Back in the day, Marilyn Manson was an amazing musician. Looking back, he’s exactly what I needed I terms of a thought provoking rock star. He was dangerous,thoughtful and had exactly the type of style that was required at the time. His most well known, and arguably best album, Anti-Christ Superstar was, and still, and example of frustration over the way the world is.

Every song from the scorching opening of “Irresponsible Hate Anthem” to the more pop hooks of “ The Beautiful People” still work in regards to what it needed to accomplish. Today we’ll be discussing the songs, ideas, as well as Manson’s legacy among heavy metal circles.

The album opens with “Irresponsible Hate Anthem,” and it’s clear from the get go this is an album that is going to take no prisoners. They pound through the song, and dive headlong into what’s still his best known song “ the Beautiful People.”

There’s the reason the song had such an impact on “modern rock radio” of the mid to late 90’s. The hooks are extremely crunchy, and the vocals, along with the lyrics, perfectly fit into where the average teenager probably felt around this time. I know I did.

Now, while the title certainly troubles many people, I’ve always thought of it as more of a play on the idea of good ad evil. The world isn’t black and white. It’s completely grey, and many things are shrouded in it. This example tries to explain how sometimes things get misconstrued and how you need to take everything at face value, as opposed to judging before you examine it.

Like “the Beautiful People,” many of the songs have a more song driven, traditional rock and roll format. It doesn’t hurt that the album was produced by Manson’s mentor of sorts at the time, Trent Reznor. Even back then, Reznor brings a certain aestethic and production knowledge to everything he did. The overall sound of the album is smooth and glossy, but not in the traditional pop ways. The quality of the sound was something that hadn’t really been presented in a heavier album at the time, except if you count Reznor’s earlier masterpiece “ The Downward Spiral.”

I’ve always felt like Spiral and Superstar went hand in hand with each other. One album is about losing control of so much in your life, while the other one is clearly about fighting back and never giving up.Also, both nin and Manson would be propelled into higher realms of acknowledgment following both of the albums.

Now, that’s not to say all of the album’s success is due only to Manson and Reznor. Yes they were both crucial, but without Manson’s lineup at the time the album wouldn’t be nearly as good or hold up as well as it does. By this time, the band had finally begun to take shape, and it’s this lineup that’s most regard as being the best backing band that Manson ever had. The chaos brought on by these four individuals; Twiggy Ramirez, Madonna Wayne Gacy, Daisy Berkiwitz, and Ginger Fish is most palpale and immediate on songs like “ Little Horn,” as well as the slow moving, creepiness on “Kinderfield.”

“Little Horn” especially seems to act in part as an army, hell bent on destruction. Manson acting as the general with his four cohorts gladly bringing up the rear. The album continues barreling down a sinister path, and gets gradually angrier but also more personal as the record meets the second half. “ Mister Superstar” arrives to us at the right moment. This song displays more of a autobiographical side to things then many of the songs on the album. It’s also quite catchy. It’s always struck me as a cross between the Manson of previous albums, while incorporating a little Bowie, if Bowie had ever been this dark or aggressive.

Now, for many people who just chose to assume that Manson was the literal devil and was hell bent on bringing the world to the end, they clearly never took the time to hear him explain his ideas and give not only thoughtful, but highly intelligent answers. Let me be clear, I’m not talking about the drug addled mess the world witnessed on the “ Talking Dead” awhile ago. I’m referencing the man who gave brilliant answers in regards to civil rights, the culture of scapegoating( in the aftermath of Columbine) or was one of the few musicians of the time that was determined to make people think for themselves. He always struck me as a person who honestly didn’t care what you thought of his music, but insisted you seek it out for yourself and draw your own conclusions. In the end, that’s the most important thing: Have your own opinions. Don’t just align yourself with something without doing some research on your own. Even people who don’t agree with your overall view with respect you in the end if you come at an issue with genuine, real opinions, as opposed to one’s that you just except from whoever because you can’t think for yourself.

The next, and final six songs all get better and better. The slow, lumbering mechanics of the previously mentioned “Kinderfield,” stalk the corn fields at night like a nightmare looking for a vulnerable child. It doesn’t hurt that this was one of the first times I’d ever seen Manson perform( albeit on home video). In the song, he’s seen marching all over the stage in a weird head gear type situation while walking around on very tall 5 foot stilts. He’s over 6’0 so you can imagine the visuals. As a teenager, it both terrified me and excited me. Like I said, Manson was my first true rock star.

The next track is the title track from the album “Anti- Christ Superstar.” It’s still one of the most rocking and kick ass songs he has ever recorded. The song features Manson preaching so to speak from a familiar pulpit, but that’s more for show value and doesn’t really have anything to do with the content of the song. Having said that, it works perfectly in regards to a live show setting. “1996,” the next song, is the only song that could have followed the previous one. It’s the ultimate anti establishment, with Manson and company raging on everything under the song. The song is the perfect song for not only angry teenagers, but in general for angry people who are realizing the world is not as easy to understand or deal with as they had been led to believe.

The album then takes an interesting turn and heads down a slower, more melancoly path with “ A Minute of Decay.” The bass line of the song is pretty Vicent Price if you ask me. I feel like if modern horror movies were made in the vein of older, black and white horror films this song would have been a perfect inclusion. Everything about it speaks of macabre, twisted black and white imagery. The song is also extremely dark I terms of lyrical usage. It’s as if he’s at the end of his rope, but he’s still not willing to give up. He’s the enemy of some, but ally to others. The crescendo of the end that brings the song full circle is a gradual thing that comes at the breaking point of not only the song, but the whole album. This the end of whatever is happening, and there’s no turning back.

The album ends with the juxtaposition of the synth heavy dynamics of “the Reflecting God,” and slow, somber conclusion that is “the Man that you Fear.” “Reflecting God” is slightly mechanical in terms of the music being presented, but it also has the strange ability to be completely human in how it relates to the listener. The drumming near the quarter length mark spirals into pure chaos and Manson is growling out vocals the army behind him continues to pummel the audience with intense music. Seeing this live is really one of the coolest things to witness in a giant arena.

The last song, “Man that you fear,” is a slow, and super depressing song about the loss of childhood innocence. Manson’s vocals here are impeccable,and the last chapter on this amazing record is better because of his use of imagery in his lyrics that help move the song along. For me the song has always been a reminder of the world. It’s a cold, bad place, and it likely always will be. That’s what’s so interesting about the song, and also the world. As adults we all adore smiling faces of children, but in the and those beautiful, pure faces will be ruined by the world that we created, and in the end they’l lend up as the same assholes who currently dwell in it. As the song concludes, the lasting image you get is Manson imploring us to “Pray your life was just a dream.” The song fades into a dry, dying buzz and the last thing heard serves not only a reminder of what life may become for countless people, but also perhaps what happened to Manson himself as he was never really able to replicate the brilliance found on this When album and ended up just becoming a parody of himself: “ When all your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed.”

In the end though, the album still stands out to me as one of the first one’s that I ever felt truly spoke to me, and it taught me to value my thoughts, and opinions, as well as being responsive and open to opposing views.