MARILYN MANSON - One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2

I've got heaven on my mind
I've got hell in my heart

A touch of darkness in this scorching August comes courtesy of the announced "One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2" by Marilyn Manson. A release that fits coherently alongside the first part, starting with the cover art: another self-portrait canvas by the Reverend, no stranger to placing his paintings on album covers. This second part – again on Nuclear Blast – doesn't upend anything and carries on the "easy win" secured by Chapter 1, still steered by trusted producer Tyler Bates behind the desk.

For Manson, we're at a point in his career where, if he can't or won't do something new and meaningful, he at least picks the best from his past. "Unalive" is a massive opener, "Lucifer's Teardrop" echoes the metallic guitars of "The Pale Emperor", specifically "Deep Six". "Front Toward Enemy" tries to blend the unforgettable fury of "The Fight Song" with the sound of "Antichrist Superstar". By the end of the listen, the most successful and engaging moments are the more melodic ones, far from the Reverend's metal matrix, no stranger in the past to forays into different landscapes. See "Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge", the grim folk of "We Are Chaos", or catchy choruses, as in "The Flowers of Evil" on "Born Villain".

Worth noting is the granite-like, funereal bass of "Don't Answer The Door", the dark/goth atmosphere of "All The Vilest Things", where the synth touch works, unlike on the first single "Exit Wound", which can't hold a candle to "As Sick As The Secrets Within" from Chapter 1. The refrain of "None Of The Suns" also stands out, while the rest of the record does its job thanks to driving rhythms and hard-edged sounds.
With proto-satanism diluted into sporadic appearances, the thematic core here too is the return after the delicate years spent in court over alleged abuse accusations filed from 2021 onward and closed for lack of evidence by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department last year. The tone is that of someone who has left the worst behind.

You tried your best to destroy me
Don't want revenge
'Cause you only made me stronger

Fittingly closing out the story is "Enantiomorph", preceded by a recorded intro.
"One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2" is part of the new life – artistic and personal – of Marilyn Manson. Nothing that can match past glories, but a successful update paired with a renewed vitality – physical and vocal – also evident live. However many times the assassination under God has played out, the only one who hasn't fallen is Brian Hugh Warner.

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29/08/2026