Marilyn Manson

Long past the ability to shock or turn stomachs, let alone convince the general and / or music-buying public that he is anything but a character of ill repute, Marilyn Manson now has his music to rest solely upon. "One Assassination Under God — Chapter 2" is obviously the follow-up to 2024's first chapter, which found Manson collaborating once again with Tyler Bates and now Shooter Jennings, two gentlemen vastly removed from the core creative team that was in Manson's orbit during his prime Nothing Records years. "Chapter 1" was a largely angular, focused body of work without some of the extra fat Manson tended to pad his LPs with. "Chapter 2", with Bates returning as co-collaborator and producer, doesn't quite carry the same weight. It even borders on pedestrian.

The album refrains from the riffs and industrial musings heard on "Chapter 1" in favor of an accessible flow of songs that, to some degree, channel 1998's underrated "Mechanical Animals". Opener "Unalive" makes its point with the line "Eyes may cry, but I'll never weep" in perhaps a veiled reference to Manson's ongoing fallout over multiple sexual assault allegations, which accompanies a flowing lead guitar line. (Manson, laughably, said, "I used each stone that was thrown at me to sharpen my edges" in the accompanying press release for the "Unalive" video.) The obvious best song here is "Don't Answer The Door", a (no pun intended) stalking, urgent number that boasts simple yet highly effective chord patterns and effects. The chorus is also easy and effortless, then it shifts into a sleaze-rock bridge and ominous spoken-word bits.

"All The Vilest Things" fails to land primarily because of its radio-rock production values, where Manson's voice is heavily layered for that oft-annoying "surround" effect that is now a requirement for such airplay. And since Manson usually can't carry a song vocally, "All The Vilest Things" doesn't go very far. Yet, the country-western post-punk flavorings of "Lucifer's Teardrop" and scathing vocal refrains on "The Arsonist" are in line with the more inspired takes on "Chapter 1". Past that, though, "Exit Wound" and album closer "Enantiomorph" essentially spin their wheels, especially the latter, which is nothing more than a space-rock exercise.

By and large, "One Assassination Under God — Chapter 2" feels like an outpost for the leftover songs from its predecessor. Plus, the whole "woe is me" or "I'm the victim" thing here throws both "One Assassination Under God" chapters out of whack. As noted, Manson no longer possesses the ability to upset the status quo with his antics or his music. It's only fitting that he's released an album that largely reflects that.