Before "Antichrist Superstar" made Marilyn Manson a household name, this 1994 major label debut album was the beginning of he and his band invading mainstream America. After shortening the name of the band from Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids to just Marilyn Manson, they signed with Interscope Records and Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor produced this brilliant album; which showcases the social and moral decay of average Amercian family life. Song like "Organ Grinder", "Cake & Sodomy", "Dogma", "Get Your Gunn", "Sweet Tooth", "My Monkey", "Misery Machine", and the chilling "Lunchbox" are all thought provoking songs that really do make the listener think. Forget "Antichrist Superstar", "Mechanical Animals", and "Holy Wood", if there is one Marilyn Manson album to get, make it "Portrait of An American Family", and you will hear that the reason he is the man so many die hard Christian fanatics love to hate, is because he could be right about what he is saying.

Most of these songs were written by Marilyn Manson And The Spooky Kids, a long while back. Before The Fallen Angel, before Omega and the Mechanical Animals, before Adam and the revolution. These are songs which tell society as it is, while making fun of it. The bumpy ride beings on Prelude, a demented Willy Wonka rip-off. The singles: Lunchbox, and Get Your Gunn speak of a young boy being picked on and a woman suffering abuse from her husband. Other songs talk about how our youth will follow anything and the "average" family. It really is a Portrait Of An American Family. The strongest tracks are Lunchbox, Get Your Gunn, Dope Hat, and Misery Machine. If you want the glam of Mechanical Animals, or the industrial Hell of Antichrist Superstar, this album is NOT for you. This has a fresh and unique sound not duplicated on any other Manson album. This is truely where the saga began.

If you think KoRn has something to say, you never really listened to Marilyn Manson's debut. Instead of bashing him for not making another Beautiful People kind of riff, go to your nearest cd store and buy this thing. Manson doesn't hate women, or cops, or children, he simply describes the world as it really is and was when he was a kid. This CD has a really bashing sound to it and the lyrics are like targeting a bullet to light-minded persons. Portrait is just what the title suggests and it's one of the best hard rock albums made in the 90s. While KoRn and other i-just-hate-everything-'cause-it's-fashionable losers are enjoying their ADIDAS and NIKE outfits, Manson attacks for the sake of intelligence.

Mariyln Manson is NOT for children under 13. But frankly who gives a good Goddamn!!! Manson is probably the World's best "Shock Rocker"! Here's how the Songs are

Prelude (The Family Trip) - Decent Instermental 2.5/5

Cake And Sodomy - Probably Manson's most explicit song, but Fu*king Awsome!!! 6/5

Lunchbox - A power anthem for kids being picked on at school, I like the saying "Next Motherfu*ker Gonna' Get My Metal!" 5/5

Organ Grinder - Funny/Sick lyrics, and very good Keyboard/synthysizer/Organ. Good job M.W. Gacy! 4.75/5

Cyclops - Just another ol' track, but catchy. Nice Guitar, Daisy Berkowitz's highlight! 4.5/5

Dope Hat - The most addictive on the album! If you see the video, you can see how it is a sick parody of Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. M.W. Gacy pulls through again! 6/5

Get Your Gunn - My 4th Favorite! Twiggy Ramirez's bass is impeccable! 5/5

Wrapped In Plastic - Not very catchy, but good lyrics 4.75/5

Dogma - Creepy, but Impossible not to sing along! 5/5

Sweet Tooth - Nice Saxaphone And Lyrics, this has more of a "Sadistic" aproach. 4.75/5

Snake Eyes And Sissies - KABOOM!!! Another Hit!!! Manson & Pals really can harmonize in a sick way. 5/5

My Monkey - Funny, but Mediocre Lyrics. I think this was origanally based on a Charles Manson song, give or take a few lyrics. 3/5

Misery Machine - Good way to end the album, for some reason theres a 6-7 minute silence period at the end making this song only about 5 minutes compared to 13 mins. 4/5

Overall this album Kicks...!!

YOU SPOONFED US SATURDAY MORNING MOUTHFULS OF MAGGOTS AND LIES DISGUISED IN YOUR SUGARY BREAKFAST CEREALS. THE PLATES YOU MADE US CLEAN WERE FILLED WITH YOUR FEARS. THESE THINGS HAVE HARDENED IN OUR SOFT PINK BELLIES. WE ARE WHAT YOU HAVE MADE US. WE HAVE GROWN UP WATCHING YOUR TELEVISION. WE ARE A SYMPTOM OF YOUR CHRISTIAN AMERICA, THE BIGGEST SATAN OF ALL. THIS IS YOUR WORLD WHICH WE GROW. AND WE WILL GROW TO HATE YOU.
~Marilyn Manson~

This is the first from MM. This is so f in' awesome. Snake Eyes and Sissies is enough to buy it. Get Your Gunn is on here. Lunchbox is on here. Hell, Dope Hat is on here!!!! This is a must have for EVERYONE. I think MM should of stayed with this line-up. Twiggy is here. Marilyn is here. Daisy is here. Madonna is here. Sara is here. I think its somewhat is some aspects better then the rest of the albums even though I said in other reviews that "something" else was. This isn't best overall, but its truely without a doubt the album that started EVERYTHING and a masterpiece. Pick it up!!!!