Born Villain is the eighth studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on April 25, 2012, by Cooking Vinyl and Marilyn Manson's independent label Hell, etc. The album was recorded by the band's eponymous vocalist with former Nine Inch Nails member Chris Vrenna and Twiggy Ramirez, both of whom also helped in the production.
The album marked a return to the industrial and alternative metal styles of the band's earlier work, after the largely experimental nature of their previous album, The High End of Low. Lyrically, it has a strong philosophical and thematic engagement - exploring topics like power dynamics, manipulation and the intricacies of evil.
The album's lead single, "No Reflection", earned a Grammy nomination and the song "Slo-Mo-Tion" was also released as a single. Born Villain was generally welcomed by critics and was designated as the comeback of Marilyn Manson. It debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200, selling over 39,000 copies in its first week. Ultimately, Born Villain paved the way for a new era of the band, described as heavier and more aggressive.
