The album's lyrics were largely inspired by the personal troubles experienced by the band's eponymous vocalist relating to his divorce from burlesque performer Dita Von Teese, as well as his later relationship with actress Evan Rachel Wood.

While promoting the release, Manson made a series of disparaging comments about Interscope, its artistic censorship, as well as its-then CEO Jimmy Iovine.

[4] This included that album's co-composer, Tim Sköld, as well as long-time drummer Ginger Fish, Chris Vrenna and Rob Holliday.

[4] However, the following month, Manson encountered the band's former bassist, Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez), while staying at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

[10] It was announced in January 2008 that Twiggy would be rejoining Marilyn Manson as live bassist for the rest of the "Rape of the World Tour",[11] which resulted in Sköld exiting the band.

"[9] Manson and Twiggy announced at the 2008 Scream Awards in October that the album was "pretty much done", and indicated it would sound more like Antichrist Superstar than the band's recent material.

[23] He described the album as containing "extreme" autobiographical content relating to the dissolution of both his marriage to burlesque artist Dita Von Teese, and his later relationship with then-19-year old actress Evan Rachel Wood,[23] explaining: "Some of the things I say here, it's sad to say them—they're relationship-destroying statements.

"[19] Manson used his home as a canvas to document the disintegration of his relationship with Wood, writing the album's lyrics on walls and coupling them with paintings and drawings, as well as used condoms, bags of cocaine and other drug paraphernalia.

[1] Its first track, "Devour", is a mid-tempo rock song which begins with an acoustic guitar, with heavy drums and distorted, screamed vocals becoming more prominent as it progresses.

[9] Manson was critical of this censorship,[28][29] saying: "Rather than take it off the album, I decided to produce it on the sleeve with a different name, so it'll be sold in Walmart or wherever stores sell guns but are afraid to deal with lyrics.

[2] Caren Gibson of Metal Hammer claimed that the song was reminiscent of "Chain Reaction" by Diana Ross, as well as the work of Depeche Mode.

"[19] In a review of the leaked demo, which was originally titled "The WoW", James Gill of Metal Hammer described it as "genuinely filthy and intensely sexy.

"[34] "Unkillable Monster" is a down-tempo rock song which alternates between a quiet-verse and loud-chorus structure,[35] and features layered, distorted vocals and guitars.

[9] It was the original album closer, with Manson describing it as a "glorious epic that I think will make Twiggy forever recognized as a guitar hero.

"[21] The title of the album was revealed through the 'Smoking Section' of Rolling Stone magazine on February 2, 2009, where it was also announced that a music video would be filmed for the track "I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies".

[...] I think true fans know that usually songs found online before the record is released are rough mixes, and will wait to hear the music the way the artist intended.

[38] It was chosen as a single by Interscope after Manson played an instrumental version of the song to their artists and repertoire department, where an employee exclaimed: "This is gonna be a hit!".

[43] Delaney had previously directed the 2005 short film The Death of Salvador Dali, which starred Manson's ex-wife, Dita Von Teese.

Rob Holliday did not rejoin the band, with Twiggy taking over on lead guitar and former Wired All Wrong member Andy Gerold performing bass.

Manson removed the distinction between on- and off-stage, with stagehands reapplying the band members' make-up and assisting with wardrobe changes in full-view of the audience.

[50] Several days after the album's release, Trent Reznor – who, as of 2015, remains friends and business partners with Iovine[51] – called Manson a "dopey clown", and said that "He is a malicious guy and will step on anybody's face to succeed and cross any line of decency.

[54][55][56] An interview for Alan Carr: Chatty Man recorded during this period remains unaired, reportedly due to graphic language and content, as well as partial nudity.

"[59] A music video for "Running to the Edge of the World" – in which Manson beats a Wood lookalike to death – was released on November 4, and was condemned as a perceived glorification of violence against women.

[62] On parting with the label, Manson said: "a lot of the creative control on which my hands were tied [has been regained]", and indicated that the band had started work on new material while touring.

[73] Ed Power of Hot Press and John Earls of Planet Sound both rated the album 8 out of 10 and also compared the two releases, with the latter complimenting The High End of Low's "strutting glam and magnificently "over the top" ballads".

"[76] Similarly, BBC Music concluded that Twiggy's involvement saw the band resurrected after Eat Me, Drink Me, which they called "lacklustre", and said that the album provided a pointed satirical commentary on modern America.

[1] Los Angeles Times reviewer Mikael Wood complimented its production, describing how the band had "sculpted a sound both harder-hitting and more finely detailed than on any previous Marilyn Manson record.

"[69] Allison Stewart from The Washington Post praised the album for its personal lyrical content, contending that Manson's divorce from Von Teese had led to a new musical high.

[70] In a one-star review, The Guardian called the album unconvincing, and criticized it for a lack of experimentation;[68] whilst Entertainment.ie writer Lauren Murphy chastised several songs for sounding too experimental and "completely misplaced", summarizing: "If he'd stuck to what he was good at – ear-piercing yelps, liberal dashes of real controversy and big, brawny metal songs with tough beats – he may have [had] a 'comeback' on his hands.

"[78] Conversely, Mayer Nissim from Digital Spy commended the album for its diversity, but was critical of its length and "ill-advised attempts at stadium anthems."