Week 21 wrap-up: Marilyn Manson, Avantasia, Karl Sanders, and more

Yet another lawsuit against Marilyn Manson on grounds of abuse has been dropped on account of fucking waiting "too long" to file the suit.

As reported by The Cut last year, the lawsuit, which was filed by Manson's former secretary Ashley Walters, included "accounts of violent outbursts from Manson, not to mention forcing Walters to work up to 48 hours straight and telling his friends that they could grope and kiss her as they wished. Walters details several stories in which Manson behaved inappropriately, including pinning her down and trying to kiss her, placing her hand in his underwear, and urging her to take photos wearing Nazi paraphernalia so he could later use them to smear her career".

Seeing as how this is only the latest of several similar cases against Manson – previous accounts having been stated by his former partners actresses Dita Von Teese, Rose McGowan, Esmé Bianco, and Evan Rachel Wood, among many others – it should be clear at this point that the guy is pretty all-round fucked in the head. And yes, I know there's a point to be made about how that should be obvious.

Also, I'll gladly be the first one to state that "waiting too long to file the suit" is pretty a messed up reason for dismissing this type of case, seeing as how victims often take several years to acknowledge that actual abuse took place, often subconsciously repressing the memories due to PTSD-like conditions, and also often feeling threatened and intimidated by potential lawsuits if they break their silence. And, probably not incidentally, Manson threatened Walters with a lawsuit if she were to participate in Wood's Phoenix Rising documentary series about Manson's systematic abuse of his partners.

Album-wise, the man lost me after the downright boring "The High End of Low" ('09). I can't help but still consider "Antichrist Superstar" ('96) the masterpiece that it is, but in the light of all this, I doubt that I'll be following up on his later releases ever. Wouldn't hurt me if his career ended – which might even happen, seeing as how his record company has dumped him, his Grammy nomination for his Kanye West-collab having gotten repealed, and his guest appearance on "American Gods" having gotten canceled.

Serves you right for being a scumbag, Brian. And for working with Kanye West.

On a much lighter note, Avantasia mastermind Tobias Sammet just dropped a new track from the band's upcoming album, the eccentrically titled A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society.

Featuring a guest appearance by Primal Fear vocalist Ralf Scheepers, the song, entitled "The Wicked Rule the Night", is more metal than Avantasia's been for years. Scheepers – probably the most overlooked singer in metal history – delivers a gnarly vocal performance, impressive for a 57-year old. Also, there's hella rad guitar solo.

You can listen to it here.

More new material. Nile guitarist Karl Sanders has resurrected his ambient solo project after 13 years and released the song "The Sun Has Set on the Age of Man", the opening track from his coming album Saurian Apocalypse.

Accoring to Sanders, the song is "very cinematic and an eerie mood setter. Much like the score of an opening scene of a sci-fi movie, the song serves as an introduction for the many twisted journeys of the album that follows. It uncannily evokes that feeling we all get right after the sun has gone down and night is upon us, conjuring an awareness of the ancient, evolutionary dread of the unknown dark and its terrors that have been imprinted on the human psyche since early prehistoric man first realized that there were things in the night that would prey upon him".

Pretty metal statement. And although the track isn't metal, it definitely does have an eerie atmosphere. It also has a pretty intense mid-section with a lot of percussion and an acoustic guitar solo. You can check it out here:

Speaking of extreme metal musicians doing something out of their regular element, Cannibal Corpse drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz has teamed up with Deicide guitarist Taylor Nordberg and a couple of other guys to form a straight-up rock'n'roll band called Umbilicus, and they've just released the song "Hello Future" to give a taste of their debut album Path of 1000 Suns.

Vocalist Brian Stephenson said to Metal Injection, "We could not be more stoked for this first single and the album! Real down and dirty, simple, straight forward, in-your-face rock 'n' roll for the people. It's been a labor of love on all counts and a real trip from conception to birth".

You can listen to "Hello Future" here. Damn thing's stuck in my head already, so they're doing something right.

In hella related news, former Satyricon keyboardist Job Bos has teamed up with former Triptykon drummer Norman Lonhard and a couple of other guys to form Dead Eye Creek, which is, apparently, a more straight-up hard rock band. At least that's what it sounds like to me based on the teaser they've released.

Current Triptykon guitarist and co-producer V. Santura says to Metal Insider, "As a close friend of the band, I already witnessed their first steps and also the sometimes depressing difficulties and problems on the road to complete this debut album. But I have to say that I am truly stoked about their music!".

You can listen to the teaser here:

Another one leaves us too soon. Two weeks ago, we lost Black Dahlia Murder vocalist Trevor Strnad at 41. This week, former Scarve and Mnemic vocalist Guillaume Bideau died, only 44 years old. As of yet, I'm not aware of any cause.

This is a bit of a weird one for me, because being from Denmark, I followed Mnemic from the beginning and saw them live several times over the years. I never talked to Bideau in person, but I've hung out with other band members on several occasions. Even before he entered the picture, I was in the front row when they opened the Roskilde Festival in 2004 – first Danish metal band to do that. (You can spot me in this video at 2:30 wearing a bright blue rain poncho).

In a heatrfelt tribute, Bideau's former Scarve bandmate, current Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren, wrote the following, among much more:

"You were a brilliant, non-conformist, stubborn and tenacious artist. Beyond that, you were a true friend. You didn't hesitate to join me when I was reluctant to go on a long drive through France (we listened to the first Fantômas album on repeat). At my wedding in 2006, your presence and exuberant personality remain among my fondest memories. You didn't care what other people said. You did what you wanted and you lived your own way. I'm gonna miss you terribly, my friend..."

Rock in Peace.

Sources:

https://www.wearethepit.com/2022/05/judge-dismisses-sexual-harassment-case-against-marilyn-manson/
https://metalinsider.net/video/tobias-sammets-avantasia-share-new-song-the-wicked-rule-the-night-featuring-ralf-scheepers
https://loudwire.com/nile-karl-sanders-saurian-apocalypse-album-sun-set-on-age-of-man-song/
https://loudwire.com/new-classic-rock-song-members-cannibal-corpse-deicide-umbilicus-hello-future/
https://metalinsider.net/video/satyricon-and-ex-triptykon-members-announce-new-band-dead-eyed-creek
https://www.metalsucks.net/2022/05/25/mnemic-vocalist-guillame-bideau-dead-at-44/