Personnel: Marilyn Manson (vocals, guitar, saxophone, Mellotron, synthesizer, bass, drums, loops); John (guitar, strings, piano); Tim Skold (guitar, accordion, keyboards, synthesizer, bass, programming); MW Gacy (keyboards, synthesizer, loops); Ginger Fish (drums).

Producers: Marilyn Manson, Tim Skold, Ben Grosse.

Recorded at Doppelherz, The Mix Room, Burbank, California and Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, California.

"Mobscene" was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.

Includes bonus DVD.

Marilyn Manson proudly wears his musical influences on his band's fifth studio album, where the perpetually androgynous singer and company continue their crusade of industrial rock outrage, making nods to forerunners while never losing that which is quintessentially Manson. "mOBSCENE," reeks of ANGEL DUST-era Faith No More. "Para Noir" offers a romantic agenda in grand Manson style, with little chance for radio edit status. "Better Of Two Evils" and "Your Fist And Not Your Mouth" rally with undeniable choruses while "This Is The New Shit" nails a Korn-inflected groove. The set's down-tempo title track is built around a haunting piano line, and "(s)AINT" deftly captures the Powerman 5000 style. The album track most likely to get extensive re-mixing is the incredibly catchy "Ka-boom Ka-boom." THE GOLDEN AGE OF GROTESQUE drops yet another bomb on convention, and Marilyn Manson clearly planned it that way.

Rolling Stone (5/29/03, p.62) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...[Manson] excels at absorbing what's out there and distilling it through his anti-charisma until it's simultaneously fresh and putrid..."

Entertainment Weekly (5/16/03, p.72) - "...[The album] finds a middle ground between the pseudo-glam glory of MECHANICAL ANIMALS and the noisier backsliding of HOLY WOOD....Inventive..." - Grade: B-