| "Tattooed in Reverse" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single byMarilyn Manson | |
| from the albumHeaven Upside Down | |
| Released | March 6, 2018 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:24 |
| Label | Loma Vista |
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | Bates |
| Music video | |
| "Tattooed in Reverse" onYouTube | |
"Tattooed in Reverse" is a song by Americanrock bandMarilyn Manson. It was first released as the second track on the band's tenth studio album,Heaven Upside Down (2017). The song was released as anairplay-onlypromotional single in the United States on March 6, 2018, when it was serviced toactive rock radio formats. It peaked at number 35 onBillboard'sMainstream Rock Chart, makingHeaven Upside Down their first album since 1998'sMechanical Animals to contain more than one charting song on Mainstream Rock, following the top five peak of preceding single "Kill4Me".
The song received positive reviews upon release, with several publications praising its lyrics andTyler Bates'production. The music video was directed by Bill Yukich and uploaded ontoYouTube on March 22. It stars model Glo Taylorr as a patient in a psychiatric hospital, and features cameo appearances byCourtney Love andLisa Marie Presley, who portray nurses. The video also received generally positive reviews, with writers favorably comparing it to some of the band's earlier music videos, while noting similarities to the imagery of American television seriesAmerican Horror Story.
In one of the first reviews published online for parent albumHeaven Upside Down, Greg Kennelty ofMetal Injection said that "Tattooed in Reverse" uses "a swung rhythm effectively because it comes off less like Manson trying to emulate a jazzier feel, and more like he's brandishing a bat and slowly pacing the floor until he decides to cave your skull in. 'Tatooted in Reverse' makes one thing evident that could only be assumed whilst listening to [preceding track] 'Revelation #12'—Manson is going to liberally use distortion onHeaven Upside Down, and it's going to work extremely well for him. The fuzzy guitars, keyboards, vocals, and bass all retain their own identities through the heavy haze, but ultimately become this massive ball of threateningly vile sound when used all at once. It's great."[2]
The same publication later described it as one of the "catchier numbers" on the record,[3] whileThe Line of Best Fit called it an album highlight.[4] Other writers, such as Lina Lecaro ofConsequence of Sound and Sasha Geffen ofPitchfork, said the song was "groovy".[5] Geffen additionally noted that the track "boasts a chorus as catchy as anything since 'The Dope Show' (1998)."[6]Loudwire praised the quality of the song's lyrics, saying that they demonstrate theeponymous vocalists' "infamous ... biting whimsy".[7]The Jakarta Post commendedTyler Bates'production, saying: "The stoner/blues guitars of the sludgy 'Tattooed' find a quixotic partner in the song's high-pitchedsynths andsamples and marchingpercussion. Manson even growls in that exasperated/theatrical way his old goth self did."[8]
"Tattooed in Reverse" is the fourth track fromHeaven Upside Down to receive a music video, following "We Know Where You Fucking Live", "Kill4Me" and "Say10".[9] The latter two videos co-starredJohnny Depp.[10][11] The song was serviced toactive rock radio formats in the United States on March 6.[12] It went on to peak at number 35 onBillboard'sMainstream Rock Chart, makingHeaven Upside Down the band's first studio album since 1998'sMechanical Animals to contain more than one song which appeared that chart, following the number 5 peak of preceding single "Kill4Me".[13] On March 21, the band's vocalist shared a ten-second video on hisTwitter account of him being pushed in a wheelchair byCourtney Love,[14] with the caption: "Who allowed Courtney Love to be my nurse? Oh shit...I did."[15] He had been injured six months earlier while performing on-stage at theHammerstein Ballroom inNew York City during the "Heaven Upside Down Tour",[16][17] when a largestage prop fell on top of him.[18] The incident broke Manson'sfibula in two places, which required a plate and ten screws to be inserted into his bone, and resulted in the cancellation of an entire portion of the tour.[19]
The song's music video was directed by Bill Yukich.[20] It portrays Manson using a wheelchair, with him and model Glo Taylorr[14] as patients in apsychiatric hospital,[21] who are seen receiving various forms of "experimental" medical treatment.[22] Like every other music video created forHeaven Upside Down, it begins with anexplicit content warning, informing the observer that "viewer discretion is advised."[23] The video starts with scenes of the character portrayed by Taylorr struggling against nursing staff while lying on an operating table, before she is made unconscious after being connected to ananaesthetic machine.[9] As the video progresses, Taylorr's character becomes "torn between her unconscious state and reality"[9]—her unconscious visions consist of torture,Satanic rituals and "predatory-looking sex".[24] Courtney Love andLisa Marie Presley both makecameo appearances, portraying nurses.[9][14]
The video received generally positive reviews upon release. Joe DiVita ofLoudwire said: "Nobody does music videos quite like Marilyn Manson. Throughout his career, his videos have intrigued, confused and disturbed fans, usually relying on an abstract artistic bent, and the clip for 'Tattooed in Reverse' adheres to this ethos."[9] Metal Injection said that "Marilyn Manson has really been stepping up his game with music videos for his latest release,Heaven Upside Down. The budgets make it feel like we're back in the late 90s, when music videos meant something."[3] Similarly, Bianca Gracie ofFuse.tv said the clip would "bring you back to the '90s heyday of Manson's career", elaborating: "Whether you listen to his music or not, you have to give [Manson] credit for consistently releasing cinematic videos that are visually appealing with a heavy dose of insanity."[25]
Several writers noted similarities to the imagery of American television seriesAmerican Horror Story, includingBrad Miska ofBloody Disgusting, who said it was reminiscent of promotional materials created for the series' seventh season,Cult.[26] Gracie of Fuse.tv also went on to say: "If you're a fan ofAmerican Horror Story like myself, certain points of 'Tattooed In Reverse' will bring memories of seasons likeAsylum andCult. The hospital scenes are reminiscent ofLana Winters being taken advantage of withelectroshock therapy, while the faceless mob scenes are coincidentally similar toCult's creepy clown sequences. It's a wonder thatRyan Murphy didn't have a hand in creating this video."[25]
NME described it as one of the band's most "unsettling" music videos to date,[27] while Abby Jones ofBillboard called it "quintessentially creepy", and said: "The appearance of theHole singer and the glitchy, grainy visuals elicit a major '90s ambience that recalls memories of Manson's earlier [videos]."[14] A writer forVariety called it "characteristically provocative",[17] whileKerrang! said it was a "brilliantly exhilarating watch".[28] AlthoughConsequence of Sound gave a positive review, they called Love's cameo "brief and a bit forgettable, especially considering everything else that's happening in the video".[29] Conversely, Derrick Rossignol ofUproxx said that Love's cameo was "perhaps the most notable thing about the video", highlighting comments Manson had made previously about the singer.[30]Stereogum was negative, saying the clip was "utterly packed with '90sshock rock clichés" and describing it as Manson "descend[ing] even further into self-parody".[31]
Credits adapted from the liner notes ofHeaven Upside Down.[32]
Credits
Personnel
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USMainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] | 35 |
| Region | Date | Format | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | October 6, 2017 | Heaven Upside Down | [33] |
| United States | March 6, 2018 | Active rockairplay | [12] |
| Worldwide | March 22, 2018 | Music video | [34] |
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