Marilyn Manson's New Single and Music Video for "As Sick As The Secrets Within" Is Released: An Analysis of the Rich Imagery

Marilyn Manson has released a new single that is now available on all musical streaming services and on YouTube (see below). With it he has released a new music video for the song, directed by Billy Ukich. With the release, Marilyn Manson says: "'As Sick As The Secrets Within' is a personal look into my life & I’m proud to be able to share my art and vision with you."  

 

It has been nearly four years since he has released any new music or a music video, and they do not disappoint in the least. His new sound has some new elements, but there are influences from his previous albums as well. Personally I hear a certain resemblance in places to "Great Big White World" from Mechanical Animals, which would make sense in light of my interpretation of the meaning of the song, which you can read below. Below that you can watch the new music video, and my thoughts on that as well.

As Sick As The Secrets Within

Released: August 2, 2024
Composer: Marilyn Manson
Lyricist: Marilyn Manson

[Verse 1]
This is no longer just my communion
The worms of the flesh have turned
With all the sacrifices I swallow
And the blood from the cup is so cold

You're only as sick as the secrets within
You're only as sick as the secrets within

[Verse 2]
It's not so evil as much as its hungry
I see these bodies and the bones picked clean
I built this cage we've been trapped in together
Can't remember where I hid the keys

[Hook]
A reason for me, for me to gеt by
Became a need, a need to get high
Thеn into a life that was no life at all
No life at all

[Chorus]
There is a trick to get out of your skin
You're only as sick as the secrets within
But the beast is calling for us and slowly assuming control

[Hook]
A reason for me, for me to get by
Became a need, a need to get high
And into a life that was no life at all
No life at all

[Chorus]
There is a trick to get out of your skin
You're only as sick as the secrets within
But the beast is calling for us and slowly assuming control

[Bridge]
I was never your taxidermy
I'm sewn into your soul
Keep sleeping, I'll make you dream of me
Keep sleeping, I'll make you dream of me
Keep sleeping

[Chorus]
There is a trick to get out of your skin
You're only as sick as the secrets within
But the beast is calling for us and slowly assuming control

[Outro]
You're only as sick as the secrets within
You're only as sick as the secrets within
You're only as sick as the secrets within
You're only as sick as the secrets within
You're only as sick as the secrets within
You're only as sick as the secrets within
Keep sleeping, I'll make you dream of me
Keep sleeping, I'll make you dream of me
Keep sleeping, I'll make you dream of me
Keep sleeping

 

My Interpretation

[Verse 1]

There is clear Eucharistic imagery being alluded to with the words "communion", "flesh", "sacrifices" and "blood from the cup". "Worms of the flesh" could have a similar meaning to "the worms will live in every host" from "The Beautiful People".

"Worms of the flesh" reminds me of the biblical descriptions given to the horrible diseases of people like Job in the Old Testament (John 7:5) and King Herod in the New Testament (Acts 12:23).

A possible meaning behind these lines is that Manson is using Eucharistic terminology to describe alcohol and drug addiction, which is believed by many to be a disease, and because the narrator is no longer participating in his addiction, its like drinking repulsive cold blood, or perhaps he likens it to a corpse whose warm blood is now cold.

[Verse 2]

If the meaning behind Verse 1 given above is correct, then perhaps the narrator is saying in the first line of Verse 2 that the disease of addiction is not necessarily evil, it is just hungry and wants to be fed.

The "bodies" with "bones picked clean" could refer to the deaths that have resulted from this disease of addiction, which the narrator has seen.

The narrator feels like he created a cage in which he has trapped himself with this disease, and is unable to remember what caused him to become trapped in this cage with the disease of addiction.

[Hook]

This is where it becomes more clear that the narrator is talking about drugs and/or alcohol. He gives a reason behind how this became an addiction, which at first helped him to get by, but then it became a need for him to get high. Now he realizes that the life he sought through his addiction was in reality no life at all.

[Chorus]

The narrator now reveals to us a "trick" to defeat this disease, which is the understanding that "you're only as sick as the secrets within". In Alcoholics Anonymous, a common phrase among addicts is that "You’re only as sick as your secrets". Substance abuse can evolve into patterns of secrets — both within the addict's mind and between the addict and peers. For an addict, secrets are lies meant to cover emotions of fear and insecurity. These along with the thoughts that accompany them are like beasts within trying to control the addict. Freedom can be gained by being honest with yourself and your loved ones. 

 

The line "You're only as sick as the secrets within" also reminds me of the following lines from the song "Wrapped in Plastic":

 

"I'm only as deep as the self that I dig,

I'm only as sick as the stick in the pig."

 

[Bridge]

The words in these lines seem to be spoken by the demonic beast within the addict, informing the addict that he is attached to his soul and always trying to assume control of him, hence he tells the addict to remain in a state under his control, which is likened to a dream state while one is sleeping.

[Outro]

The addict has a demon and an angel on his shoulders at all times. The demon is trying to keep the addict under his control: "Keep sleeping, I'll make you dream of me". Meanwhile the angel tells him the secret to his freedom: "You're only as sick as the secrets within".

The Cover Image

The cover image accompanying this single was done by photographer and Manson's long time collaborator Joseph Cultice. A possible interpretation of this image can be seen in light of a statement written by Manson that accompanied the release of his previous album We Are Chaos, in which he says the following:

"THIS CONCEPT ALBUM IS THE MIRROR SHOOTER AND I BUILT FOR THE LISTENER - IT'S THE ONE WE WON'T STARE INTO. THERE ARE SO MANY ROOMS, CLOSETS, SAFES AND DRAWERS. BUT IN THE SOUL OR YOUR MUSEUM OF MEMORIES, THE WORST ARE ALWAYS THE MIRRORS. SHARDS AND SLIVERS OF GHOSTS HAUNTED MY HANDS WHEN I WROTE MOST OF THESE LYRICS."

Once again with this new song, Manson is staring into the mirror of his soul, and like his soul, the mirror is broken, but not shattered. 

 

The Music Video

 

 My Interpretation

 

The music video for "As Sick As The Secrets Within" is rich with symbolism. I will try and point out a few of the many things that I think reflect the meaning of some of the imagery, or at least will help to give a better understanding of the visuals. Ultimately this music video reflects the lyrics of the song and the meaning of the song, so it is a personal look into Manson's life.

 

1. The Alchemical Symbol for Air

Air or Wind is one of the four classical elements along with water, earth and fire in ancient Greek philosophy and in Western alchemy. According to Plato, air is both hot and wet, like blood. 

 

The alchemical symbol for air is an upward-pointing triangle, bisected by a horizontal line. Air to the alchemist represents the mind and soul of mankind. It is the breath of life; God breathed into Adam and made him a living soul. Air’s principle is mobility and the creative facilities of the mind, giving life to new ideas. Air gives us a doorway to give birth to new perspectives and allowing us to feel comfortable as we gain new revelations and make life changes. 

 

 

2. The Tentacles

On Marilyn Manson's upper left arm is a tattoo called the "Heart of Tursas" (after the Finnish word "Tursaansydän") or the "Heart of the Octopus". It is four squares (or arrows) interconnected that make up an outline of a cross with a swastika superimposed on it. The octopus can be a violent and frightening sea monster, which is why in Finnish mythology it is seen as something malevolent. It is believed that Tursas is a demon who impregnated the Lady of the North (i.e. the Lady of the Land of the Dead) in the sea, and therefore is the origin of diseases. Thus, the symbol of the Heart of Taurus, when placed on something, is a protection from diseases, and is viewed as a symbol of good fortune. For Manson, the symbol of the cross and the swastika combined is also significant, as it could be associated with his constant message against fascism and persecution.

 

In the song "As Sick as the Secrets Within", reference is made to a "beast" and "secrets" and I believe disease as well. The octopus in the video seems to be a personification of these. It is the demon that is attached to the addict.

3. The Cross of Lorraine

The Cross of Lorraine has been a symbol used by Marilyn Manson for a long time, and in the video we can see it in the shape of the window as well as the shape in which the papers with his lyrics are placed on the wall behind him.

It is a complex symbol with a lot of history and meaning, but for Marilyn Manson it has mainly shown the combination of opposites, the dichotomy in unity which gets to the heart of what Marilyn Manson is about. Thus it could represent good and evil, God and Satan, creation and destruction, etc. It can also be seen as the unity that exists between God above and man below through creativity, among other things. It is a symbol ultimately of balance and unity.

 

 

4. The Bust of the Virgin Mary

 

Along with the Eucharistic imagery in the lyrics of the song and throughout the video, it seems what Manson is showing in this video is a ritual of his own crucifixion and death and resurrection in imitation of Jesus. The bust of the Mother of Christ, with her head down and in a somber setting, is one of the sorrowful mother who is there to mourn and suffer with the one who is suffering. Essentially it is a feature in the video that adds to the whole ritual aspect of it, since in Catholicism the Mass is done in remembrance of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. We saw similar imagery in the Mechanical Animals era, when imagery of the Passion of Christ was shown with imagery of the Virgin Mary.

 

 

5. The Key, the Golden Ratio and the Secret of Light

 

The key here seems to be a metaphor for unlocking mysteries, as behind him we see the Golden Ratio both on the larger Cross of Lorraine and also on its right and left two smaller forms of the Cross of Lorraine with writing on top of one and below the other. Above the Golden Ration it says SECRET OF LIGHT and within the Golden ratio it says ONE in the middle with a positive and negative sign towards the outer edge on each side. 

There is a lot of esotericism here, so I will try and sum it up in the way I think what the overall message is. 

 

Walter Russell was a painter, mystical philosopher and author who wrote among his works two books, one called The Secret of Light and another called The Universal One. At the core of his philosophy is that there is a Universal Mind or Consciousness, which he refers to as the Universal One. It is the source of all energy and matter, imbuing the universe with purpose and intelligence. Material creation is an expression of this Universal Mind. Creation evolves according to the natural rhythms that exist in the universe. All matter is composed of light waves, which are rhythmic and consist of both positive and negative charges. These charges are responsible for all the elements of the periodic table through a process of dividing and multiplying. Russell believed that this was the basis of alchemy. All creation emerges from and returns to what is called a zero point, which is a place of balance and equilibrium, which is the ultimate goal of spiritual enlightenment. The ultimate goal of a human being is to attain a complete knowledge and unity with the Universal One, also referred to by Russel as the Light. If one follows this path, it can help them advance in creativity, science, technology and understanding in general. Russell believed that through focused intention and understanding of the Universal One, individuals have the capacity to create and direct the forces of nature. This creative potential, he argues, should be used responsibly with respect for the universal laws and principles that govern all existence.

A motto of Hermetic alchemy is "as above, so below", which can be interpreted as what God is above so man is below. The is also one of the interpretations of the Cross of Lorraine, since the double cross can represent heaven above and earth below, or God above and man below. In the video, we see Manson writing and painting. He has long said that creation and art is his form of spirituality and through it he finds a connection with divinity. This also is reflected in the Golden Ratio and the divine proportion it reflects.

 

Ultimately the alchemical symbolism combined with the Christian Eucharistic symbolism leads to what can be called Christ consciousness, which is an understanding of one's own divine nature. For Manson, all of this comes down to his artistic expression.