Heaven Upside Down is the latest album from industrial goth rocker Marilyn Manson, and it’s a welcome return for a rock hero who has otherwise had a bad time of things recently.

By Jane Howkins

His last couple of albums weren’t received very well, more criticism about the perceived violence in his songs has been brought up, and most recently he had part of a stage fall on top of him at a gig.

However, his latest album proves that Manson’s run of bad luck may finally be at an end.

Heaven Upside Down is something of a return to form for Manson, and it’s certainly a welcome return on our end. His last couple of albums felt like they were being forced, but here everything sounds as it should be, with passion evident in every song. Familiar tropes are employed by the rock star, and at times it does seem a little Marilyn Manson by numbers because of this, but then again, what else should we expect from him? One particular example is heard on SAY10, with Manson repeating a refrain of “You say God, I say Satan.” It almost sounds like he’s taking the mickey out of himself at times, although we suspect the conservative religious types in the bible belt might still find something to rail against here.

This is our main issue with the album, and the other slight niggle we have is that it isn’t quite as catchy or as rocky as his previous work used to be. Say what you like about Marilyn Manson, but he has a good ear for melody, and that isn’t quite as prevalent here. Heaven Upside Down also seems to be more focused on electronic styles, instead of the rock genre he has also been known to inhabit – although an industrial element has always been present in his music, so perhaps this is just the next evolution for him. It’s a return to form and certainly a good album – just not a great one.

Heaven Upside Down by Marilyn Manson is out now.