The Prince of Darkness is still around.  Brian Warner has matured and isn’t in his late 90’s heyday but can still tap in to the army of the dispossessed.  The need to look for a bogeyman is gone, you want a freak show, just turn on the news. ‘We are Chaos’ is Marilyn’s best album in years. Released last week it runs the full length of his controversial career.

He’s recruited Shooter Jennings; a bad boy country rock singer who also produces albums for other artists.  But don’t be fooled, this hasn’t watered down the eeriness of Marilyn.

Album opener ‘Red, black and blue’ hits all the glam metal hooks bordering on industrial. It’s a perfect way to bring you in. The title track ‘We are Chaos’ gives you an idea of where the album is headed in its maudlin acoustic ways.  This won’t be ten songs of industrial bangers.

‘Don’t chase the dead’ leans on 70’s era Bowie in a sorrowful tone and ‘Half way one step forward’ ventures into arty new wave with a driving piano line.

‘Infinite Darkness’ offers up late night post punk which if we ever get back to live gigs would attract a sea of strobe lights. ‘Keep my head together’ is an epic sweeping groove heavy masterpiece, probably my favorite.

It’s an album full of so many genres, yet it all seems to come together. It’s unmistakably Marilyn. Lyrically he’s also pulled back the curtain.  After 30 years in the music biz you can imagine there’s lot of skeletons.

He sings “Am I a man or a show, or a moment” and “don’t try to change into someone else, you’ll just try changing yourself” or “just cause you’re famous doesn’t mean you’re worth anything” They’re the thinking mans lyrics of a somewhat tortured aging Goth rocker.

Marilyn has become a Hunter Valley Shiraz you’ve left untouched for years. When you finally crack it you discover it’s aged very nicely indeed.

hallymustang rating : 4/5