Messed!Up
Born Brian Hugh Warner in Canton, Ohio, in 1969, Marilyn Manson emerged from Florida’s underground music scene in the late 1980s, initially working as a music journalist before forming Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids with guitarist Scott Putesky in 1989. Combining industrial metal, glam rock, horror imagery and theatrical shock tactics, the band quickly developed a cult following. A deal with Trent Reznor’s Nothing Records brought Portrait of an American Family (1994), while the Smells Like Children EP (1995) and its provocative cover of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” pushed Manson into the mainstream.
His breakthrough came with Antichrist Superstar (1996), followed by the chart-topping Mechanical Animals (1998) and Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000). Together, the albums established Manson as one of the most controversial and visually distinctive figures in 1990s rock. Subsequent releases, including The Golden Age of Grotesque (2003), Eat Me, Drink Me (2007), The High End of Low (2009) and Born Villain (2012), saw him repeatedly reshape his sound and persona.
The past decade has represented one of the most dramatic chapters of his career. The Pale Emperor (2015), made with guitarist and composer Tyler Bates, marked a critically acclaimed shift toward blues-inflected, atmospheric rock. Heaven Upside Down (2017) continued that resurgence, while We Are Chaos (2020) offered a more reflective and melodic side of Manson’s songwriting.
In 2021, Manson faced multiple allegations of sexual and domestic abuse, including accusations from actress Evan Rachel Wood and several other women. Manson denied the allegations, describing the relationships as consensual. His record label dropped him, and he largely withdrew from public performance. In January 2025, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced that no criminal charges would be filed following an investigation, citing insufficient evidence and statute-of-limitations issues.
Manson returned to the stage in 2024 with One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1, his first album after the controversy. The record and an extensive international tour marked a striking comeback, reconnecting his newer material with the darker aesthetic of his classic era.
Now, more than three decades after his emergence, Manson remains a polarising but influential figure in alternative rock. One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2, his 13th studio album, is scheduled for release on August 14, 2026, extending his latest chapter of reinvention while coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Antichrist Superstar.
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Marilyn Manson: ‘One Assassination Under God: Chapter 2’
