The High End Of Low - Marilyn Manson
Metascore
58 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
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  1. The Guardian
    20
    The Marilyn Manson blueprint holds fast, and all the familiar elements are here. The difference is that even Manson sounds unconvinced by his "antichrist superstar" persona; maybe because his target demographic have grown up and moved on.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 69 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 34
  3. Negative: 5 out of 34
  1. thedarkorb
    7
    Since I (mostly) enjoyed Manson's 2007 album Eat Me, Drink Me I bought The High End of Low on a whim without sampling it beforehand and was not disappointed. While still no where near as good lyrically as Antichrist Superstar The album is mostly enjoyable for the entirety of it's fifteen tracks. Starting off with Devour a track the starts soft and acoustic before building to up to aggressive gold. From there on the listener is treated to richly layered guitars and even the use of strings (a first for a Manson album). Halfway through your hit with an great acoustic number called Running To The Edge Of The World before continuing on. There are a few tracks that are obviously weaker, namely WOW and We're From America. But after listening to the albums high points like like Four Rusted Horses, Wight Spider, and Leave A Scar they're easier to forgive.

    For those that purchase the deluxe edition your treated to a bonus disc that features acoustic versions of several of the albums better tracks, all of which work exceptionally well. I would imagine that an unplugged tour, while unpopular with most of his fan base, would actually warrant a live cd worth buying.

    If you used to be a Manson fan but haven't picked up an album since Holy Wood you might want to give this one a try. While different from his earlier releases he seems to have found a new musical direction that actually works for him. The High End of Low is an enjoyable album that has rekindled my interest in Marilyn Manson as an artist and just may do the same for you.    … Full Review »
  2. MeiT
    2
    I can't focus on listening to this album to save my life. Song after song is wasted on obnoxious, unimaginative guitar and Manson's scratchy voice that willingly alternates between whispering and screaming, though rarely leaves the vocal range of maybe 6 half steps. If you listen to the first 20 seconds of a few songs on the album, take, for example, "Blank and White", "I Want To Kill You Like They Do In Movies", or "Leave A Scar", you might think they were pretty catchy. It's a quaint little guitar riff, despite Manson plowing through it with his obstinately monotone voice. But after the first minute, that catchy little guitar riff starts to get pretty damn old, even more so through the rock n' roll song formatting used for every single song (Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus x2, Abrupt Ending). To put it simply, Manson is devoid of the originality and shock factor he once had. He should have quit while he was ahead.… Full Review »
  3. KatrinaS.
    10
    This album incorporates all of Manson's complex and diverse talents. In my opinion, this is the best album Manson has released in years.
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