Marilyn Manson, WE ARE CHAOS | Track Review 🎵

Marilyn Manson returns with “WE ARE CHAOS,” a brighter, major-key record that marks a departure for the collective.  

Marilyn Manson isn’t a band known as the most, um, serene musical act.  Typically, you expect ample hell when it comes to a MM song – facts.  I mean, Manson didn’t dub himself as the ‘God of fuck’ or ‘The Antichrist Superstar’ for no reason! That said, “WE ARE CHAOS” is a change of pace for Manson, period.  No, the controversial collective hasn’t suddenly become angelic, but the lead single from WE ARE CHAOS (September 11, 2020) is a departure.

The first reason why “WE ARE CHAOS” is a contrast is the fact that it’s in a major key. While the record still has some of that Marilyn Manson intensity, it is brighter and less damned.  Still, there’s darkness to be had.  “In the end, we all end up in a garbage dump,” Manson sings on the first verse, continuing, “But I’ll be the one that’s holding your hand.” Hmm, interesting.  Still damned, yet, there’s unity in damnation. It’s a similar situation and vibe on the second and third verses, while the chorus is one big happy dosage of chaos:

“We are sick fucked up and complicated
We are chaos, we can’t be cured
We are sick fucked up and complicated
We are chaos, we can’t be cured.”

Final Thoughts

So, as I stated earlier, “WE ARE CHAOS” is a departure for Marilyn Manson.  There’s more optimism, even with the depths of darkness still engrained you might say.  It’s a contrast that does shake up the formula, while preserving the doomed lyrics that have consistently characterized the band’s music.  Is this a surefire winner? No, but I appreciate the band surprising us with something that hits just a bit different.  It’s definitely worth checking out, even if it won’t supplant the darker, minor-key classics anytime soon.

Marilyn Manson • WE ARE CHAOS • Loma Vista • Release: 9.11.20

Photo Credit: Loma Vista