Mechanical Animals is the third studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 15, 1998, by Interscope Records. While not abandoning the band's industrial metal roots, the album is less abrasive and more reminiscent of 1970s glam rock, such as David Bowie, T. Rex and Queen. The themes of Mechanical Animals primarily deal with the trappings of fame and drug abuse.