Mechanical Animals

Mechanical Animals is Marilyn Manson’s third full-length album, released on September 15, 1998. It was the #1 selling album on its first week of release, the first of Marilyn Manson’s career. The album is a concept album, similar to its predecessor, Antichrist Superstar. Four singles were released off the album: “The Dope Show,” “Rock is Dead,” “I Don’t Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me),” and, only released promotionally and with a video, “Coma White.” This album virtually rebuilt the band and gave it more of a Glam Rock persona. Despite its success, the album was marred by controversy and is notorious for its shocking imagery, even with absence of vulgar language in the lyrical content. Initial sales were extremely strong but it became virtually blacklisted when it became the scapegoat of the Columbine shootings of 1999 (despite the lack of evidence that the shooters were fans of the band), with unit sales halting very close behind the figure for its predecessor, Antichrist Superstar. This album is considered a prequel to its predecessor. Mechanical Animals has sold more than 8 million copies, making it the second best-selling Marilyn Manson album.

Compared to Marilyn Manson’s previous work, Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals is, on an aesthetic level, far less dark, but in concept, far more grim. In both image and music, Mechanical Animals is inspired by 1970s style, Bowie-esque glam rock.