Retro Review: Final Fantasy IX

Hallo everyone, these posts will probably continue to be late for a while, but hopefully all will be well soon. Here's a review I did in 2005, it's a decent one I think. Just in case you didn't know, my daughter, Vivi, was named after a character in this game. Enjoy.

"If you love the others, more than likely you will love this."

 

Introduction

Final Fantasy IX was the last Final Fantasy to be released on the Playstation, after switching from the Super Nintendo in 1997. After great success from Final Fantasy VII and VIII, Final Fantasy IX had very high expectations. Many believe IX to be disappointing, where as others believe it to be better than both its successors. Here is what I think.

Gameplay

Comparing IX to the previous Playstation releases, IX is a very moody game. The gameplay feels very negative, as there is a great structure around the gameplay. This may sound good; however, if you bring it to a duel between you and the computer, the advantages are greatly on the computer. In both previous Final Fantasies, there were many high chances of exceeding a 9999HP damage limit. Considering in the entire summons (bar the final summon in VIII) the maximum damage you can give or take is 9999, you could exceed this amount by combo attacking (specifically in limit breaks by both main characters). This is completely taken away in Final Fantasy IX. The odds are against you, because not only is it hard to actually gain maximum damage, you cannot create ways to exceed it. In the final stages of the game, many of the bosses will damage you multiply with almost maximum damage. This factor means there is a far higher difficulty level involved, which puts some of the lighter players right off, as this structure cannot be broken.

In VIII, there were six main characters. This has been increased to eight, and as always, these are eight strongly created characters, with their own personalities and opinions. As in most FF games, this game has some of the greatest characters from gaming history, from the lady-loving Zidane, to the all-so cute Vivi, to the stupidly dopey Steiner.

A new addition to IX is the approach of having four members fighting at the same time, a feature that has not been used in a Final Fantasy game since 1994's Final Fantasy VI. The fact that four members fighting instead of three makes fighting a lot more complex, giving you many strategies to create and many techniques to experiment.

Like most FF games, you build your characters by level, and learning abilities. In Final Fantasy VII materia was used to learn magic spells and abilities, where as Guardian Forces were used to learn abilities in VIII. In IX, your abilities are learned by your equipment. By equipping a weapon, shield, etc, some characters can use certain abilities with that item. If your character equips items with that certain ability for a certain period of time, the character can use the ability without equipping that item. Each item has different abilities that can learn one character an ability, where as if you equip that item to someone else, they may not be able to learn it at all. So it is basically mixing equipment around to make all your characters learn their abilities. That is not all though. Each character has each own set of “Magic Stones”, which a certain amount is needed to actually use that ability during battle. This means that it does not matter if your character has learnt every ability for him/her to learn, he can only equip few into battle, depending on how many magic stones are needed for it to be used. So a lot is going on in the preparing side of IX.

Mentioning limit breaks above, this has been cancelled from IX, and replaced with a “Trance”. Like Final Fantasy VII's Limit Break, you have Trance gauge that will build up as you get attacked. Trance powers up your character, many in different ways, for example your mages can use double the magic in one go. One character can deliver two to three times more damage than usual. Each character has their own unique skills and trance develops these skills into better ones. However, a huge downfall on this side is the fact that if you do not use your Trance before the end of the battle, it cancels and will make the whole process a complete waste of time, which frustrate us FF fans off big time, trust me.

As mentioned, each character has each own unique skills. Some are mages, others can throw special weapons at their enemies, and others can perform dragoon skills. Another big downfall to IX is the main character; Zidane has a very small unique skill. Zidane is a thief, and like Final Fantasy VI before it, “stealing” items off enemies is not as great as magic usage, summoning, and knight skills. Zidane's stealing ability becomes essential in some boss battles, as the majority of bosses in the game possess great items, which are very helpful to steal. And because these items are good, stealing can become a pain, as the harder to steal items can become VERY hard to steal. You can be there for an hour, literally, trying to steal just one item off a boss, before killing him by mistake. Once again, this does frustrate a lot of people off, and puts them off the game completely.

On the whole, the gameplay is great. The use of four characters over three was a great hype, and it delivered very well. Two big downfalls as mentioned bring the game down, however on the whole, the gameplay is magnificent, and battles can be fun. At most times…

Gameplay: 9/10

 

Story

There is no doubt that Final Fantasy IX's story is far from amazing. From six main characters in Final Fantasy VIII, it has been increased to eight. This to some people might mean that there is less concentration on the characters; however it does blend in with the gameplay very well. There at least two main scenes concentrated at one character throughout the game.

The main character is Zidane, who is a thief with his fellow “brothers” of Tantalus. Tantalus has been set a job to do, and that job is to kidnap the princess of the big city of Alexandria. However, the story is a lot more complex than that, because for some reason, the princess Garnet actually wants to be kidnapped. The meeting of Zidane and Garnet will change the world of Gaia forever. Want to know more? Play the game. In my opinion FF8 the characters stories build up slowly, and are actually rather stale in the first disk. This is not the case in IX, as the first four characters you get are concentrated on right from the beginning. The four characters you get further on in the game are not as concentrated as deep as the first four, but every characters feelings and emotions are expressed realistically throughout the game.

Story: 10/10

 

Graphics

Generally, the graphics on FFIX are not as impressive as in Final Fantasy VIII. The FMV's featured are just as mind blowing however. I believe that FF8 contains the best graphics on the Playstation console, and to come from FF8 with high hopes for FF9, there is a little disappointment with the graphics Final Fantasy IX's FMV's are just as good as in FF8's, however, smooth graphics of Final Fantasy 8's gameplay possibly feels decreased in IX. The character models do not look completely human anymore, they look like midget people (not that I have a problem against midgets…). As Final Fantasy VIII had very tall figures, IX's modelling system has made the characters a lot smaller, and sometimes these smaller figures are not as much as a standout in the game as IX. Nevertheless the graphics are really good, but not an improvement from its predecessor.

Graphics: 9/10

 

Sound

I am sure a lot of people will disagree with me, but I think that Final Fantasy IX's sound is possibly the best in the whole series. It is at least par with Final Fantasy VII, which in many ways considered the best title in the series. Some of the music is simply amazing, and I think a lot of the sound and game music cannot be improved in any way whatsoever. Final Fantasy IX contains a complete perfect score in my eyes.

Sound: 10/10

 

Controls

The controls in this game have improved from Final Fantasy VIII. The main controls are blended with the gameplay perfectly, and sometimes there are certain mini games that require great use of the control pad. If there is any dislike with the controls, they can be adjusted in the “Config” menu anyway. The controls in my opinion cannot be improved, and there is a nice use of the buttons throughout the whole game.

Controls: 10/10

 

Extras

The side quests are once again brilliant in Final Fantasy IX. There is possibly less side quests than that there was in VIII, however each one is enjoyable… almost. There are some huge side quests featured in the game that are rather pathetic. One example of this is a side quest that requires you to get to the end of the game within a time limit. This side quest is EXTREMELY difficult to accomplish, and it can be very frustrating to do, as the further you get in the game, your characters have very low levels, and bosses can do damage that can cleanly sweep your whole party in one move. However the majority of the side quests are great, time worthy and enjoyable, it is just that one or two are pathetically difficult or just plain boring and possibly pointless.

Extras: 9/10

 

Challenge

Final Fantasy IX is a very difficult game. It is a lot more difficult than Final Fantasy VIII, and this is actually a good thing. As I said in the Gameplay section, there is not much chance of exceeding 9999HP damage, which in FF7 and FF8 was possible. This makes the game a whole lot more difficult, and more of a challenge for the player.

Challenge 10/10

 

Replay

Replay value??? It is amazing. Like every other, you would probably want to play this game again. Complete it, then give it a year or two, and the rush to play the game again will be back. I think I have said enough.

Replay: 10/10

 

Overall

Overall, this is a brilliant game. There is a lot of amazing things in Final Fantasy IX; however there are few flaws too. The flaws can annoy you and make you want to punch the wall, however in the end you can forgive Square and tell them thank you for making once again a classic piece of gameness. Hey, it is Final Fantasy. If you love the others, more than likely you will love this. For people who have never played a Final Fantasy, this is a decent game to get started with. However possibly the best to properly begin your collection with would be VII, and if you enjoy that, get this. It is well worth the money and will be a game you will play and keep for years. Rent or buy? If you have played another FF title in the series, I would say buy. If you have never played a FF game before, then I would rent to be on the safe side. Final Fantasy is not for everyone, but it is highly respected.

Overall: 77/80 = 96% = 10/10

 

 

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

Retro Review: Pokemon Gold and Silver

Hello everyone, I said yesterday most of my stuff that I have written in the past has now disappeared off the internet. Most of it that is. But I do have some reviews on GameFAQs, and if I look hard enough, I might be able to find some music reviews too. But for now, I'd like to bring you a review I did on Pokemon Gold and Silver, that I wrote when I was 16. Enjoy.

 "Pokemon GnS are great games to play if you are on the road with your Game Boy Color, with no console around."

 

Introduction

Pokemon was a huge franchise in the late nineties. Pokemon had its own T.V. series, cards, movies and games. After Pokemon Red and Blue came out on the Game Boy in 1996/97, Nintendo had its most successful money-maker since Super Mario. The Game Boy was probably the oldest game system that was STILL selling games over ten years later. However the Game Boy had to meet its end someday, and a new Game Boy came out. The Game Boy Color came out in 1998/99, along with new games now in colour. As Pokemon was possibly the best selling Game Boy game ever, colour versions were made for the new game system. The games were called Pokemon Gold and Silver.

Before I begin, Pokemon Gold and Silver (along with Red and Blue) are two games that are generally the same. The only difference between the two is that certain Pokemon (mystical creatures that can be used as pets or for duelling) can only be found on one game. Certain Pokemon from the Gold version cannot be caught on the Silver version, and vice versa.

 

Gameplay

Pretty much exactly the same as the Red and Blue versions. Gold and Silver (now being abbreviated to GnS), basically concentrates on one person, a little boy of your choice in name who is starting his journey to become the Pokemon master. You go around from city to city, battling Pokemon trainers and villains and getting gym badges from eight (or sixteen) major cities around the world. After getting all eight gym badges, your little fellow can challenge the Elite Four, the apparent test to prove if you are the best Pokemon trainer in the world.

Each Pokemon (a total of over 250, a bigger number from the original Red and Blue versions, which only had 151) has its own moves, types and advantages as well as disadvantages. You can carry a total of six Pokemon at a time, so considering there is a huge choice of over 250 Pokemon, there is also a good strategy involved in what Pokemon to bring. The strategies don't just end there, as each Pokemon can only carry up to four moves, and a good selection of moves can be learnt as your Pokemon grows stronger. Also HMs and TMs (items that can automatically teach Pokemon moves) are featured in the game, and certain HMs and TMs can only be used on a certain fraction of the Pokemon in the game. So there is a lot of planning involved in this game, and it's fun choosing what Pokemon to use and what moves to give them. Also like the majority of RPGs, Pokemon uses the experience system to level up their Pokemon.

As previously mentioned, the gameplay is pretty much the same as Red and Blue. However it's the same thing, and a little more. There are a few new features involved in the game. The first and most important is the time. You can actually set a time to the game, and set it exactly to the time in your part of the world, and play the game in time with your environment. Or you can set the time to a different time to the real time, it's up to you. The time in the game affects the gameplay a lot, there are secrets and special events that only occur on certain days or/and at certain times. Different Pokemon are around at different times, for example, a HootHoot is an owl Pokemon, and can only be caught at the night time. The time makes the gameplay that much more exciting and strategic.

Another addition to the game is the Pokegear system. Your Pokegear is basically everything you own, in Red and Blue you had your backpack which could hold up to twenty items (if I'm correct… I might need to check into that) which includes Pokeballs, HMs, TMs, and items. Your Pokegear however splits this up into different parts of the backpack, so there is a section for Pokeballs, a section for HMs and TMs, a section for key items and a section for your normal use items. This is a nice little improvement to the game, which helps cure for the limited item storage that was a pain in the previous games. Also featured is a Phone book, which can store numbers of important people and Pokemon trainers you have previously fought. Sometimes old trainers might want to have a rematch, or they might want to just have a chat. Also sometimes if a rare Pokemon appears around their area in a swarm, they will tell you about it, which can be helpful for catching a Pokemon that was not easy to find in that area previously.

To conclude the review on the gameplay, the gameplay is great on GnS, and a large improvement has been made from the previous series. There isn't much bad to say about the gameplay, other than it may become rather tedious after a while. Gameplay: 9/10

Story

The main disadvantage of the Pokemon games is exactly this. There is NO story involved. There is a storyline, but no story, there is no filler involved. Basically you control a boy who wants to become the Pokemon master, catching all the Pokemon, defeat your rival and eliminate Team Rocket. Other than that, there is nothing surrounding the storyline at all. However, to be fair the game does succeed without a story. The fact that there is very little story around makes the game a lot more for kids rather than adults, which is a good thing. A story can put the little kids off, as it may become too complicated to follow for someone at such a young age. It's hard to rate the story, but this is the best I can rate. Story: 7/10

Graphics

2D Game Boy graphics is what Pokemon suits best. The graphics are far from amazing, the Game Boy Color is no computer console, it's a handheld system. For Game Boy Color graphics, the graphics in GnS are top notch. However if you compare them to a game that came out at a similar time, (for instance, Final Fantasy IX) the graphics are terrible. For what it's worth, I will rate the graphics in between the two points above. In a positive way of reviewing, the colour use in the game is used well, and adding colour to a Pokemon game was well worth it. Graphics: 8/10

 Sound

The sound in the game is very similar to the previous games. The sound of the Game Boy and Game Boy Color games can be very irritating, as the music is very high pitched, simple, and repetitive. There are a few decent tunes in GnS, and for a GBC game, it's decent. Sound: 8/10

Controls

There are only four buttons involved on a GBC system, and GnS uses the buttons well. The controls are simple and easy to use. There are no flaws involved with the controls for the game. Controls: 10/10

Extras

The best thing about a Pokemon game is the rush to “Catch ‘em all”. Catching all the Pokemon in the game is an extremely long and fun journey to do. The fact that there is about 100 more Pokemon to catch in the game makes the game all that better. My proper opinion on the increasing number of Pokemon in the series, is positive, but goes no further from here. In the first two games, Red and Blue had 151 Pokemon, and the game was great. In this set of games, an extra 100ish Pokemon were added, and this was also good. However Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire (the two games for the next handheld Game Boy) added an extra 130ish, making the total to 380 or so. This in my opinion is going too far, and makes the game a lot more tedious. However back onto GnS, the main extra involved is catching all the Pokemon, and is a great side-quest to conquer. Also battling your Pokemon with other players (via Link Cable) is always fun, as well as trading Pokemon. There is a lot going on in the game that will keep you playing for hours. Extras: 10/10

Challenge

The Pokemon games are generally rather easy, if you know what you're doing. There are no limits to the difficulty however, as the Pokemon you decide to use can either “suck” or “rule”. The difficulty is completely up to you, depending on what Pokemon you use and how well you can use them. The challenge is varied so there is nothing wrong with that. Challenge: 10/10

Replay

Well you might play this once, and keep the game saved. Once you have everything done, the best thing to do then is most definitely battling your Pokemon with your friends. I have mixed feelings other than the point above about the replay value. You might want to play through the game again, or you might want to keep your game once in completion. The game is great, but after going through it once there is not much filler involved that will definitely make you want to play through the game again. Still you might want to, it depends on the person really. Replay: 8/10

Overall

This is a great set of games, and probably my favourite of the three sets Nintendo have brought out. If the games came out in the early nineties, the games would mean perfection. However the games came out in 1999, and there are far bigger and better games to play out there. If they somehow could make a decent 3D version for the Gamecube or something, then this game would be amazing. However, Nintendo generally fail to produce a good 3D Pokemon game, as in my opinion Pokemon Stadium and others were nowhere near as good as the Game Boy games, despite the 2D blocked graphics that are involved. Pokemon GnS are great games to play if you are on the road with your Game Boy Color, with no console around. At home however there are better RPGs around that can outdo the Pokemon games. On the whole the games are great, but not the best. Overall: 70/80 = 88% = 9/10

 

Obviously it's not the best review in the world, I think if I were to re-review the game it would be a much crisper review. But I was sixteen at the time. Any compliments or criticism are appreciated. I'd also like to say please vote on my poll, I'd like a bit of feedback. Have a good day.

 

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!



Retro Review: Mechanical Animals by Marilyn Manson

Hallo everyone,

Here's another old school review by myself. This is even older than the Pokemon one, this must have been around 2004, possibly 2003, so I was 14 or 15 writing this. I don't have an exact date of writing the review, the website it was on doesn't say. Constructive criticism and compliments are both welcome. Anyway, onto the review, enjoy.

"I consider ‘Mechanical Animals’ to be the black sheep of the albums, as it’s moody style is not used on any other Manson album."

Great Big White World

Music – ****

Lyrics - ****

Vocals – ****

Overall – ****

This is the first song on the album shows that this is a different album to ‘Antichrist Superstar’ and ‘Portrait of an American Family’. This is often used as a live track, used very often in Manson’s tours. It’s a slower, more moody start to an album, opposite to ‘Antichrist Superstars’. Glam Rock guitars really show the influence of David Bowie in this one. Great start to an album.

 

The Dope Show

Music – ****

Lyrics - ****

Vocals – ****1/2

Video – ****

Single Value – ****

Overall – ****

The first single from the album. Once again, this is a very creepy video, however not in the same sense as previous Manson videos. In this video, Manson has breasts… Anyway the Glam Rock is heard a lot more than in the previous track. Manson sings the chorus with a creepy voice, hard to describe, as it is very unique. Single value was very good, as this is one of the more noticeable songs on the album. Wicked stuff.

 

Mechanical Animals

Music – ****

Lyrics - ***1/2

Vocals – ***1/2

Overall – ***1/2

Considering it’s self album titled track, this song isn’t one of the highlights of the album. I don’t think the song delivers as well as some of the other songs on the album. I like the drumming in this song, specifically the chorus. Other than that, this is a good song, but isn’t as good as others. The lyrics are also used in a B-Side track, called ‘Diamonds and Pollen’. A little tip there for you. ;)

 

Rock is Dead

Music – ****

Lyrics - ****1/2

Vocals – ****

Video – ***1/2

Single Value – ****1/2

Overall – ****

This is the third and final single from ‘Mechanical Animals’. And, it’s actually my favourite out of the three. This song is on ‘The Matrix’ soundtrack, and to be honest I don’t think it was actually in the film… (Credit goes to anyone who can give me the answer) Anyway if you bought the soundtrack to the film, this is where you thought “Oh yeah, I heard that before…” This is a more upbeat song, as the album in general is a lot slower and moodier than other Manson albums. The video is rather dull, as it is basically just Manson performing in a see-through green suit, and a only a black thong to cover his bitties. None of the less a good song.

 

Disassociative

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics - ***1/2 

Vocals – ***1/2

Overall – ***1/2

Like ‘Mechanical Animals’, this is one of the slower songs on the album. In my opinion, the album doesn’t really kick off until later. This is definitely not one of the highlights from the album. Don’t get me wrong, it’s Manson, and still plays well, as a part of the album. However, if you want to pick individual Manson songs, this probably wouldn’t be one of them. Average.

The Speed of Pain

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics - *****

Vocals – *****

Overall – *****

Now this is what Manson is all about. To me, ‘The Speed of Pain’ is the ‘Man That You Fear’ of ‘Mechanical Animals’. This song is beautiful, especially when he did it live. This is Manson at his best. The song slowly builds up, and the use of background vocals is used perfectly. This is my favourite song on the album, and highly underrated. This is also, the song that turns the album upside down. The start of the album is not very special in my opinion, and this song onwards shows that this album is definitely a spectacle. Brilliant.

 

Posthuman

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics - ****1/2

Vocals – ****

Overall – ****1/2

This is a very upbeat song, and Manson goes back to his Antichrist lyrics. “God is a number we cannot count to” Manson says after every chorus. I consider this song underrated too, as the drumming in this song is some of the coolest I’ve heard.

 

I Want to Disappear

Music – *****

Lyrics - *****

Vocals – ****1/2

Overall – *****

Now if I were to do a cover version, this would be very high on my list. I really thin this should have been a single, but ah well, it wasn’t. “Look at me now” Manson says in an almost cocky voice. These lyrics in this song are awesome, and the only thing that brings this song down is the fact that it is so short. Very underrated, as I’ve never heard Manson do this live, and I would have expected it to be an awesome performance.

 

I Don’t Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me)

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics - ****

Vocals – ****

Video – ****

Single Value – ***1/2

Overall – ****

This was the second single on the album. I think this a double edged sword in a way, as I think some aspects of the song are good, and others aren’t as good. Vocals get an eight from me, as I love the way he sings at the end, and the background vocals are very effective. Not one other song by Manson is as influenced by David Bowie as this one, as you can hear in the start of the song with the little instrumental. Before he did this song live, he would say a little story, and I’m not going to go through it with you. Just by the D.V.D. and find out you lazy cheese toastie. Anyway, also the video was different for Manson’s tastes, as it gave an almost comic style, as Manson loses his arm and gets chased, but the song delivers a more important message. The lyrics are really good, just look at the name of the song and find out what exactly the song is about.

 

New Model No.15

Music – ****

Lyrics - ****

Vocals – ****

Overall – ****

This song is very upbeat, and jolly, in a way. I love the clapping in the song, as I don’t remember any other Manson song using it. This gets straight eights from me, as everything about the song is plainly great.

 

User Friendly

Music – ****

Lyrics - ****

Vocals – *****

Overall – ****1/2

“Do, do, do, do, do, do-do, do, do do, do-do, do do dooooo…” This song is very dirty and kinky. Manson’s vocals have came back from the high pitched voice styles from some on the ‘Antichrist Superstar’ tracks like ‘Wormboy’. This tech-rock cracker delivers very well, with some very adult rated lyrics, and weird orgasm background effects. Unique to say the least.

 

Fundamentally Loathsome

Music – ****

Lyrics - ***1/2

Vocals – ***1/2

Overall – ***1/2

Very slow glam rock style song. This is very slow, with a strong guitar riff instrumental near the end. The guitar riff at the end is definitely been influenced from 70’s glam rock in general. I think it’s overrated though, as a lot of people really like this. I think it’s good, different, but doesn’t get my vote as a standout on the album. Still a decent track though.

 

The Last Day on Earth

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics - **** 

Vocals – ***1/2

Overall – ***1/2

Now I can say this, I don’t really think the album version of this song is one of my favourites on the album. But I sincerely, sincerely ask you to listen to the acoustic version on the ‘Last Tour on Earth’ album. That is one of the best acoustics I have ever heard. Back to the album version, this a slowish love song. I don’t particularly consider it a favourite on the album, and possibly overrate the track. The acoustic version is far better.

  

Coma White

Music – *****

Lyrics - *****

Vocals – ****1/2

Video – *****

Overall – *****

The little harp-like guitar riff in the start of this song reminds me of an old Bauhaus track. There was a video for this song; however it wasn’t a single (It should have been. Damn you Manson. Damn you.) The video is one of his best again, as Manson lives as John F. Kennedy, and imitating his death. It’s a very good video, and the lyrics are awesome too. Like the previous song though, I think the acoustic version is better. It is still an amazing song and a great ending to a very good album.

 

Here are the final ratings:
Music: 82% = ****
Lyrics: 84% = ****
Vocals: 82% = ****
Videos: 83% = ****
Single Value: 80% = ****
Overall: 82% = ****

This is an amazing album, that would stands out in any collection that you will have (mainly because of the front cover and yeah…) I consider ‘Mechanical Animals’ to be the black sheep of the albums, as it’s moody style is not used on any other album. It’s also quite a quiet album in general, with 70’s Glam Rock. I recommend you to buy this, but it wouldn’t be an album to start getting into Manson.

Rating: ****

 

I'd like to say if I were to re-review this album it would get close to an instant 5 stars from me, it's truly a classic, and one my favourite albums of all time. I also wouldn't rate each song, as that isn't a way I'd like to review music now. But I'll keep the review in int's original context. I'm not ruling out re-reviewing albums by the way. Once again I'd like to point you to the direction of my poll, I only have three votes and I'd like more if I'm honest. It only takes two seconds, please vote. Have a good day everyone.

 

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!

Retro Review: Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson

Morning people, this is another very early review I did, probably around 7 years ago, similar time to the Mechanical Animals one I did. It's not the style I'll go with now, but it's still an intriguing read. Enjoy.

If you are trying to get into Marilyn Manson, and don’t know what album to start with, then this one is for you.

 

Irresponsible Hate Anthem

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics - ****1/2

Vocals – ****1/2

Overall – ****1/2

This is a mind-blowing track. Irresponsible Hate Anthem is one of the best starts to an album I have ever heard. It sounds live in the start, the crowd roaring “We hate love! We love hate!” Then Manson kicks off with amazing riffs and drums. This is one of the heavier tracks on the album, and certainly one of the stand outs. Brilliant.

 

The Beautiful People

Music – *****

Lyrics - ****1/2

Vocals – *****

Video - ****1/2

Single Value - *****

Overall – ****1/2

Do I really need to review this song? The Beautiful People is THE Manson track that everyone remembers. The Beautiful People has one of the most memorable riffs of the 1990’s. A key track on Antichrist Superstar, which was the first single on the album. However some Manson fans don’t like this song, because of how often it gets played. It’s up to you to decide. The video is cool too, first time you see it, you have to admit it is impressive, creepy stuff.

 

Dried Up, Tied and Dead to the World

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics - ***1/2

Vocals – ****

Overall – ***1/2

The quietest track on the album as far. This has some techno sounds from the likes of Nine Inch Nails in it. This song is probably one of the less talked about on the album, but nevertheless still good.

 

Tourniquet

Music – ****

Lyrics - ***1/2

Vocals – ****

Video – ****

Single Value – ***

Overall – ***1/2

You might have noticed the single value I put for this song. I’m sure a lot of people really disagree with what I put, but I really don’t think this song should have been a single. There are far better songs on this album that could have replaced it. Now to the positive side, this was the second single of the album. The video for this song is very disturbing, but I think it’s just so inspiring. Watching Manson turning into a moth was really entertaining =p.

 

Little Horn

Music – ****

Lyrics – ***1/2

Vocals – ***1/2

Overall – ***1/2

This song is the heaviest on the album since the first track. The riff in this song is cool, and in the middle of the song there is a short instrumental riff which I think really rocks. It sounds like the Nirvana ‘Stay Away’ riff in a weird way. Well I think it does anyway...

 

Cryptorchid

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics - ****

Vocals – ***1/2

Video – ***

Overall – ***1/2

This isn’t a single, however there was a video for this song. I don’t think it was a very good video, black and white flashes of disturbing things like worms etc. People seem to really like this song, but I don’t think it’s one of the best on the album. I think the lyrics are really good though, especially the end when the high pitched voice sings.

 

Deformography

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – ****

Vocals – ****

Overall – ****

Not many people pay as much attention to this track as I do. I think this is one of the best songs on the album, and the riff in the middle of the song really makes me rock into it. The lyrics are good, Manson saying that he lifts her up like the sweatest angel, and that he’ll tear her down like a wh*re (I think it’s a girl he’s talking about anyway). It’s like a failed love song I think.

 

Wormboy

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – ****

Vocals – *****

Overall – ****1/2

The techno sounds have returned Nine Inch Nails style for this cracker. Just like the previous track, I feel that this is one of the best on the album but people don’t pay enough attention to it. The chorus is amazing; I love the way Manson sings this song. Considering his natural deep voice, he can sing very high.

 

Mister Superstar

Music – *****

Lyrics – *****

Vocals – ****1/2

Overall – *****

Now this song is amazing. This song changing phase so often. In the start Manson whispers “Hey Mister Superstar”, and it builds up through the first verse, and kicks off big time for the chorus. The riff throughout the song is very basic, but brings the song through to the end perfectly. I love the lyrics in this song, just like Deformography, it’s like a failed love song. Terrific stuff by Manson, at his best.

 

Angel with the Scabbed Wings

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – ****

Vocals – *****

Overall – ****1/2

This song in a way is the black sheep of the album. The riff once again is very simple but really stands out and brings the song together. But the most noticeable thing about this song is definitely the way Manson sings it. There is only one other song Manson that has any similarity to the way he sings this, and that is ‘This is the New *hit’ off ‘The Golden Age of Grotesque’. This however, is a lot more heavy, the way he sings this song is almost Hardcore Rap. This song is one of the heavier songs on the album.

 

Kinderfeld

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics – ***1/2

Vocals – ****

Overall – ***1/2

This is the first slower song on the album since Cryptorchid. The riff in this song is more depressing and moody, but still a cool song. Not a very popular choice on the album, but I like the way he songs this song, he goes back to the high pitched Manson again.

 

Antichrist Superstar

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – ****1/2

Vocals – ****

Overall – ****1/2

Since this album, Manson has always had a track names after the album. Then we come to Antichrist Superstar. A similar start to Irresponsible Hate Anthem, weird noises in the start, followed by a double drum beat and a crowd roar, double drum beat then a crowd roar. If you have been to a Manson gig, this is one of the main parts of the gig that the crowd take part. The lyrics come back from Cryptorchid (Prick your finger…), and blend in perfectly. This is one of the key tracks to the album, and damn right it should be.

 

1996

Music – ***1/2

Lyrics – ****

Vocals – ***1/2

Overall – ***1/2

Named by the year of the release of the album. Manson’s lyrics are easy to understand in this track. Basically he is trying to say ‘F*ck everything’. A very noise track, with some pretty cool riffs in it. Not one of my favourites but still good.

 

Minute of Decay

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – *****

Vocals – ****1/2

Overall – ****1/2

I love the build-up of this track. Like Mister Superstar’s build-up, Manson starts the track very slow and moody, with a really cool riff. However this song builds up a lot longer before kicking off than Mister Superstar did. After the second verse he kicks it off, screaming, until slowing down in the end again. The lyrics really inspire me, this song like some others are like a failed love, or a revenged one. “I’m on my way down and now I’d like to take you with me…”

 

The Reflecting God

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – *****

Vocals – ****1/2

Overall – ****1/2

“Your world is an ashtray” Kicks off this track. Like Minute of Decay and Mister Superstar, Manson builds the track up. However there is no slow riffs or moody music behind the fire, this song is Manson in a generally rocky mood, before screaming the choruses. However, the drums in the middle of the song is what makes this song something. Those drums stand out so effectively while Manson whispers “No salvation… No forgiveness…” This is an epic track.

 

Man That You Fear

Music – ****1/2

Lyrics – *****

Vocals – *****

Video – *****

Overall – *****

This song has almost perfect results for many reasons. This song is very slow and moody throughout. A constant drum hits throughout the song. Manson squeals his lyrics with pain. However the main reason why I love this song so much is the video. If you listen to this song without the video, you probably won’t see things to the slightest to the way I, and many people do. Manson has feelings, and expresses them in the video. Watch the video and look at the lyrics in my Man That You Fear page to understand what I mean. This song definitely a song to remember.

 

Untitled

I don’t rate instrumentals, weird noises etc. This is Track 99 on Antichrist Superstar. The only real purpose of this track is to combine ‘Man That You Fear’ to ‘Irresponsible Hate Anthem’. If you put the album on repeat, you will hear a loop of the entire album.

 

Here are the final ratings:

Music: 85% = ****1/2

Lyrics: 84% = ****

Vocals: 86% = ****1/2

Videos: 85% = ****1/2

Singles Value: 80% = ****

Overall: 84% = ****

For an album, they are very good ratings. I think Antichrist Superstar is my favourite album, and I recommend anyone to listen to it. If you are trying to get into Marilyn Manson, and don’t know what album to start with, then this one is for you. I takes time to get used to it, but the more you hear it, the more you will love it.

Rating: ****

 

Once again this would get close to an instant 5 stars if I were to re-review it, I always change my mind about what album is better, this or Mechanical Animals, they are both brilliant for different reasons.

For the latest updates on my work, follow me on Facebook and Twitter here!