A bit less off the walls than what one might expect from a Marilyn Manson album, but this is a good thing. This album is super polished and a great overall listen with some of the strongest tracks I have herd from Manson/the band.
This album goes a bit more outside the box and experiments with new styles. This is something completely new for the band and it suits them incredibly well. Manson's singing is excellent and this album effectively shows off his singing style and range throughout each track. There is a huge amount of variety all throughout the album and the different tracks - each one sounds different and does something new and exciting to listen to.
'Mechanical Animals' is an incredibly interesting concept album that touches heavily on themes of drug addiction and fame. The overall atmosphere is dark, yet inviting. There's a lot more to love about this album than what is present on their EP 'Smells Like Children', and to say I enjoyed this more would almost be an understatement. Marilyn Manson puts on two different alter-ego like characters for this album, and the album takes the viewpoints of both of these characters.
This album tones down the industrial sound of their previous works - it's less aggressive while still packing that same punch. They wanted to make something more interesting than their previous work since they had grown tired of the style they had been using for so long - and they hit all of the possible marks. They went absolutely above and beyond for this album and it shows.
The instrumental work on this album is absolutely incredible and Manson's singing only helps to elevate the album to a new level. The more tame songs are absolutely incredible and really show off his vocal range, and the more aggressive songs are hard hitters that give the listener exactly what they would be looking for from a Marilyn Manson album.
"Everything is oversensitized, pain is more extreme and love is more extreme – hence the change in the music, which is more in the bombastic tradition of Queen and Bowie. Some bands are afraid of not sounding hard all the time – I'm not. In a lot of ways it is more mainstream, but I'm more mainstream. I don't think I've sold myself out – I've adapted to my surroundings."
This album draws heavy influences from 1970s glam rock which can be heard in the guitar riffs - especially on 'The Speed of Pain'. It's a darker, more disturbing approach to the glam rock style, and it takes these influences without sounding like a rip off of any other band. There's something entirely unique and fresh about this album - and to think about how it's from 1998 is almost mind boggling. This album was incredibly ahead of its time and it still sounds fresh decades later.
"This role is more a savior. I wanted to write songs that were more personal and dealt with specific emotions. The music had to really compliment that, but there wasn't a conscious effort to make more accessible songs. There was simply an effort to write songs that would make people feel differently to the songs on the last album. In a sense that makes it more accessible, but it's not just for the sake of pop. Even if it was, that's okay too. I can appreciate the Spice Girls and Garth Brooks in the Andy Warhol sense of it - pop art."
The instrumentals are incredibly well done and they keep the style integrity of the band while still experimenting and dipping into different genres. The guitar work is especially impressive, but every instrument counts.
I personally more enjoy the heavier songs within the album, but there are many highlights all throughout - and this is without a doubt one of the best rock albums of the 90s. I personally believe this should be a must-hear, especially for any fans of rock or metal, you won't be disappointed. It's a little lengthy, but entirely worth it.
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