Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)

by Marilyn Manson

Overview

In 2000, Marilyn Manson not only was recovering from his fans' rejection of Mechanical Animals, he was scarred from Columbine and, worst of all, he was no longer America's demon dog. What was Brian Warner to do, standing on such uneasy ground? As a smart man and savvy marketer, he knew that it was time to consolidate his strengths, blend Omega with Antichrist Superstar, and return with a harsh, controversial, operatic epic: a vulgar concept album to seduce his core audiences of alienated teens and cultural cops. The resulting album, Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death), is intended as the third part of the trilogy beginning with Antichrist Superstar, and its convoluted story line is fairly autobiographical, but the amazing thing isn't the story -- it's that he figured out to meld the hooks and subtle sonic shading of Mechanical Animals with the ugly, neo-industrial metallicisms of Antichrist. Consequently, it's easy to see this as the definitive Marilyn Manson album, since it's tuneful and abrasive. Then again, much of its charm lies in Manson trying so hard, perfecting details in the concept, lyrics, themes, production, sequencing, the tarot card parodies in the liner notes, the self-theft, the self-consciously blasphemous cover art. There's so much effort, Holy Wood winds up a stronger and more consistent album than any of his other work. If there's any problem, it's that Manson's shock rock seems a little quaint in 2000. Eminem's vibrant, surrealistic white-trash fantasias were the sound of 2000, while Marilyn Manson's rock operas, religious baiting, and goth gear are from an era passed. It's to Warner's credit as, yes, an artist that Holy Wood works anyway. [The British release adds an alternate version of "The Nobodies."] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	01/09/2001
Label:	Polydor / Interscope / Nothing
UPC:	0606949082925

Tracks

1. Godeatgod
2. The Love Song
3. The Fight Song
4. Disposable Teens
5. Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis)
6. "President Dead"
7. In the Shadow of the Valley of Death
8. Cruci-Fiction in Space
9. A Place in the Dirt
10. The Nobodies
11. The Death Song
12. Lamb of God
13. Born Again
14. Burning Flag
15. Coma Black
16. Valentine's Day
17. The Fall of Adam
18. King Kill 33¿¿
19. Count to Six and Die (The Vacuum of Infinite Space Encompassing)
20. The Nobodies

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Marilyn Manson   Primary Artist,Bass,Vocals,Keyboards
John 5   Guitar,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Bon Harris   Synthesizer,Electronic Percussion
Dave Sardy   Guitar (Rhythm)
Twiggy Ramirez   Guitar,Keyboards
Ginger Fish   Drum Loop
Madonna Wayne Gacy   Drums,Ambience

Technical Credits

John Lowery   Composer
Madonna Wayne Gacy   Composer
Greg Fidelman   Engineer
Joe Zook   Assistant Engineer
John 5   Composer
Nick Raskulinecz   Assistant Engineer
Kevin Guarnieri   Assistant Engineer
Paul Northfield   Engineer
Bon Harris   Editing,Programming
Dave Sardy   Mixing,Producer
Twiggy Ramirez   Composer
Marilyn Manson   Concept,Arranger,Composer,Producer,Art Direction
Zim Zum   Composer
P.R. Brown   Design,Photography,Art Direction
Brian Warner   Composer