The Golden Age Of Grotesque
by Marilyn Manson
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 118 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 95 out of 118
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 118
  3. Negative: 9 out of 118

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. BL
    Aug 7, 2007
    6
    This album suffers from trying to recreate the "classic" Manson sound. The thing is a lot of the songs just aren't that good. mOBSCENE is one of the best and a obvious choice for the single. Golden Age of Grotesque (the song), (s)aint and Para-noir are the other stand-out tracks. The album isn't awful but other than a few tracks it's nothing special.
  2. KevinA
    Jan 3, 2004
    6
    It has tons of hooks and really rocks, but it all sounds kind of the same. Definitely not as sharp as Mechanical Animals, Holy Wood, or even Antichrist Superstar. And you're either going to love the lyrical stupidity ("doll-dagga buzz-buzz ziggety-zag"), and I don't love it.
  3. NineInchAndy
    May 13, 2003
    6
    Bleh... okay... here goes... Manson is one clever bastard. Well, lyrically anyways. Unfortunately, that's basically the sole reason why I am giving GAOG the score I am. With the exception of a few high points such as the opening track, it's basically the same stuff they've been doing since 1996 with more blips and bleeps and whatnot. Anyone familiar with Tim Skold's Bleh... okay... here goes... Manson is one clever bastard. Well, lyrically anyways. Unfortunately, that's basically the sole reason why I am giving GAOG the score I am. With the exception of a few high points such as the opening track, it's basically the same stuff they've been doing since 1996 with more blips and bleeps and whatnot. Anyone familiar with Tim Skold's work with KMFDM will notice his obvious influence. Really, the only reason I bought this album was because I highly respect Marilyn Manson as a person and as an archetype. He's very witty and intelligient and there is not enough of that in music today.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Most Discussed Album of 2003
31
#31 Most Shared Album of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. Mojo
    60
    Better than the conceptual barf of its predecessor Holy Wood, but not as sharp as his best record to date, '98's glammy Mechanical Animals. [Jun 2003, p.100]
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    Inventive and powerful enough to merit intermittent attention, but ultimately crushed by the weight of its hoary pretensions.
    Read full review
  3. Q Magazine
    60
    The good news is that Grotesque rocks like a bastard.... Not so good news is that Manson's shock shtick still lacks real substance. [Jun 2003, p.103]
See all critic reviews »