Marilyn Manson – Heaven Upside Down review

In 2017 the legendary Marilyn Manson released his tenth studio album (which was going to be called ‘Say-10’ as a sound-alike for ‘Satan’ before he changed it last minute) called Heaven Upside Down. It was produced by Tyler Bates and was their last album before once more losing Jeordie ‘Twiggy Ramirez’ White, even if he didn’t actually play on it.

Now, I don’t normally like to write negative reviews (as you can probably tell if you’ve read any of my other reviews, it pretty much 99% a love fest as I don’t like to denigrate things that take so much effort to make, so focus on the great albums and just don’t review the ). I am also a bit of a Marilyn Manson fanboy, and even though I’m not insane enough not to think that the Triptych (Antichrist Superstar, Mechanic Animals and Holywood) are his best material by a million miles, I am the kind of guy who likes his other albums, even ones that people in my peer group seem to all hate. There’s plenty of good material to be found in his whole discography.

Even I can’t love this album though. Since it came out I’ve been trying to be excited for it. I’ve gave it a really fair chance and tons of repeat listens, but I really can’t get into this at all. (…And this is coming from a guy that doesn’t mind Eat Me, Drink Me).

There are a few good moments here, I’m not saying its utter shit or anything. He’s still got a good voice and there’s a few fun stompers, like the catching ‘We Know Where You Fucking Live’ and ‘Je$u$ Cri$i$ ‘ but coming from The All American Antichrist, this is just a bit of a tepid, plain, dull album. For someone who made such remarkable lyrics on Holywood or such diverse incredible music on Antichrist Superstar or put on such a show for Mechanical Albums, its kind of surprising how polite and slightly forgettable this album is. Its all to polite. It isn’t some amazing progressive masterpiece. It isn’t even a fun collection of bangers like the less artistic but very instant Golden Age Of Grotesque. It just feels like background music for rich people.

Sure there’s some sleazy sexy bass lines, or some semi-interesting drum patterns, (‘Saturnalia’ /’Kill4Me’) and there’s some of those anguished vocals (‘Blood Honey’) but its all too little to really get your juices flowing.

If you want to listen to Marilyn Manson there are so many albums I’d recommend before this one. I can’t even recommend it for lapsed fans (Born Villain is the one for that). If you are a massive fan and have to own everything he does then, sure, you can get this one. For most people though, this is a listen to it a few times and shelf it kind of affair. Maybe its the fact that barely anyone you care about appeared on it, maybe its the fact that most of the music was written by the producer. Maybe its just the fact that all his other work is so good it fails in comparison, I don’t know. What I do know.. this one, I’m sad to say, is not for me.