Marilyn Manson, both the band and the individual, have spent years sparking controversy amongst listeners and observers. Front man Brian Warner has drawn attention to himself and his band mates for a variety of reasons, very few of them positive, over the course of their rein in the metal world and now, whilst the band break their three-year-long silence and prepare for the release of a new album, it seems controversy has been sparked again.

Manson’s last album The High End of Low, which was released in 2009, was riddled with track titles that had the general public, and even some fans, shifting about uncomfortably. The album contained the likes of 'Pretty as a Swastika' and 'I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies', and, alarmingly, they were some of the tamer tracks located on the 15-track record. With the new year there was the promise of a new, and possibly politically incorrect, album; and the band have finally confirmed this with the proposed release date of forthcoming album, Born Villain, which will be released April 30th in the UK, and May 1st in the US.

The first track from this much-anticipated comeback album has now been leaked, and is available to listen to on Youtube. Alongside the new track 'No Reflection' there is a new video and, unsurprisingly, it has already caused quite a stir! The video, that runs for nearly four minutes, shows front man Warner surrounded by a dinner party of young girls all of whom are drinking; as the video progresses it emerges that the surrounding girls have unknowingly been drinking poison, and from here on out we are privy to the sight of an over-dramatic blood bath as the females of the video begin bleeding from the mouth. The video finishes on the disturbing sight of a gaggle of dead females, that, after several watches, I still can’t directly link to the theme of the song. However, given the band’s obvious need to set tongues wagging with this comeback single, there doesn’t seem much need for a direct link between song and video!

Disturbing music video aside, I quite like the song - don‘t judge me! It bodes well for the rest of the album, although audiences should be fully prepared for a 13-track-album riddled with names that you could never repeat to your mother. It seems that after their small break from music, the guys are still bringing a filthy element to their image, even when their songs have been tidied up.

Unfortunately, due to the recent cancellation of Sonisphere Festival, and the lack of a UK tour announcement, we won’t have the opportunity to see these guys in person for some time yet! But at least we have the upcoming album to apprehensively look forward to…

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