Antichrist Superstar

Antichrist Superstar (sometimes written as Antichrist Svperstar as an allusion to Latin) is Marilyn Manson’s second full-length studio release and was released in 1996. The album raised public awareness of the band, and led to numerous protests due to the band’s supposed anti-christian stance. It was produced by the band’s frontman and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. The album has sold 7.5 million copies worldwide as of 2008.

Background

The album’s title is a combination of the concept of the Antichrist with the title of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Jesus Christ Superstar. The influence of the latter can also be seen in the song “Angel with the Scabbed Wings”, which features a riff strongly reminiscent of a portion of the Jesus Christ Superstar score.

The album is considered a concept album. In a three part storyline, an abused and apathetic person (represented by “The Worm”) becomes an influential celebrity and finally is transformed into the powerful “Disintegrator”. In an issue of Kerrang! magazine edited by Manson, he stated that the album was a tribute to—and inspired by—the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Much of the album content is deliberately vague, allowing listeners to draw independent conclusions.

Many of the album’s riffs are based around the notes of a diminished pentatonic minor scale.