Born Villain
by Marilyn Manson
  • Record Label: Downtown
  • Release Date: May 1, 2012
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 118 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 118
  3. Negative: 10 out of 118
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  1. thedarkness
    May 12, 2012
    6
    Just above mediocre. Some tracks are poor (overneath the path of misery), others just dont quite work (youre so vain), or average (no reflection=boring). The rest has mainly been written well, but fails as it could have been simply sung better (too many to mention).. although there are one or two that are worth noting and are really great (lay down your goddamn arms, murderers are gettingJust above mediocre. Some tracks are poor (overneath the path of misery), others just dont quite work (youre so vain), or average (no reflection=boring). The rest has mainly been written well, but fails as it could have been simply sung better (too many to mention).. although there are one or two that are worth noting and are really great (lay down your goddamn arms, murderers are getting prettier every day). Overall theres still too much on here, and as a result is a very mixed bag-he really needs that vocal therapist in order to sing better, as theres a good songwriter in here.. but with some material worth noting, he's not quite dead yet. Some will argue that the last two albums were not as good, simply because they were less heavy tracks, but I prefer those albums to this-because I believe alot of this could have sounded or been sung better, I will regard this as a lazy effort.… Expand
  2. Palp
    May 25, 2012
    5
    This is a pretty average and dull entry from MM. Save for a few songs, nothing on this record really sticks out. Not the lyrics, not the guitar work. It is definitely worth a listen for MM fans but I don't think people will find the MM comeback they want on this album.
  3. hurtlocker84
    May 3, 2012
    5
    Very mediocre effort from MM. High End of Low is a much better album than this. This album is full of hamfisted attempts at being dangerous and "heavy" and it just falls flat on its face. Jeordie White is a boring and one dimensional guitar player. He just chugs out dropped D riffs. No surprise that the best MM albums (ACS, MA, and Holy Wood) all had another guitar player involved in theVery mediocre effort from MM. High End of Low is a much better album than this. This album is full of hamfisted attempts at being dangerous and "heavy" and it just falls flat on its face. Jeordie White is a boring and one dimensional guitar player. He just chugs out dropped D riffs. No surprise that the best MM albums (ACS, MA, and Holy Wood) all had another guitar player involved in the writing and playing.… Expand
  4. TheEPICOne
    Aug 22, 2013
    5
    though it's a vast improvement over the last two albums, i'm still not convinced that manson's still got it, which is kinda sad... ah well, the standouts include: hey, cruel world, overneath the path of misery and born villain, avoid breaking the same old ground like the plague.
  5. mm_nirv_rhcp
    Jan 20, 2015
    5
    Born Villain features some very compelling tracks, among which are 'No Reflection,' 'Slo-Mo-Tion,' and 'Hey Cruel World,' however, its capacity for greatness is severed when exploring the rest of the album. The album, generally speaking, seems completely unfinished and unpolished--not only in sound, but in aesthetics alike. The packaging of the album and the artistic endeavors thereofBorn Villain features some very compelling tracks, among which are 'No Reflection,' 'Slo-Mo-Tion,' and 'Hey Cruel World,' however, its capacity for greatness is severed when exploring the rest of the album. The album, generally speaking, seems completely unfinished and unpolished--not only in sound, but in aesthetics alike. The packaging of the album and the artistic endeavors thereof additionally follow suit with the incomplete nature of the album (exemplified through the lack of photo additions and nevertheless inscriptions in the inner portions of the packaging)--it is lacking creativity that is so well known and attributed to Manson's nature. Overall, this album is good for the singles, however, it falls short thereafter.… Expand
  6. owenrw89
    Dec 10, 2016
    4
    It's another let down I'm afraid. After a few up-tempo numbers, it quickly reverts to dull and not-very-interesting rock. Here's hoping that one day, in the not too distant future, another glam-rock Manson album is created.

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Most Discussed Album of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. musicOMH.com
    May 25, 2012
    70
    Like fine steak, Born Villain is at its best raw and bloody.
    Read full review
  2. Consequence
    May 23, 2012
    50
    Subject matter such as the aforementioned romanticism is refreshing, and maybe that will be pushed to the foreground in future records, but it only appears in spurts on Born Villain.
    Read full review
  3. Kerrang!
    May 21, 2012
    60
    Perhaps it's too monochrome, too arty. [28 Apr 2012, p.52]
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