I previously couldn’t stand Marilyn Manson. This album has changed my mind.

My preview copy came complete with a letter from Mr Manson himself, articulately explaining his attitude to his art, and rightly castigating the US media for demonising him in the wake of the Littleton, Colorado, high-school killings. Marylin Manson’s problem is that he deals in irony, never a big seller in the United States of Apple Pie. Nevertheless, white trash in dresses haven’t sounded this good since The New York Dolls.

The music is a cross between The Mission and the Normandy landings, with a hefty dose of mindless death metal thrown up for good measure. Material is included from the band’s three albums, as well as a cover of the Eurythmic’s ‘Sweet Dreams’ from the Smells Like Children EP.