thousand times, we tried to put a musical face to that." A statement by Manson that the band are considering releasing a song before the end of the year implies that the album is unlikely to be released in winter 2008 as Manson had declared in May.
In December of 2008, Manson revealed sonic features of three tracks, one is said to feature “a coven of witchy girls”, the other “acoustic swampiness that harkens back to when [he] was living in New Orleans” and the song Manson plays guitar on features him utilising cocaine as a percussive instrument. Three track titles have been made public: "Devour", "Armagoddamnmotherfuckinggeddon" and "I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies". See below for details.
Taken From The Heirophant Forums:
Filicide(Heirophant Admin): They're real song titles. I think it's unwise to pass judgment based solely on the titles themselves. One of the named tracks I'd describe as the next Para-Noir. Wait and see... or hear.
Heather Weiwes: Describe as the next Para-Noir in which sense? Lyrical? Instrumental?
Filicide: Both. Instrumental more so in that it's hypnotic..similar, but much longer than Para-Noir. and yes I've heard them.
The album was originally scheduled for release in October 2008 which was then pushed back to winter 2008 due to touring and other commitments. A spring 2009 release date is currently scheduled. Manson will be touring in 2009.
A new Annoucement was made by Manson on the Heirophant on December 24 of 2008 about the new upcoming album.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to make an announcement. The rumors that I found a 'replacement' for Evan, or that I have a new girlfriend are absolutely not true. I am finishing up my album, and I also have never even met Ne-Yo. I can assure him that he would not want to be associated with something this godless. Get over the holiday so I can happily ruin the new year for anyone that assumed music was going to stay boring and sweet." -Marilyn Manson
Track listing
Confirmed working titles
Personnel
- Marilyn Manson – vocals, co-producer, percussion, guitar
- Twiggy Ramirez – guitars, bass, keyboards
- Chris Vrenna – keyboards, programming
- Ginger Fish - drums
