HE previously called himself the Antichrist Superstar and his detractors have tried to make him the scapegoat for various tragedies and many of the world's evils.

But what Marilyn Manson's latest album, The Pale Emperor, really shows is that he is one of the most consistent names in a dying breed of rock stars.

Some icons of rock like Kurt Cobain have died and others like Axl Rose and Billy Corgan have disappeared into their own egos but Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, is basically a safe pair of hands.

It may sound like a backhanded compliment for a musician who models himself on rabble rousing anarchy but those days, at least musically, are long behind him.

So while The Pale Emperor is a far cry from Manson's best work it is consistently good.

Heavy rock track 'Deep Six' sounds like it could have come from his 1998 album and call to arms, Mechanical Animals.

But on the whole it is a downbeat bass-led affair with just as much of Manson's signature angst but with much less aggression and big riffs.

Manson's ninth album also proves that he is undoubtedly a good singer and that can still pen a catchy single like 'Third Day of a Seven Day Binge' which just gets stuck in your head.

One of the best songs is 'Warship My Wreck' which is on the kind of epic scale which would work perfectly on a big film soundtrack.

DAVID MORGAN