Triptych

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The Triptych is a trilogy comprised of three records Marilyn Manson released between 1996 and 2000. Each album represents some semi-autobiographical aspect of Manson himself, and although made up of three records, it is considered one body of work by Manson and the fanbase. Placed in proper sequence, they tell of Adam Kadmon's failed revolution in the land of Holy Wood (2000's Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)), his vilification as the source of society's evils (1998's Mechanical Animals), and his subsequent purging of insecurity and guilt to become the Antichrist Superstar, a self-reflecting god and ruler of his own destiny (1996's Antichrist Superstar).[1]

Plot

The Triptych's actual timeline is accepted to begin with Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death), Mechanical Animals, and finally Antichrist Superstar, reversed from the actual release of each album. However, each album's interpretation is debatable, and far more so when interpreted as a whole story.

Each installment of the Triptych takes place in one world. Each of the album's main protagonists is one single entity but reinterpreted on each album. In "Holy Wood" the character is Adam Kadmon, a rebel from the Valley of Death, which is essentially a dwelling of "rejects", who leads a revolution against Holy Wood, which is populated by the rich and famous; who are the same as "The Beautiful People". Adam has a interest for Coma Black though. His revolution is a bitter sweet success in that while he does eradicate Holy Wood, the mainstream media soon transforms the revolution and makes it just as fake, profiteering, and hollow as Holy Wood. All of this leads to Adam's assumed suicide.

Mechanical Animals focuses on Coma White, as she is now known, and Omēga, a decadent and sexually ambiguous androgynous alien who, much like David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust", falls down to earth, is captured and then turned into a rock star product. Another lesser character on the album is Alpha who is more Manson like. Omēga, just like Adam, has a love interest for Coma. As a rock star, Omēga becomes increasingly addicted to drugs, emotionally dissociated and nihilistic. All the while his relationship with Coma grows more dysfunctional and falls into disrepair. Like Adam, Omēga also snaps.

Finally the Antichrist Superstar storyline begins. It follows one main character and the two stages of his life; The Worm and The Disintegrator. The Worm is likened to "an insignificant shadow looking for his place in an infinite world of light." In his journey, he becomes a fascistic, repressive tyrant, the eponymous "Antichrist Superstar", known alternatively as "The Disintegrator", who in his vitriol, betrays everything the revolution fought for and along the way destroys everyone and everything around him.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day not only plays a part in much of Manson's work, it plays a part in the Triptych. It is the only solid evidence of all three stories interlocking. Both "Born Again" and "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" are listed as, in the Triptych's world, being recorded live on February 14th, 1997. While it has never been confirmed officially, I Want to Disappear is assumed to be the other song because it also starts out with crowd overdubs.

"Valentine's Day" is also a song on Holy Wood. If it is the same Valentine's Day, then at least Holy Wood took place in and around 1997. Most likely Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals did also, however, there is still the slight possibility that they the majority of their content took place after Holy Wood and they only existed in minuscule references during Holy Wood.

Trivia

There are 51 total tracks in the triptych, 51 is a 15 in reverse, as the triptych is in reverse chronological order.


References

  1. Dark Angel. Revolver. Winter 2000. pp. 75.