MARILYN MANSON Part Ways With Guitarist JOHN 5, Begin Recording New Material

MARILYN MANSON are currently in the studio recording new material, some of which will appear on a "best of collection" that will be released this fall. Besides all of their classics, the album will feature the new single, a cover of DEPECHE MODE's "Personal Jesus". In addition to a booklet of rare photos and artwork by Marilyn Manson, the entire video catalog will be included for the first time ever on DVD, featuring the never-before-seen, uncensored cut of "(s)AINT", directed by Asia Argento. The band have decided to part ways with guitarist John 5 as recording sessions for the next album begin.

In other news, MANSON has posted the following message to the "Journal" section of his official web site:

"The exitainment has begun. Let the panic attacks and nervous breakdance sink their comforting cancer into the sweaty palms of our hands like well prescribed press-on nails. Our stigmata will stagnate and we will shake, shake hands like little boys--if boys were just like puppies — spreading our ring worms. ATTENTION MY CRIPPLING ORCHESTRA! I am your Cracked Atom!!!.... drum roll please.... At least our death wishes will come true. We don't even need to blow out the candles. I hear that thunder, I hear it too. It's all my goddamn Frankensteins coming back for some sick closure. Listen, the world can't be an opera when it needs an operation. The second coming of Christ will require more than softcore porn, mini-bar gin and Viagra. Don't ever answer the door and remember that most authorities believe that the side effects of this breeding ground of talentless chaos will not leave any permanent damage. We are the 'good monsters' that are only chipped away by the banality of 'enter'tainment, and our black encrusted beehives harden into hideous-honey-diamonds, too personal and nervous for idiots to hold or cherish. Only your love is uncanny and only you can feel that all of our art is muscle. Your beauty will be edible or it will not be beauty at all — no salvation and no forgiveness. We are the ones with the bloody knuckles. It has taken ten years, boys and girls to climb this ugly hill and these are the Songs of Golgotha. We have put together the best of what we have made and this is only a reminder that you can cut off the head but it only grows back harder. The band is in the studio, still growing and there is no sign of our knuckles healing."