The High End of Low
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''The High End of Low'' is the seventh studio album by American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band Marilyn Manson. It was released on May 20, 2009 by Interscope Records. Multiple editions of the record were released by the label, each containing unique bonus tracks. The album's lyrics were largely inspired by the personal troubles experienced by the band's eponymous vocalist relating to his divorce from burlesque performer
Dita Von Teese Heather Renée Sweet (born September 28, 1972), known professionally as Dita Von Teese, is an American vedette, burlesque dancer, model, and businesswoman. She is credited with re-popularizing burlesque performance, earning the moniker "Que ...
, as well as his later relationship with actress
Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood (born September 7, 1987) is an American actress and activist. She is the recipient of a Critics' Choice Television Award as well as three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations for her work ...
. Manson first began work on the album with guitarist
Tim Sköld Tim Skold (born Thim Sköld) is a Swedish musician and record producer who produces solo work and has also collaborated with multiple musical groups including Shotgun Messiah, KMFDM, Marilyn Manson and Motionless in White. Biography Early ...
. However, Sköld left the band when the vocalist reunited with former bassist
Twiggy Ramirez Jeordie Osbourne White (born June 20, 1971), better known Twiggy Ramirez or simply Twiggy, is an American musician, mostly known as the former bassist and guitarist of the rock band Marilyn Manson. Previously, he was the bassist for A Perfect C ...
. The album was produced by Manson and Twiggy (who dropped the Ramirez moniker) along with former Nine Inch Nails co-producer and keyboardist
Chris Vrenna Chris Vrenna (born February 23, 1967 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is an American musician, producer, engineer, remixer, songwriter, programmer, and founder of the electronic band Tweaker. Vrenna played drums for the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails ...
, as well as ''
Antichrist Superstar ''Antichrist Superstar'' is the second studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on October 8, 1996, by Nothing and Interscope Records. It was recorded at Nothing Studios in New Orleans and produced by the band's epon ...
'' (1996) and ''
Mechanical Animals ''Mechanical Animals'' is the third studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 15, 1998, by Interscope Records. The album marked a major shift from the industrial metal and alternative metal styles of t ...
'' (1998) co-producer
Sean Beavan Sean Beavan is a musician, record producer, and audio engineer best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses, God Lives Underwater, and Slayer. His production style is typically heavy, with heavily saturated guita ...
. It was the last album to feature the band's long-time drummer
Ginger Fish Kenneth Robert Wilson, better known by his stage name Ginger Fish, is an American drummer primarily known for playing drums for Marilyn Manson from 1995–2011. Like Marilyn Manson, which combines the names of an iconic beauty with a serial ki ...
. The record received mixed reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, with several publications praising it as their best album since ''Mechanical Animals''; although others were critical of both its length and more personal lyrical themes. The album debuted at number four on the ''Billboard'' 200, and was their second consecutive number one on '' Billboard''s
Top Hard Rock Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
. It also peaked at number six on European Albums, and within the top 20 in 18 other territories. " We're from America" and "
Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released as the second single from their seventh studio album ''The High End of Low''. It has been remixed by the Teddybears. The song was released for dow ...
" preceded the album as single releases. A music video for "
Running to the Edge of the World "Running to the Edge of the World" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. The track is from their seventh studio album ''The High End of Low'' (2009). The song is a soft rock power ballad with elements of blues, electronic music and 1 ...
" was also released, which was condemned as a perceived glorification of violence against women. The band, which featured former
Wired All Wrong Wired All Wrong is a nu metal band formed by musician/producers Matt Mahaffey of Self and Jeff Turzo previously of God Lives Underwater. The two have been longtime friends since a mix-up of their bands on MTV. Partly due to the unfortunate death ...
member
Andy Gerold Andy Gerold (born June 13, 1978) is a professional multi-instrumentalist and is best known as a former bassist of Marilyn Manson. Currently playing guitar for "Rock of Ages" at The Crown Theater, located in The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in La ...
on bass, toured in support of the record. While promoting the release, Manson made a series of disparaging comments about Interscope, its artistic censorship, as well as its-then CEO
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
. It was the band's final album released by the label.


Background and recording

Marilyn Manson announced in November 2007, while on the " Rape of the World Tour" promoting previous studio album ''
Eat Me, Drink Me ''Eat Me, Drink Me'' is the sixth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on June 5, 2007, by Interscope Records. It was recorded in a rented home studio in Hollywood by lead vocalist Marilyn Manson and guitarist an ...
'' (2007), that the then-current incarnation of the band would begin work on new material by the beginning of 2008. This included that album's co-composer,
Tim Sköld Tim Skold (born Thim Sköld) is a Swedish musician and record producer who produces solo work and has also collaborated with multiple musical groups including Shotgun Messiah, KMFDM, Marilyn Manson and Motionless in White. Biography Early ...
, as well as long-time drummer
Ginger Fish Kenneth Robert Wilson, better known by his stage name Ginger Fish, is an American drummer primarily known for playing drums for Marilyn Manson from 1995–2011. Like Marilyn Manson, which combines the names of an iconic beauty with a serial ki ...
,
Chris Vrenna Chris Vrenna (born February 23, 1967 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is an American musician, producer, engineer, remixer, songwriter, programmer, and founder of the electronic band Tweaker. Vrenna played drums for the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails ...
and
Rob Holliday Rob Holliday (born 1979) is a professional English musician. He has been the live guitarist of rock band Marilyn Manson as well as for Gary Numan, The Prodigy, and Sulpher. He began performing as Marilyn Manson's live bassist in 2007 but sw ...
. The first leg of the tour was a series of co-headlining shows with American
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band Slayer. Manson indicated that Slayer guitarist
Kerry King Kerry Ray King (born June 3, 1964) is an American musician, best known for being the co-lead guitarist and songwriter of thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and remained a member for nearly four decades. ...
and former
The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Ch ...
guitarist
James Iha (born March 26, 1968) is an American rock musician. He is best known as a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. He was a member until the initial breakup in 2000. Among his musical projects of recent years ...
would be contributing to new material, along with
Nick Zinner Nicholas Joseph Zinner (born December 8, 1974) is an American guitarist for the New York rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs and a record producer. Zinner is an accomplished photographer. Musical career Before forming the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs with Karen O and ...
of
Yeah Yeah Yeahs The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O (born Karen Lee Orzolek), guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are compl ...
, who remixed previous single "
Putting Holes in Happiness "Putting Holes in Happiness" is a song by American Rock music, rock band Marilyn Manson (band), Marilyn Manson. It was released as the second Single (music), single from their sixth studio album ''Eat Me, Drink Me''. Written on lead singer Marilyn ...
" for '' Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock''. However, the following month, Manson encountered the band's former bassist, Jeordie White (aka
Twiggy Ramirez Jeordie Osbourne White (born June 20, 1971), better known Twiggy Ramirez or simply Twiggy, is an American musician, mostly known as the former bassist and guitarist of the rock band Marilyn Manson. Previously, he was the bassist for A Perfect C ...
), while staying at
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a historic hotel located at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. It opened on May 15, 1927, and is the oldest continually operating hotel in Los Angeles. History The hote ...
. He had quit the band in 2002 as a result of creative differences during the recording sessions for their fifth studio album, ''
The Golden Age of Grotesque ''The Golden Age of Grotesque'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on May 7, 2003, by Nothing and Interscope Records, and was their first album to feature former KMFDM member Tim Sköld, who joine ...
'' (2003). It was announced in January 2008 that Twiggy would be rejoining Marilyn Manson as live bassist for the rest of the "Rape of the World Tour", which resulted in Sköld exiting the band. Manson explained: "There's too much tension there etween Twiggy and Sköld Those two couldn't be on stage with each other." Work began with Twiggy on new material in March 2008, although future collaborations with Sköld were not ruled out. Former Limp Bizkit guitarist
Wes Borland Wesley Louden Borland (born February 7, 1975) is an American rock musician. He is best known as the current guitarist and backing vocalist of the rap metal band Limp Bizkit, the lead vocalist and guitarist of the alternative and industrial rock ...
joined the band for their August headlining show at the 2008 ETP Fest in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
, although Borland would quit to reunite with Limp Bizkit after just one other performance. He later said he was reluctant to be a "hired gun", citing the band's refusal to record any of the nine songs he submitted for their then-upcoming album. Manson clarified: "There was talk early on about collaborating with different guitar players on the record. That was before Twiggy and I got back together, because once Twiggy was back, there was nobody else, and I don't care what you have to offer—this was our record." Manson and Twiggy announced at the 2008 Scream Awards in October that the album was "pretty much done", and indicated it would sound more like ''
Antichrist Superstar ''Antichrist Superstar'' is the second studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on October 8, 1996, by Nothing and Interscope Records. It was recorded at Nothing Studios in New Orleans and produced by the band's epon ...
'' than the band's recent material. Manson later described the record as featuring " ots ofguitar solos and brutal, reckless screaming", and as being "very ruthless, heavy and violent". The album was co-produced by Manson, Twiggy and Vrenna, along with ''Antichrist Superstar'' and ''
Mechanical Animals ''Mechanical Animals'' is the third studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 15, 1998, by Interscope Records. The album marked a major shift from the industrial metal and alternative metal styles of t ...
'' co-producer
Sean Beavan Sean Beavan is a musician, record producer, and audio engineer best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses, God Lives Underwater, and Slayer. His production style is typically heavy, with heavily saturated guita ...
. Manson recorded his vocals at his
Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills are a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Geography The Hollywood Hills straddle the Cahuenga Pass within the Santa Monica Mountains. The neighborhood touches Studio City, Univer ...
home studio between November 2008 and his January 5, 2009, birthday. He described the album as containing "extreme" autobiographical content relating to the dissolution of both his marriage to burlesque artist
Dita Von Teese Heather Renée Sweet (born September 28, 1972), known professionally as Dita Von Teese, is an American vedette, burlesque dancer, model, and businesswoman. She is credited with re-popularizing burlesque performance, earning the moniker "Que ...
, and his later relationship with then-19-year old actress
Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood (born September 7, 1987) is an American actress and activist. She is the recipient of a Critics' Choice Television Award as well as three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations for her work ...
, explaining: "Some of the things I say here, it's sad to say them—they're relationship-destroying statements. Some of it is stuff I should have said to my ex-wife. Some are things I've never said to the world." Manson used his home as a canvas to document the disintegration of his relationship with Wood, writing the album's lyrics on walls and coupling them with paintings and drawings, as well as used condoms, bags of cocaine and other drug paraphernalia. Much of the album's artwork was shot there.


Music and lyrical themes

The songs on ''The High End of Low'' appear on the album in the order in which they were written. The album contains material which spans across a wide variety of genres, such as industrial metal,
glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
,
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
,
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
, and synthpop. Its first track, "Devour", is a mid-tempo rock song which begins with an acoustic guitar, with heavy drums and distorted, screamed vocals becoming more prominent as it progresses. It was written in response to the "Shakespearean ideal of romance" presented on ''Eat Me, Drink Me''. Lana Cooper of ''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' said the song "runs an emotional gauntlet", and could "very well be the most depressing break-up song of all time. The lonely plink of guitar strings being tuned give way to Manson's soul-wrenching eruption of "And I'll love you / If you'll let me". uthe turns on a dime, and a few lines later is vowing revenge, spitting "I will blow your heart to pieces." ''
Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...
'' later included it on their list of the 10 most underrated Marilyn Manson songs. This is followed by "Pretty as a Swastika", a "
mosh pit Moshing (also known as slam dancing or simply slamming) is an extreme style of dancing in which participants push or slam into each other, typically performed to "aggressive" live music such as heavy metal and punk rock. Moshing usually happen ...
-ready" heavy metal song. Manson described it as one of his proudest moments lyrically. According to Manson, its title was "something I said to a girl because of her complexion—with black hair, red lips and pale skin. I mean, it was a complex and poetic statement which soon led to intercourse, so I felt no reason for it to be seen as hateful or destructive." At the insistence of Interscope Records, the song was re-titled on the album's back cover. Manson was critical of this censorship, saying: "Rather than take it off the album, I decided to produce it on the sleeve with a different name, so it'll be sold in
Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
or wherever stores sell guns but are afraid to deal with lyrics. So I put "Pretty as a ($)", because all of their motivations are based on money." "Leave a Scar" was written by Manson "about and for Evan on the day we broke up. Maybe some of the things I say in the song are cruel, but it is how I felt at the time." "Four Rusted Horses" is a blues-inspired rock song, and was compared to the work of
The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...
and Johnny Cash. Manson described its lyric as being "almost a nursery rhyme. ..everyone thinks that I was singing about the apocalypse, but it's more just about the four of us, my band, that managed to survive through all of this, and where do we go from here." "
Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released as the second single from their seventh studio album ''The High End of Low''. It has been remixed by the Teddybears. The song was released for dow ...
" is an uptempo rock song which was described by ''
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quietu ...
'' as "classic Manson". Caren Gibson of ''Metal Hammer'' claimed that the song was reminiscent of "
Chain Reaction A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events. Chain reactions are one way that sys ...
" by Diana Ross, as well as the work of Depeche Mode. "Blank and White" deals with censorship, specifically the reaction to ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' magazine's cover story " Is God Dead?", which saw protesters brandishing blank picket signs. The lyric "God is dead but god is still white / So shoot up the mall, the school or the president of whatever / Or whoever wants a fight" was
censored Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
by Interscope on all editions of the album. Manson has said that this made him happy artistically, as "the song is about censorship, and they censored t" "
Running to the Edge of the World "Running to the Edge of the World" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. The track is from their seventh studio album ''The High End of Low'' (2009). The song is a soft rock power ballad with elements of blues, electronic music and 1 ...
" is a
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
-inspired
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
, which features Manson singing in falsetto notes during its
middle 8 The 32- bar form, also known as the AABA song form, American popular song form and the ballad form, is a song structure commonly found in Tin Pan Alley songs and other American popular music, especially in the first half of the 20th century. ...
. "I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies" is a primarily bass-driven rock song. At over 9 minutes, it is longest song on the album. Its lyrics document the disintegration of Manson's relationship with Wood, and his fantasies of "smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer." It was one of the first tracks the band recorded for ''The High End of Low'', and was originally 25 minutes long. Reluctant to release a double album, they re-recorded a shorter version following the completion of the album's final song, "15", with Manson asking the band: "How many minutes do I have left on this CD .. And it was 9 minutes. I said, 'Roll it, I'm going to sing it.' What appears on the record is one neditedperformance." " WOW" is an industrial dance song, and Manson has described it as a turning point for the album, explaining: "The first half of the record is kind of bitter and angry, but there's a confidence that starts to rebuild itself t "WOW" I wanted to do a song that represented who I am, and why I started doing this in the first place." Manson plays a one-stringed guitar on the song, which also features the sound of him "snorting lines of something - whatever it might have been - as a percussion instrument." In a review of the leaked demo, which was originally titled "The WoW", James Gill of ''Metal Hammer'' described it as "genuinely filthy and intensely sexy. ..It doesn't have anything in the way of memorable hooks, but it's the sort of track that would sound amazing in a
goth A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were: *Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history *Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history Goth or Goths may also refer to: * Goth (surname) ...
strip club... if one existed." "Wight Spider" is one of the heaviest songs on the album, and has been compared to the work of
Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
. ''Metal Hammer'' also said of the track: "whether conscious or not, what
he band He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
learned from
Trent Reznor Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. He serves as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and principal songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, wh ...
is back: the track builds and builds without changing direction." "Unkillable Monster" is a down-tempo rock song which alternates between a quiet-verse and loud-chorus structure, and features layered, distorted vocals and guitars. " We're from America" is the most overtly political song on the album, referencing various aspects of
neoconservatism Neoconservatism is a political movement that began in the United States during the 1960s among liberal hawks who became disenchanted with the increasingly pacifist foreign policy of the Democratic Party and with the growing New Left and ...
in its lyrics, such as pro-war and anti-abortion rhetoric. "I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell" was described by The Quietus as a "maggot-infested ride into the trough of melancholy." The penultimate track, "Into the Fire", portrays the vocalists' mental state on
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
—wherein he unsuccessfully attempted to contact Wood 158 times, and cut himself on the hands or face with a
razor A razor is a bladed tool primarily used in the removal of body hair through the act of shaving. Kinds of razors include straight razors, safety razors, disposable razors, and electric razors. While the razor has been in existence since bef ...
blade for each corresponding attempt. It was the original album closer, with Manson describing it as a "glorious epic that I think will make Twiggy forever recognized as a guitar hero." The album's final song, "15", was completed on Manson's January 5 birthday. He called it "the most important song that's been written by Marilyn Manson as an entity. It's the most unusual song I have ever heard. I thought that the album was done, ..but what was happening in my life had not resolved itself. So on January 5, one five, I sang '15', and the lyrics tell the story of that day."


Release and promotion

The title of the album was revealed through the 'Smoking Section' of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' magazine on February 2, 2009, where it was also announced that a music video would be filmed for the track "I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies". Throughout March, five rough mixes of songs from the album were leaked. In an interview with a
fansite A fansite, fan site, fan blog or fan page is a website created and maintained by a fan or devotee about a celebrity, thing, or particular cultural phenomenon. Fansites may offer specialized information on the subject (e.g., episode listings, bi ...
, Chris Vrenna said of the leak: "I hate stealing of music in any form. If a band chooses to put tracks online, that's great. ..I think true fans know that usually songs found online before the record is released are rough mixes, and will wait to hear the music the way the artist intended." " We're from America" was released as a free download on the band's website from March 27, with a one-track digital single released through
online retailers Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of the ...
on April 7. A CD single was released on April 14, and was exclusively sold at
Hot Topic Hot Topic, Inc. (stylized as HOT TOPIC) is an American retail chain specializing in counterculture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music. The stores are aimed towards an audience interested in rock music and video gaming ...
. It peaked at number three on '' Billboard''s
Hot Singles Sales This is a compendium of the best-selling music singles. The criterion for inclusion is to sell at least ten million copies worldwide. The singles listed here were cited by reliable sources from various media, such as digital journalism, news ...
, spending six weeks on the chart. "
Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon "Arma-goddamn-motherfuckin-geddon" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released as the second single from their seventh studio album ''The High End of Low''. It has been remixed by the Teddybears. The song was released for dow ...
" was the album's official lead single. It was chosen as a single by Interscope after Manson played an
instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...
version of the song to their
artists and repertoire Artists and repertoire ( colloquially abbreviated to A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists (singers, instrumental ...
department, where an employee exclaimed: "This is gonna be a hit!". Manson is reported to have responded: "Well, I'm glad that you have no consideration for what I ightput on top of it." A heavily censored version of the profanity-laced track, re-titled to "Arma... geddon", was serviced to radio in the US from April 13. It peaked at number 37 on ''Billboards
Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active rock ...
, becoming their lowest-peaking single on that chart in the process. A music video, directed by Los Angeles-based filmmaker and photographer Delaney Bishop, premiered on the website of British music magazine ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' on May 14. Delaney had previously directed the 2005 short film '' The Death of Salvador Dali'', which starred Manson's ex-wife, Dita Von Teese. ''The High End of Low'' was made available for streaming on the band's Myspace profile four days before its US release. The album was supported by "
The High End of Low Tour The High End of Low Tour was a worldwide arena tour by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was the twelfth tour the band embarked upon and the eighth to span multiple legs. The tour ran from June 3, 2009, until December 21, 2009. The only kno ...
". Rob Holliday did not rejoin the band, with Twiggy taking over on lead guitar and former
Wired All Wrong Wired All Wrong is a nu metal band formed by musician/producers Matt Mahaffey of Self and Jeff Turzo previously of God Lives Underwater. The two have been longtime friends since a mix-up of their bands on MTV. Partly due to the unfortunate death ...
member
Andy Gerold Andy Gerold (born June 13, 1978) is a professional multi-instrumentalist and is best known as a former bassist of Marilyn Manson. Currently playing guitar for "Rock of Ages" at The Crown Theater, located in The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in La ...
performing bass. The tour was visually inspired by the art of cinematography production, and featured cinema-derived stage lighting. Manson removed the distinction between on- and off-stage, with
stagehand A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their work include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production. General S ...
s reapplying the band members' make-up and assisting with wardrobe changes in full-view of the audience. Prior to the commencement of each song, a stagehand would re-appear and signify that a new act had begun by using a
clapperboard A clapperboard (also known by various other names including dumb slate) is a device used in filmmaking and video production to assist in synchronizing of picture and sound, and to designate and mark the various scenes and takes as they are ...
in front of Manson.


Aftermath

Prior to the album's release, Manson made a series of disparaging comments regarding Interscope and its artistic censorship; as well as its then- CEO
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
, who Manson said "wasn't smart enough to understand what edo." He also accused the label of caring more about
Vitamin Water Energy Brands, also doing business as Glacéau, is a privately owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company based in Whitestone, Queens, New York, that manufactures and distributes various lines of drinks marketed as enhanced water. Founded in May 1 ...
he_private_equity_venture_of_Interscope-signed_50_Cent.html" ;"title="private_equity.html" ;"title="he private equity">he private equity venture of Interscope-signed 50 Cent">private_equity.html" ;"title="he private equity">he private equity venture of Interscope-signed 50 Cent] than music. Several days after the album's release, Trent Reznor – who, as of 2015, remains friends and business partners with Iovine – called Manson a "dopey clown", and said that "He is a malicious guy and will step on anybody's face to succeed and cross any line of decency." Manson responded by accusing Reznor of professional jealousy, saying: "Since I've known Trent, he's always let his jealousy and bitterness for other people get in the way. I'm not talking about me—I sat back and watched him be jealous of Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan and a lot of other musicians in the past. I just don't find time to do that. I stopped thinking about him a while back." While promoting the album in the UK in June 2009, Manson appeared inebriated in a series of interviews. An interview for '' Alan Carr: Chatty Man'' recorded during this period remains unaired, reportedly due to graphic language and content, as well as partial nudity. The following month, Manson issued a death threat against journalists whom he accused of making "cavalier statement about me and my band." On a blog post on the band's Myspace profile, he wrote: "I will personally, or with my fans' help, greet them at their home and discover just how much they believe in their freedom of speech." A music video for "
Running to the Edge of the World "Running to the Edge of the World" is a song by American rock band Marilyn Manson. The track is from their seventh studio album ''The High End of Low'' (2009). The song is a soft rock power ballad with elements of blues, electronic music and 1 ...
" – in which Manson beats a Wood lookalike to death – was released on November 4, and was condemned as a perceived glorification of violence against women. The band parted ways with Interscope on December 3. On parting with the label, Manson said: "a lot of the creative control on which my hands were tied as been regained, and indicated that the band had started work on new material while touring. He also confirmed that he had rekindled his relationship with Wood. The band's long-time drummer
Ginger Fish Kenneth Robert Wilson, better known by his stage name Ginger Fish, is an American drummer primarily known for playing drums for Marilyn Manson from 1995–2011. Like Marilyn Manson, which combines the names of an iconic beauty with a serial ki ...
stepped down as a member of Marilyn Manson in February 2011.


Critical reception

The album received mixed reviews upon release. At
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score 58, based on 11 reviews, which indicates "generally mixed or average reviews". It also holds an aggregate score of 4.6 out of 10 at AnyDecentMusic?, based on 8 reviews. The album was acclaimed by several publications. '' Spin'' writer Doug Brod referred to it as the band's best record since ''Mechanical Animals''. Ed Power of ''
Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...
'' and
John Earls John Earls is an English music journalist, broadcaster, and columnist, best known for his work as chief writer and editor of Planet Sound on ITV (TV network), ITV's and Channel 4's Teletext on analogue television and online. He has contributed widel ...
of ''
Planet Sound Planet Sound was a Teletext music page on ITV and Channel 4 in the UK, active from 1997 until 2009. It was broadcast on analogue Teletext from page 340, and on digital Teletext from page 820. From 24 May 2007, Planet Sound was also available t ...
'' both rated the album 8 out of 10 and also compared the two releases, with the latter complimenting ''The High End of Low''s "strutting glam and magnificently OTT ballads". In another 8 out of 10 review, Amy Sciarretto of
Ultimate Guitar Ultimate Guitar (Ultimate Guitar USA LLC), which is also known as Ultimate-Guitar.com or simply UG, is an online platform for guitarists and musicians. Its website and mobile application provides guitar tablature catalogues and chord sheets. U ...
noted Twiggy's return to the band, and claimed that he "must be the catalyst sparking Manson's creative drive and gears, because
anson Anson may refer to: People * Anson (name), a give name and surname ** Anson family, a British aristocratic family with the surname Place names ;United States * Anson, Indiana * Anson, Kansas * Anson, Maine ** Anson (CDP), Maine * Anson, Missour ...
hasn't sounded this delightfully or determinedly pissed in quite a long time." Similarly,
BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio ...
concluded that Twiggy's involvement saw the band resurrected after ''Eat Me, Drink Me'', which they called "lacklustre", and said that the album provided a pointed satirical commentary on modern America. ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' reviewer Mikael Wood complimented its production, describing how the band had "sculpted a sound both harder-hitting and more finely detailed than on any previous Marilyn Manson record." Allison Stewart from ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' praised the album for its personal lyrical content, contending that Manson's divorce from Von Teese had led to a new musical high. Other reviewers criticized the album for its length, the level of experimentation, as well as its more personal lyrical themes. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' reviewer
Jody Rosen Jody Rosen (born June 21, 1969 in New York City) is an American journalist and author. He is a contributing writer for ''The New York Times Magazine''. Career Journalism Rosen served as critic-at-large for '' T: The New York Times Style Magaz ...
gave the album a mediocre review, citing its diminished shock value when compared to the band's previous material. Rosen considered the ballads to be the album's best songs, as they illustrated a more endearing depiction of Manson–as a melancholic human, rather than the ''Antichrist Superstar''. Phil Freeman of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
criticized the lack of variety on the album. He also criticized its lyrics, saying that they "feel like anson'strying to convince himself as much as the audience." ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' called the album "occasionally satisfying", but said it was "unlikely to leave even a superficial cut." The album received some of its most negative reviews from the British and Irish press. A review for ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' was critical of the album's personal lyrics, and claimed that Manson had emasculated himself by opening up. In a one-star review, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' called the album unconvincing, and criticized it for a lack of experimentation; whilst
Entertainment.ie ''Entertainment.ie'' is an Irish web company based in Dublin. The company provides news and reviews of programs and films for TV and the cinema. It also provides information on upcoming comedies, festivals, theater shows and music in Ireland, a ...
writer Lauren Murphy chastised several songs for sounding too experimental and "completely misplaced", summarizing: "If he'd stuck to what he was good at – ear-piercing yelps, liberal dashes of real controversy and big, brawny metal songs with tough beats – he may have ada 'comeback' on his hands." Conversely, Mayer Nissim from Digital Spy commended the album for its diversity, but was critical of its length and "ill-advised attempts at stadium anthems." He awarded the album three stars out of five and said: "It's far from awful, but not for the first time, you can't help but feel that Manson could do so much better."


Commercial performance

''The High End of Low'' debuted at number four on the ''Billboard'' 200 as the highest new entry that week, with first-week sales of 49,000 copies. Despite reaching a higher charting position than their last studio album, ''Eat Me, Drink Me'', which debuted at number eight, this was the band's lowest opening-week figure since the live album ''
The Last Tour on Earth ''The Last Tour on Earth'' is a live album comprising recordings from Marilyn Manson's Mechanical Animals Tour, Beautiful Monsters Tour and Rock is Dead Tour, released on November 12, 1999. On the studio version of " The Dope Show", Manson say ...
'' opened with 26,000 copies in 1999. The album also peaked at number two on both
Top Rock Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the '' ...
and
Top Alternative Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
, and was their second consecutive number-one album on
Top Hard Rock Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
. As of February 2012, ''The High End of Low'' had sold over 148,000 copies in the US. In Japan, the album debuted at number nine on the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 10,583 copies in its first week.


Track listing


Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''The High End of Low''. * Marilyn Manson – production, photography, art direction and design *
Twiggy Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London. ...
– production *
Chris Vrenna Chris Vrenna (born February 23, 1967 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is an American musician, producer, engineer, remixer, songwriter, programmer, and founder of the electronic band Tweaker. Vrenna played drums for the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails ...
– programming, production and engineering *
Sean Beavan Sean Beavan is a musician, record producer, and audio engineer best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Guns N' Roses, God Lives Underwater, and Slayer. His production style is typically heavy, with heavily saturated guita ...
– co-production, mixing and engineering *
Ginger Fish Kenneth Robert Wilson, better known by his stage name Ginger Fish, is an American drummer primarily known for playing drums for Marilyn Manson from 1995–2011. Like Marilyn Manson, which combines the names of an iconic beauty with a serial ki ...
– piano on "Into the Fire" * Delaney Bishop – photography * Pete Doell – mastering * Justin Hergett – recording assistance *
Ted Jensen Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''. Biography T ...
– mastering * Wesley Michener – recording assistance * Mike Riley – photography and recording assistance * Jeremy Underwood – recording assistance * Liam Ward – art direction, design * Jeff Witters – cover layout


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Release history


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:High End of Low 2009 albums Albums produced by Marilyn Manson Albums produced by Chris Vrenna Albums produced by Sean Beavan Albums recorded in a home studio Glam rock albums by American artists Interscope Geffen A&M Records albums Interscope Records albums Marilyn Manson (band) albums