The Downward Spiral

Take a journey inside the mind of the average league of legends player

Johnny Cash did to Nine In Nails what Jimmy Hendrix did to Bob Dylan

Good so far, already had Closer on my playlist lol. Front half is ok, some misses, some hits. I like the rough sound in the instrumentals paired with softer/quieter voice. Back half picks it up a bit. Hurt is really goof but I still prefer the Johnny Cash Hurt cover. Going with 3/5 but in reality I think it's a 7-7.5/10. Enjoyed it but can't say it blew me away.

Way to angsty and angry for me, but not 100% garbage

I was not a fan when I first started to listen to this album. It felt like a bad acid trip embodied in music. The pacing, the raw reverberated guitar, the static effects on the vocals. It's uncomfortable. But the more you settle into this album the better it gets. If I had more time to sit down and digest this album today my rating may be different but as a whole I just wasn't feeling it.

3/5. Closer is a vibe. I can appreciate the quality and sounds but I don’t find myself coming back to the album itself, just the song Closer.

All I can really say is “who hurt you, Trent Reznor?” I actually bought this album when it came out. I dabbled in 9 inch nails, because some of the songs had a heaviness that I was into. But these days it doesn’t do it for me. It’s kind of sounds like what you would listen to in a dark night club set in a dystopian future.

Some good moments but they are unfortunately the exception rather than rule with some of this album heavy-going.

Industrial rock indeed

John Wick soundtrack? Just in time for Halloween because a lot of these songs are spooky. This music makes me want to break things. I imagine this is the hype track for mass shooters. Wow. And “The Becoming” is just a mass shooter in action with people screaming. “A warm place” was a nice break. “Eraser” opens with someone pinching a straw while blowing through it. Wait… what.. Johnny Cash took the song “Hurt” from this guy? What a bizarre and dark journey this album was. I generally dislike depressive music like this but I somehow ended up being okay with it just become some of heavy electronic melodies go so hard. He could write soundtracks for action and thriller movies for sure. 6/10

Not really my thing but Hurt is a classic

So back when this came out I must have thought it's what I need to listen to both to be "cool" and and as rebellion against parents or something. I didn't really like it then but acted like I did at roughly age 12 I'm sure the lyric " I want to fuck you like an animal" was pretty edgy and cool back then. Don't really like it much now but unfortunately understand it. Also understand why my parents hated this lol. It sucks to be able to understand the concept of this apparent concept album now nearly 30 years later especially with how fucked in particular the last several years have been. Theres terrible war in Ukraine and now in Israel and Gaza, global pandemic killed millions and pretty much scrambled society as we knew it. Another nut with an AR-15 just massacred a bunch of people. A tropical storm turned into a category 5 hurricane in under 24 hours then slams into coast of Mexico. In 5 or 10 or 20 years what isn't under water will probably be on fire. Right wing Republicans not content with their coup failing in 2020 are doubling down on a presidential candidate who is dividing his time between 3 or is it 4 different criminal trials (and that fraud trial and that defamation one in NY). He has the unwavering support of approximately 40% of the population no matter what. So yeah hearing this today makes me wonder what the hell was so depressing back in 1994

One or two songs in a row is fine vut a while album gets tiring

Its very emo for my taste, the instramentals sound like static and the vocals sound like a guy trying to be seductive but failing misserably.

Cool and forward thinking, very much not for me.

Solid

Too dynamic.

Decent music but probably something I wouldn’t listen to again just due to taste

Decent album. Not exactly my favourite style of music, but there are a few good songs on there. Of course, "Hurt" and "Closer" are the two standouts

A bit rough to get into but liked it more on the second listen

The music on this is an easy five star. Trent is absolutely meant for sound design and soundtracks. I can't stand his voice though. Control is the creepiest song i've ever heard

Not my favorite. But hurt is a phenomenal song

It has a deep feel and operates at a high level but it doesn't' speak to me personally

This is dark, industrial, bleak and super-heavy. It's a concept album about a man's downward spiral to his eventual suicide. I'm not averse to bleak albums. 'The Holy Bible' by Manic Street Preachers and 'The Terror' by Flaming Lips being two of my favourites. However, I didn't really like this. I think this is because the reason for this person's downward spiral isn't obviously explained. Therefore it just seems he's a bit of a dodgy scumbag type character, which makes it difficult to empathise. In the other examples, the bleakness is much more relatable, being a world-view based on man's inhumanity (The Holy Bible) and the bleakness that results from the absence of love (The Terror). In terms of form meeting function and delivering an artistic intent, it is hard to criticise this. However, it seems to be coming from a place that I can't relate to (thank goodness). It's all a bit much. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Hurt Date listened: 27/09/23

Ik ben niet zo'n fan van industrial rock of metal, maar af en toe een nummer kan ik prima hebben. Het zet een enorm beklemmende dystopische sfeer neer, zoals in films als Mad Max, Blade Runner, etc. Dat Trent Raznor dat kunstje wel beheerst, blijkt uit zijn enorme ouevre qua filmmuziek. Vaak is het wat eentonig qua drums, het moet ook altijd op een decibelletje of 140 afgespeeld worden. Maar als je de muziek afpelt, zoals Johnny Cash met Hurt deed, dan pas kom je er achter dat het soms uitstekend in elkaar kan zitten. Maar echt vrolijk word je er niet van

Ugh this is not my jam. I can respect it but getting through this album will be a bit of a slog for me, I can feel it. Down to keep an open mind, though! After more listening I was right, but there is a lot here going on musically that I totally respect. It's just too harsh for my delicate little baby ears. Definitely some interesting stuff happening in Eraser.

I wanted to like this more than I did and certainly don’t begrudge people who love this music. I just don’t think it was overall my thing. It has a couple of well known songs that I enjoyed, and I appreciated it overall, but it was too long for me and I didn’t like Trent whispering and/or growling in my ear the entire time. 3/5 - I won’t be buying one of those t-shirts.

Two great songs and the rest is loud angry noises.

It was alright

Not a big fan of Nine Inch Nails but this was pretty significant with the Industrial genre.

It's a very important album from a music genre I just can't love.

Eraser oli kova biisu

nostalgiaa

Bit industrial for my liking

Ok, ikkje så inspirerande

I didn't mind this - interesting texture, though not really my thing.

I never really listened much to this record -- I had a roommate who would play it with some frequency in his room, but I didn't own a copy myself. Listening to it now, it just seems a bit depressing. I liked the energy of "Pretty Hate Machine" and saw NIN live during that era... I like industrial, but I prefer angry music to depressing music.

Super interesting stuff, but too dark and chaotic for me to really enjoy. Perhaps would be cool at some point to just lie down and give it full attention and really sink into that world.

It was ok

Songs were hit or miss for me. I liked what I liked, but overall it didn't click with me.

The first album was far better

Not as bad as I was expecting at all. Dour but some songs still had an unmistakable groove. Solid album

Okay

I’m split on this album. I like the industrial sound in a lot of places, but a lot of the lyrics are just kind of whiney. That said, ‘Hurt’ is a genuinely great song, and it’s still enjoyable enough, so I’ll give it a 3.

Some of its cool, some of its angry, some it's sad. Mission accomplished?

Never been huge on NiN and the industrial music scene, but I understand the appeal. I think for those in that scene this is probably a great album. As for me, it runs middle of the pack. I find Pretty Hate Machine to be a more enjoyable listen start to finish, but this has a few high points (Closer, March of the Pigs, Hurt). Overall, not something I would go back to any time soon.

4/14, 29%

The first time I heard this album, I hated it. Viscerally. Just sounded like pure cacophony. While those elements still exist to me, my appreciation for it has grown significantly, and the artistic decisions made on it are much more clear to me. It is a very jarring listen, and that was the intention. The arrangements are extremely particular and do well to portray the album. I can't say I will be revisiting this album very often, but I definitely get it a lot more now. Favorite track: Hurt

I'm starting to feel like a broken record, but here's another album that hits differently now that I'm older. Trent Reznor is a brilliant composer. And that shows here even in his early work. NIN is a powerhouse of industrial rock. There's not a missed note or a missed opportunity here. It's a perfect industrial album. Musically, at least. Lyrically, it's another matter. So much of this album that felt edgy and rebellious in my youth now feels juvenile and try hard. Don't get me wrong, there are still some great tracks on this album. But the big hits? They just come off kind of cheesy. Oh, did you say a bad word? Oh, I see It's because you're talking about having sex. And now you're screaming that God's dead. This isn't exactly breaking new ground, is it? This is just to try to be shocking. That's disappointing. You're capable of more intelligent writing.

Man there are some really iconic songs on here. Piggy, March of the Pigs, Closer, and of course Hurt (Johnny Cash's version is a GOAT cover). Listening to this in 1994 must've been a wild experience. Fun fact it was recorded where the Manson Family killed Sharon Tate +friends. This is such a tough album for me to rank. It has some serious high's and serious low's. 3 it is!

Wasn't feeling it.

A lot of noise, not much substance.

I liked this album. It gave me the creeps at some points but I enjoyed it. Some of the sounds made in here are so unique to NIN it really defines their sound. Sometimes the album feels a little too repetitive but it only happens at some points. I did hear a lot of later Trent Reznor movie score vibes in this album especially with the unique sounds. Overall pretty good

I think this dude has a lot of pent up anger and angst that only gets released through his music. I get the idea, but don't get most of his music. But, I do like several NIN songs and Hurt is my favorite song by these guys. Johnny Cash version is the best. Regardless. this song is painfully beautiful. A five star song. Recommend everyone check out Cash's version and video! A couple of other songs I enjoy are Closer and Heresy. Heresy has some great lyrics. As for the rest of the album, just a little (OK , a lot) too much in your face nonsense for me to enjoy. But for Hurt alone, I'm going to give this album a 3. A top song regardless of who performs. Back to my week of remembering Prince: I was dreaming when I wrote this So sue me if I go too fast But life is just a party And parties weren't meant to last People call me rude I wish we al were nude I wish there was no black and white I wish there were no rules

Huh okay so I didn’t enjoy this album as much as I remember. There are a few standout songs that I still really love but felt like I was wading through kinda-meh tracks to get there.

Repeat album for me as I got this one early in my journey. Unique industrial sound with incredibly angsty (and many times cringy) lyrics. 2.5/5

Started a bit weird, it was hard to get into this, but eventually with a second listen I did. Good journey, but musically it's sometimes very far from me. Still appreciatable.

Okayish.

bn bu album icin fazla yasliyim sarkilar birbirine cok benziyo ve sozleri cringe biraz

Very raw and aggressive. Some of these tracks had so much bite it hurt. Appreciate the fusion of hard rock and electro.

Enjoyed the music but likely won’t revisit

I didn’t hate it as much this time!

Lol, imagined you walking in the woods listening to this Like the noises, don't like the way the vocals are drowned out by the music

I used to love these vibes when I was in school. Now it doesn't seem really interesting, but I like the concept.

Makes sense that "Closer" is the only single I recognize. Might be okay with the right atmosphere, but on casual listen it just drones on.

Ok, I was expecting to absolutely hate this but a few tracks in and I was already enjoying it far more than I expected. As it goes on, it gets worse though. The lyrics get cringy AF and I can imagine this attracting what you might call an incel crowd these days. Probably one of the reasons I never listened to it before: I associated it with people I wanted nothing to do with. I enjoyed this enough, however, to consider exploring the rest of NiN's output and that's something I definitely wouldn't have said this time yesterday.

Undecided. Quirky, moody. Previously, I was only familair with the Johnny Cash cover of "Hurt".

Yeah a classic of course! Everyone was so good damn horny in the late 90’s!

Bowie, Iggy inspired NiN. Can cause headaches, but good stuff. Has a couple of 4 stars on it, but not enough to rate 4.

Has some interesting music and blend with metal that I didn’t expect. Lyrically terrible though and abit too messy at times

The record sets a specific mood. Probably exactly the mood they intended to set, but not a mood I like or can relate to very much. That being said, it's not bad at all. Favorite song: heresy

Has great moments but it’s tiresome.

A bit of a mixed bag. Enjoyable overall though.

Difficult album for me. Some tracks I didn't like, but other I did. But definitely something I did not have heard before. Favourite tracks: 'Closer', 'Hurt'. 3/5

Mostly liked it, some stuff I didn't

Ya los conocía y en general me han gustado todas las canciones. Closer es que me flipa. Pues yo no les conocía y me han gustado (LNB)

3 Cyberpunk

kiinnostava albumi. mutta ei niin kiinnostava... olenko tekemässä tutkimusta? en... gradua? pff, heh... en todellakaan. tarvi pomppimaan lähteä... b (B) osio paljon parempi, höpötykset pois alta. PASKAA.. mutta myös OK. influenced by t-t-t-t-the w-w-w-w-w TH- THE WALL... tykkäsin industrial saundista a warm place

Bättre än jag trodde. Har aldrig lyssnat, men har tänkt på Nine Inch Nails some ett screamo-igt emo-metal band. Det var mycket mer industriellt, hårt, art-rockigt, och till och med lite brittiskt big-beatigt än så! Rätt häftiga låtar bitvis. Även om texterna absolut är rätt gymnasiala och emo. Gillar ju konceptalbum! Här bara en dryg timmes ångest och mörker och depression som kulminerar i berättarjagets självmord. Vissa låtar drar ut och blir lite för långa, även om det är spännande att vara i kaoset länge. 'A Warm Place' är en skön vilostation. Spännande att höra den här versionen av 'Hurt' i kontexten med resten av albumet. Blir spöklikt och kittlande bra. Bästa låt: Ingen specifik som fastnade extra. Nog bäst som helhet. Även om det var lite för utmattande för att jag ska känna mig manad att återvända (okej kanske 'Hurt' då).

Edgy. Trent Reznor’s emotional palette and lack of self awareness leave a lot to be desired but he’s matured beyond screaming nursery rhymes at least. Try not to think too much about content and let the production’s noise and detail impress you, it’s too good to deny.

Panostin tämän kuunteluun enemmän kuin ajattelin. Kuuntelin kahdesti mutta en siltikään ole varma tähdistä. 3 tuntuu liialta ja 2 liian vähältä. Ajattelin että pitäisin tästä enemmän mutta ei tuo industrial tyyli lähtenyt. Levyllä oli kuitenkin elementtejä mistä pidin ja Hurt lopettajana aivan loistava. Annetaan kuitenkin arvostuksesta 3

I think my friends Stewart and Roald would really like this. Very dark and sinister, like watching an underground horror film where you are pretty sure it is fake but a small part of you is thinking maybe this is real? Anyway, I'm not a big fan but I can appreciate this to some extent. Musically it's an interesting blend of electronic, industrial, goth, and heavy metal. 3 stars.

gritty, industrial, unpleasant in parts, but not wholly awful. Johnny Cash did 'Hurt' better though

Väkivaltaista mutta ei huonolla tavalla. Samasta syystä silti hankala pitää (tarkoituksella tietty). Silti viehätyn omanlaisuudesta. Miksi Hurt on miksattu noin kovalle?

Looking back on this from 2023, it's still good bit also repetitive and cartoonishly angsty.

Loud

OK but a bit samey - It seemed to rumble along with no tracks standing out The one exception is "hurt" but I think this was done better my Johnny Cash

Dark rollercoaster of sequenced noise. Pretty amazing production. Comes with a lot pressure and power which is the backbone of this „Downward Spiral“. If you’re not so much into being yelled 24/7 this may be a tough piece of work. But beyond that it‘s worth to give it an attentive session. There‘s a lot to witness getting lit on fire. 3.1

pas mon genre mais ça sonne !!

me encantó sorprendentemente porque el inicio hasta closer maso me pareció pesadísimo pero después moooy boeno 7.5 / 10 pq sí sé que no es lo que suelo escuchar

I wasn’t able to give this the full attention it deserved but I liked what I heard. 3*, could have been higher if I’d paid attention.

I liked it. I wish I'd like NIN more than I do... A Warm Place is an absolute peach though and almost worth a four for that alone.

Mixed feelings. 23 yr old me loved the raw angst of this album, 53 yr old me doesn’t connect to it in the same way. It was a quick trip down memory lane for me but not one I’ll revisit any time soon.

нннну не так не в кассу как я ожидала) но не моя музыка

rock dad music

I always thought NiN would be a band that I'd absolutely hate. I'd always see people wearing NiN shirts and feel this aversion to it/them deep in my bones. Over the years, I've kind of softened that position (because it's stupid), so I definitely went into this with a more open mind than I would have 10 years ago. I didn't love it, but it definitely had its moments. Standouts: Piggy, March of the Pigs, Closer, Ruiner, Hurt

I liked about 50% of it.

I was transported back to a time where this music was too old and too heavy for me. Funny how so much time can pass and yet things remain the same. Also, sorry NIN, like the Zutons and Valerie, Hurt is not your song anymore. Good job.

This is a great soundtrack for being on the subway. I’m not sure I would listen to this again intentionally but I’m glad it exists and I had a fun listening to it. It’s so grimy and industrial sounding

I LOVED this album when I was in high school. What’s interesting is that I still love so much of the music I listened to back then but NIN didn’t make the cut somehow. Listening to this was a nice trip down memory lane but I could go another 15 years before listening again.

Very NIN

i feel like i should have liked this more than i did. the overwhelming feeling is that its a bit messy, it could have been refined. a ten track album would have worked better for me. maybe i'm missing the point and the album needs all of the ambient noise to accentuate the aggressive noisy bits but then maybe i'm the next big thing producer and i could have brought unimaginable fortunes and turned trent into the next justin timberlake. i hope trent thinks about that next time he's at the oscars.

3.5 stars. A lot of heavy and dark lyrics, can feel the emotion from the singer. Musically the ominous rock is distorting and grinding. Standouts are the sexually explicit "Closer" and "Ruiner"

Very important record for industrial/noise rock. Very, very dark and grim. It follows the “Downward Spiral” of a man, ultimately ending in his suicide. Not a bad record, but some of the lyrics are cringe in retrospect. I would’ve loved this shit when I was in high school.

Love hate relationship here. I got this album when was first released. Most of this is noise but I do love "Closer" and "Hurt". I do have fond memories lustening to this album but I wouldn't want MY kids listening to it...LOL!! This one falls in the middle for me.

It’s a hard album to listen to at times. I think that’s the point.

My reaction to this album today is pretty much identical to my reaction when this first came out. I had friends who were intensely into this album, so I was familiar with it, and back then, as now, my overwhelming thought was, "Jesus, man, lighten up." So yeah, I get this is supposed to channel extreme angst and anger and — how the hell am I supposed to know what Trent was going through? Anyway, the sounds are good and he's certainly created a vibe and a mystique and an empire by this point, so good on him. But this is too noisy and overwrought for me to enjoy. Even the "hits" are just too much. I don't relate.

This was an interesting album. This is truly an alt record. The chord progressions arent anything crazy but they make them fun/spooky enough to stay cool. Very sad vibes on this one. There are some good ass songs on here. I really like the instrumental tracks the most like a warm place and the downward spiral. Can't listen to Hurt without thinking of Johnny. Good album 6/10

Appreciate the ground-breaking it did for electronica in the 90's, but it's always been an album that hasn't resonated with me.

It has not been a pleasant nor enjoyable experience to listen to this BUT I must admit it's incredibly interesting and well crafted. Unfortunately it's not for me and I don't think I'll listen to this again.. so 5 stars for the art, 1 star for the experience

Hmmm. Very angry. Very lost. Was it cathartic for the young man? Puking up all that phlegm? We can only hope he has found some tranquility.

Interesting mix of Electronica and metal. Johnny Cash did a cover of Hurt, that may have been better than this original version. Overall a good album.

Its ok

When it dropped, I felt very let down. I had wanted a reprise to Pretty Hate Machine, an album with outsize influence on my probably owing to all the time I spent with girlfriend Joanna listening to it. But in this album, they seemed to lose the melody with the exception of 'Piggy' which is a terrific song, but with lyrics that for some reason offended me then. I like that sound now, words and all. Nothing can stop me now. Closer on this album is pretty epic and definitely was an important early college song that got a lot of air time at parties etc. Hurt left me feeling shattered. Still does. I leaned on that song in hard times and I still do. It's an important one. When Johnny Cash did it, I felt like Gen X had been fully vindicated by the aging boomers. It was a nod and a passing of the torch. It's a gorgeous empire of dirt.

The shocking and attention-grabbing "Closer" video certainly was a memorable part of my early teens musical taste expansion, but I was never quite sucked into becoming a Nine Inch Nails fan. I just wasn't ready for that much abrasive industrial chaos. And I'm still not. I think Trent Reznor is a creative, impressive, and fascinating musician, but most of NiN isn't for me. "Closer" is amazing though. And Reznor's film and TV scores are great. It looks like "The Downward Spiral" is the only NiN on the list, which is interesting, as I think "Pretty Hate Machine" is probably at least as good and is more impressively influential coming out in 1989.

Here's how good Trent Reznor is - this stuff is comedically angry and bleak. And yet - very listenable. I love the sound of it and there are occasional sparks of greatness. My mind wanders a bit on the way through, but he makes bleeps and booms sound better than most people.

Yllättävän hyvää settiä, luulin et tää ois liian örinää mulle, mut jatkoon!

Not bad but too noisy.

Mid

I generally like nine inch nails pretty well. This didn't catch me on a day when I was in the mood I guess, as I didn't enjoy it that much.

Mmmmm industrial. 3.5/5

I remember this album from way back. I mean, I guess I remember the two songs from it that reached a wide audience. And I remember NiN as a cultural force. It was good to listen to it again. As it began I thought "Oh, edgy teenager shit" but then it really did begin to warm me over. And by the time I was 3/4 of the way through I was thinking about Trent Reznor. Because I'm sure these days, and those days too, the band tours with a full accompaniment of performers to make the songs sound good. But this band, this guy, was never about all of that. When I think of this guy, I think of him sitting alone in a room turning knobs on a board to make the sounds he wants. I like that. I identify with it. Still, kind of got old by the second half of the second half. Still, he knew to end it with Hurt and that's pretty awesome.

It's a little much. But ok.

It was ok. Some was hard to listen to, maybe because I already had a headache, and it felt like nine inch nails on a chalkboard at that point, but also a couple of the songs while driving made me feel like a super powered maniac

I could get in to it a bit but it felt very samey

It is long. And the first half is fairly monotonous industrial - but the songwriting improves a lot in the second half. Ending of course with Hurt, a song just about anyone from the past 60 years would give their eye teeth to have written.

Nine Inch Nails fait bien pâle figure après Nirvana.

Closer, Eraser, The downward spiral Hurt

The sound is fresh and raw, but there is too much noise, and the lyrics are too obnoxious.

yesss absolutely unhinged, totally feral, very fun. faves: Heresy, & Closer. some of it was a lot tho, i'm deducting points for Big Man With A Gun & Reptile lmao

Decent album, didn't think NIN would be on this list, even thought i've barely listened to them before. I can definitely hear Trent's impact going by his newer stuff i've heard. The distortion in some songs I don't like cause it sounds like my headset or whatever is dying.

Very interesting. I like some of Trent’s film score work like Gone Girl and Soul but I didn’t know if I was gonna like NIN. I knew Hurt and Closer. This album is more captivating than the average dad rock album we get recommended every now and then.

Definitely some interesting ideas with the industrial vibe. The depiction of sex was a bit off putting to me and I was really bugged by how hard the vocals were to depict in the mix

I know I say this a lot, but I say it a lot because it's accurate: Nine Inch Nails is another in the long list of bands who were big at a time when it seems logical I would have had some exposure to, if not a ton of exposure to, yet somehow I missed completely at the time. Yes, I can be extraordinarily oblivious to the world around me at times. I had definitely heard of them and I had quite a few peers whose musical tastes I often share, at least somewhat, who loved this band. So, all that in mind, I'm very glad I finally listened to an album of theirs. Many of the tracks are superb musically. So incredibly tight! I'm usually not a big fan of screamed lyrics, much as that can be sonically interesting at times, and -- now comes the part where I sound like the Grumpy Old Man I am absolutely becoming in some ways -- I cannot understand a gosh-darn word these folks are saying/singing. I have heard that they are lyrically strong, so maybe I'll go read what the heck it was they were shrieking into their microphones. 'Hurt' is, of course, an iconic and beautiful song and, yes, those words I can hear. That being said, compositionally and performance-wise, I'm very impressed. Some serious skills there and it's superb music.

Could have scored higher if they cut it down to a single CD. Also, some tracks they've gone a bit too heavy with the crackling sound effect, takes away from the mix. Standout track - closer

I appreciate this for what it is, but it isn't my thing.

Buen disco

I really enjoy the wide array of sounds incorporated into this album and the atmosphere it creates. Very effective "world building" using the music to paint a picture of the mental state of someone in a "downward spiral." The use of repetitive, hammering noise, jarring shifts between loud screaming parts and soft whispering parts and dissonant tones all fit in extremely well in this album. I am not too knowledgeable in the industrial rock genre, but I know this album had a big hand in bringing it to mainstream audiences. On the other hand, I find the lyrics here to be too edgy for my taste. I know that the intent was to depict someone in a deranged mental state, but I find that there is no subtlety here, it feels more like a caricature than an accurate description. Overall, it's a middle of the road release for me, would definitely score it higher if the lyrics didn't feel like an edge-lord 4chan post. Which is a little disappointing because I want to like this more, musically there's a lot going on here. Fav tracks: The Becoming, Eraser, Hurt

Not as good as I remember, Closer gives this album a 3

Wat rauwer in sound dan de platen daarna, waardoor ie voor mij iets minder goed valt. Wel een aantal erg sterke nummers, maar voor mij kwam hun beste periode net hierna.

Topzwaar! Ik vind NIN aan de ene kant intrigerend, maar ik kan maar met moeite zo'n plaat luisteren zonder er zwaarmoedig van te worden. Maar dat is wellicht ook de bedoeling. 😉

Een aantal tracks zijn me iets te lomp en zwaar, maar met 'Closer' en 'Hurt' wordt het geheel toch in de plus getrokken. Lekker om mee in de Paassferen te komen!

I know I've intentionally listened to this album in full before, and I know a few of the tracks already, but NIN has never clicked with me. They occupy the same kinda space as Marilyn Manson does for me: I like a whole bunch of their contemporaries, influences and bands that they influenced, but NIN themselves? nah. That being said, this isn't really a bad album. Nice little period piece of mid-90s alternative. When it does actual music it can be pretty catchy. But it also spends a lot of time being an industrial synthesiser demo, more of an exercising in running the full gamut of available effects in the space of 4min than writing a song. Overall it just goes on too long. If it was half the length it'd probably get a 4 for originality and longevity. It's also pretty impressive that people still care this much about 90s nonsense in 2022 (does anyone other than me remember Type O Negative? Fittingly, I think NIN lifted a Type O melody for the end of Closer). It's about 50% good songs, so 3/5.

Never really got into them. But I like this album. Maybe it grows on you.

I've just learned that Trent Reznor moved into the house where Sharon Tate was murdered to record "The Downward Spiral". Justifiable as part of his creative process, or just a horrible case of romanticising and fetishising tragedy? Whichever way you view it, the resulting "...Downward Spiral" came out insular, abrasive and depraved. It sounds like the product of a twisted environment and an even more twisted mind. The singles "Closer" and "Hurt" are the famous cuts here and they're both very effective but also outliers: the production gets much heavier and much more horrific. For most of its runtime, "The Downward Spiral" is downright filthy. I didn't enjoy a lot of it, but I can't deny that Reznor’s production is innovative, captivating, even enthralling. Alongside seismic drums (both live and electronic), walls of wailing guitars, yelled vocals and other synth loops, there are often samples of screams, torture, machines (“Reptile” is especially well-done and in my top tier) and god knows what else. The sudden loud-quiet dynamic shifts which was vogue in 90's alt-rock are taken to the extreme, like Pixies or Nirvana with extreme bipolar. While this can be fascinating, for me the heavier sections tipped over the edge of what I can actually enjoy, and the lyrics are a little bit try-hard angry teenager. "Heresy" is a prime example, with its refrain of "God is dead, and no-one cares". There's a lot of wanting to fuck and desecrate everything in sight, which wears thin after a while and doesn't make for an engaging concept album on the level of, say, "The Wall" (one of Reznor's key influences). Instead, the album is at its best when the sonic innovation is enough to distract from Reznor's patchy lyrics, or tiresome self-flagellating metal. While the vocal segments in "March of the Pigs", "Ruiner", "I Do Not Want This", etc... were just too much for me, many of the songs evolve and shift without returning to recognisable verse-chorus structures. "The Becoming" and “Eraser” are both prime examples, packing a lot into their running time and opting for either consistent forward momentum or a slow, creeping dread. Every now and then, there's an intriguing loop, burst of piano or ambient palette cleanser to shine through (thank god for "A Warm Place", giving some depth to proceedings off the back of the unbearable "Big Man With A Gun"). It's interesting approaching Nine Inch Nails in 2021, because Trent Reznor has continued to blossom from one of alternative music's most reputable figures to a critics' darling in film. His soundtrack work with Atticus Ross has won him Oscars and even taken him to Pixar, for crying out loud. The Reznor working on this album is a very different beast. I'm not likely to listen much again, but like a ruined souffle or a terrible murder, it's hard not to be taken in.

Not sure how an album can be relaxing and stressful at the same time- yet here we are

3.0

This is where I came in with Nine Inch Nails. I loved this record for all of the new it brought and for all of the old it twisted and tore.

Muito barulho.

I feel like this passed without incident. Maybe it's my fault for just having it on whilst doing something else. I actually get the feeling that I'd really like NIN if I gave them some time.

Such 90s sound. Actually kind of goofy at times.

More industrial rock than I would normally care for but the way Reznor produces music is just so interesting. The sounds he creates are unlike anyone elses.

disquieting, filled with self-loathing and rage, scritchy noises and distorted voices - well-executed but not one I would listen to for fun or relaxation

Quite cool how they can mix super brash and really soft/pretty into single songs, some lean too brash for me tho

Listened Before? Y I have heard this album a lot of times. I own the CD from the 90's, and it was one I listened to semi-regularly. That being said, NIN never really became one of my favorite bands. Pros: Catchy for industrial music. Angsty teenage me loved the anti-establishment messages. Mentally ill me loved the bleakness of it. Today, I just like that I can make it through the album but don't feel a need to force myself to. Cons: It hasn't aged in my life particularly well. I'm a much happier person now than I was when this released so it doesn't ring as true. "Closer" - oh wow, what an overplayed song. Thanks, corporate radio! Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Piggy, March of the Pigs

Bit dark

This album has always been my angry goto. Mr Self Destruct is the absolute assault, but in a good way, on your ear drums if you are into listening with headphones. I believe headphones are a must for this generation of music. Piggy is not a bad song but nor is it very memorable. Hersey has the feel of the punk club that Sonny Crocket and Rico Tubbs would walk into at the beginning of a Miami Vice episode. Moving away from that image this is definitely a proclamation that Trent is not a big fan of Christianity. March of the Pigs is a raging mosh pit and I love it! Give me the 90's, a stobe light filled club with girls dancing from cages hanging from the ceiling, a little hit of X and "everything is alright". Closer is just a classic. Enough said. Unfortunately it becomes quite repetitive and only holds three good songs after Closer. Eraser, The Downward Spiral, and Hurt. All this being said I would not say this album is for everybody and probably does not belong on this list. Trent Reznor is talented engineer and musician but totally one sided in his lyrics.

What a ride.

Way better than expected!

Industrial man

Kinda weird, but apreciate the originality and understood why its popular. 6/10

Great production. Detailed songwriting

Fun but a bit too angst - some classic songs but if you’re over 20 it feels a bit disconnected

wanted to think this was better - but wasn't crazy about it. the fact that it has hurt (one of the best songs ever written) meant I had to give it a 3, otherwise it might have gotten a 2.

What an unexpected delight. This has aged really well. So many interesting and contrasting sounds and rhythms.

Not for me. Couple tracks i liked.

A very dark and heavily moody album, of which whose title reflects the state of mind of Trent Reznor's spiral into drug abuse and depression. If you're not paying attention to the lyrics then you may mistake this for a regular distortion filled album but it is so much more than that. Best: Heresy Worst: A Warm Place

If I wasn't still feeling so ill and wasn't so exhausted from giving Frankie medicine periodically throughout the night, I might rate this higher. Enjoyed it, nonetheless.

Demasiado rock industrial, pesimista, sin aparente orden. Alguna cosa se escapa, pero no ha sido de mi agrado

Tried really hard to listen to the entire thing I don't think it's bad by any means. There are a lot of really impressive songs on here. But man getting through it is tough for some reason.

I greatly prefer Pretty Hate Machine. Other than the hits (Closer, Hurt) this just sounds like noise and screaming.

Man... the instrumentals are great, but it's way too long and the vocals suck. The lyrics are also painfully embarassing.

Interesting industrial music. Enjoyed it for large parts, but felt let down by the vocals and lyrics.

I'm not a fan of NIN and I honestly expected worse. I ended up liking quite a few songs, although half of the album was too angry/ragey for me. It's worth the experience.

This band had something different, not always to my taste but hats off for trying

just meh

Not really my type of music. I think if you really dig into it, it could be really good but I don't really feel like it

Great atmosphere

Hard to listen to this album when you're 52.

Pola, dobroj.

industrial, punk, grunge, laut.

There was some really cool production and some songs I would listen to again. Some of it is a bit too heavy for my taste.

Hey, kids, do you like violence?

Schwere Kost, aber man merkt, dass was dahintersteckt

I haven't heard Nine Inch Nails in a while and was struck with how 90s they sound. I didn't hate it but I feel like there's a frequency that some people really tap into with this band that just doesn't resonate with me.

You know, I do like Nine Inch Nails but listening to this album again for the first time in like 10 years, it's not 100% my music anymore. I will say though, it's too bad Closer is the most popular song on the album, there are better tracks on there!

A really cool take on like electronic music mixed with live instruments. I would say this sounds like an emo Gorillaz. I liked a lot of this record. Lots of noise and chiggy guitars tend to make for a good time.

Ugh it's nin

Annoying first song, but then the album takes off. Special mention for driving drum beats. OK album, but many songs too long for my taste.

Angry noise.BT: March of the Pigs, Closer, Hurt

3.5/5 Some pretty great songs on here but there are quite a few tracks that drag this down for me.

Awesome percussions

I was really excited to listen to this album because I’ve never been a fan of NIN even when I listened to their songs and I figured some age and wisdom would change my mind. That didn’t end up happening except for a few songs. As many may know, these boys went on to make some of the best Oscar and Golden Globe winning music but their early work I’m much less a fan of. The grungy, haunting music mixed with very cacophonous vocals made some songs difficult to listen to or even understand what was being said. With all that, I did find a few I liked: Piggy, Heresy, and Reptile. Now Heresy sounds so good at the beginning but once the vocals start I like it a little less but still good. Overall, I liked the album less than I thought but not enough to make me hate it. The album cover is pretty cool too. A kind of stain on a canvas that would cause any person to begin that downward spiral.

NIN has definitely grown on me in recent years as they have created tons of music and scores for tv/movies that i really like. I don't think I have ever sat down and listened to an album by them, but I did genuinely enjoy a few songs on here, particularly the very famous last track - Hurt.

Not bad, but a little much for a morning listen. 😄

It was strange how I was finding this most similar to house music of the same era, and that was the part I enjoyed the most. The lyrics just made me feel gross however

Man. This is a young man's album, full of piss and vinegar. Aimed at the heart of "the world" or hell, just at the music industry. There's a me who would love this album, but he's gone now, hidden in the pubescent anger of my cringeworthy middle school journal. One can only stomach so much darkness, so much glitchy ethereal electronic production. I think this ship has sailed. Like Lars Von Trier, this went over better in the 90's. Maybe that's a good thing.

Erstes gehörtes Album hier. Guter Start, hat mir gefallen. 2 Hurt Cover am Ende ziemlich nice

Not my thing, but props to Trent Reznor for sonically simulating eternal suffering in hellfire.

Didn't finish. Not really in the mood to hear something quite this...industrial. Can understand the appeal to people.

This takes me back to freshman year at UC when I first discovered NIN. Staying up late, the smell of gesso in the drawing studios, the tagged stairs and hallways in Edwards Hall, bombing down Route 32 on the weekends in my old Plymouth... Hard to separate the memories from the music.

Industriell rock, inte min genre direkt. Väldigt intressant concept dock. - en mans väg till suicid. Huvudnumret är själklart sista spåret, hurt.

Good

Industrial certainly does what it says on the tin, but I daresay the transgressiveness of this seems a little juvenile? "God is dead and no one cares," and the song is called "Heresy"? Kind of paint by numbers.

Enjoyed Johnny Cash's version of Hurt better than the original here.

I've actually never listened to a full NIN album. Sonically I love everything that they are doing, synths, noise, distortion, it all sounds really good. Except, and this is a common sticking point for me, I do not like the vocals at all. If it was purely instrumental it would be a 4 for me. But, man the vocals feel like it's trying to be edgy but it's too "clean" sounding as well? I think some of the themes are kind of dumb like "Closer". Some of the quieter songs were nice, except again for the vocals. Really conflicted, but it's prob about a 3.5 but rounded down cause I don't really wanna listen to it on the regular.

Amazing experience. It feels that you are on mars or a very obscure quake mode.

Some of the songs were really good (Closer is great) but some of the songs I had to skip because they started to give me a headache.

Nine Inch Nails is admittedly a blind spot personally; always seemed a little weird to me, but this record is better than I expected (although I like the first one he did much better for my own tastes).

Angry and disturbing. I guess that's the point but not something I'd listen to regularly.

Hyvä ja tasapainoinen levy. Diggaan bändin tunnelmasta, mutta jotenkin neljä tähteä on liikaa ja kolme liian vähän. Vaikea arvostella ja pitäisi ehkä kuunnella vielä kerran uudelleen.

Paikoin liian sekavaa mulle ollakseen huipputasoa, mut rytmittelin mukana

Well I didn't know what to expect from this but it certainly wasn't this. Unlike anything that I'd ever heard before...or will again I hope! A couple of tracks were just about OK - the final track "Hurt" and the one without any screechy vocals at all - "A Warm Place". Other than those this was mainly just disturbing and horrible - which is perhaps the point of it. I can only assume the Nine Inch Nails were totally hammered when they came up with this concept.

2.7

5/10 - Too hardcore for me but some songs still have rhythm

This album angsty as hell bro. Made me anxious just sitting at my desk at work. Hurt was aight, J Cash did it better tho.

never listened to nin before but have enjoyed reznor's soundtrack work (justice for challengers receiving no awards love....) did not enjoy this

Sonically interesting but lyrically despicable, would never listen to this again Playlist add: "Reptile"

Couple good songs but again hard rock is not my thing

Never been a fan of NIN. Edgy music for depressed teens. All sounds the same, a dark sludgy dirge

Given how well regarded this album is, and in particular the original version of 'Hurt', I was quite excited to listen to this. Sadly I must've been listening to something completely different to everyone else, as not only was I quite underwhelmed by the whole thing but the original version of 'Hurt' is nowhere near as good as Johnny Cash's.

I couldn’t finish it, it was hard to listen to i will give it a try after some time tho

Just feels like a bunch of noise ruining what could be good tracks. Hurt is a great song though

Driving to work at 5.am I put this on. This is how it went: what the fuck is this racket…….not too bad really……….. I think I would have loved this back in the day……… is this still on………..fucks sake, is it not finished yet ……. What a load of self indulgent bullshit……. Thank fuck that’s over. One or two half decent tracks save it from a one star

Horrible! To hard and loud. Not my style

1.8 Meh

i don't think you could pay me to care abt nine inch nails, and i think thats really sad

Not my style of music

Not really my style. Will have to revisit a few times. Respect the artistry and expression of self. Unique sounds but cringey lyrics.

Hated the first track, liked the second bit then struggled to get though the rest. Not for me.

The lyrics detach me from any positive experience I might have. The concept is supposed to be a descent into madness, and it's supposed to deal with complicated, deep, and dark themes, but all the lyrics are superficial and very underdeveloped, almost childish, which makes it feel ridiculous considering the topics it wants to address. All the feelings of anguish and despair feel forced and performative; when they talk about sex, it makes me want to never fuck again. The music also doesn't help to generate the sense of descent that it's theoretically intended to create; the production choices are quite conservative for the industrial genre, the instrumentals are good but I don't feel that it works organically.

Interesting sounds and production but it’s just not my style.

Not up my alley ngl😭💔

Not as great as i thought it would be. Hurt sticks out like crazy. Why does he wanna fuck everything and everyone

As a concept album, this captures its subject, the downward spiral, decently well. Its rhythms, frills, vocal delivery, lyrics, and so on all deliver on the theme. The beats are nerve wracking, the ornamentations are jarring, the lyrics are blunt and ugly. Irreverence and self-loathing are sown into the songs' DNA. On that front, it is a 3/5. As *just music,* all of the above qualities are still there. And it makes it a rough listen, not a pleasant one. The lyrics are so unbearably cringey, the delivery just ... painful at times (the stupid little flourishes where Reznor sings "Now doesn't it make you feel better~" in "March of the Pigs" will probably haunt me for the next few weeks). The industrial electronic fills are teeth grinding fuel. The length of some of these songs are so goddamn self-indulgent; "Closer" does NOT have to be six minutes long. Now that I think about it, even most of the shorter songs could've benefited from a major haircut, if not outright decapitation. It all makes for a laborious listen if you're not in the mood for it (which is probably only the case if you hit a major depressive streak as a teenager and/or are a vampire at a nightclub in the Blade universe). What is quite bothersome to me is how often moments of brilliance shine through but are muddled in the muck and mire Reznor purposely made here. Some of the guitar work is ridiculously good. The piano in "I Do Not Want This" is beautiful and layered in so well. There are cinematic buildups in so many of these songs that never meet their full potential, and that really bites. An artsy person will probably counter that with, "well, that's the point, failed self-realization is sorta the theme of the album," but man, that shouldn't result in the music itself being majorly dragged down by the message. It is worth noting how many depressed and downard-spiral prone artists managed to make really beautiful, uplifting music (see Nick Drake or Elliott Smith who experienced more than their fair share of troubles and pain but managed to channel it into something wonderful) — the music here tried to make you think a depressed soul is only capable of making discordant, ugly, and antisocial art, and that couldn't be further from the truth. All in all, I really can't vouch for this album. I respect the attempt, I respect the sheer musical chops of Reznor and co., but I do not like the music or its message (meta or internal). Call it a 2/5 for the attempt and talent that underpin it all.

Felt unaccessible at the start, but less so on some later tracks. Sounded quite Australian to me.

No from me dawg

To loud and messy

Having never knowingly listened to NIN, I came in with fairly high expectations (Trent Reznor is a genius, didn't you know?) Well, I'm leaving disappointed. I knew the milieu this would come from, so I would have hoped to hear something sophisticated, dynamic, intellectual. Instead, we hear one-dimensional songs where, in most of the arrangements, the synth bed tracks feel overly repetitive, abrasive, and poorly mixed enough that we lose the balance of the instrumentation, and the chorus gets little more than an overdrive distortion effect to telegraph "hey, this is a different section!" At least I got to hear Trent tell me he wants to fuck me like an animal for like 5 minutes though, that redeemed this digressive dud. /s

Best thing about this album is that Johnny Cash did a cover of Hurt. There are bits I almost like but a lot that I don't like at all. 2 stars or D+.

This may be one of the most incomprehensible albums I've ever heard, and I mean that in the most neutral way possible. It oscillated between pretty cool and confusing and then just sort of ended (I am familiar with the OG Hurt and don't really care for it. A wise buff once said that there's no such thing as a 0 bag rating, so I will give this the most neutral rating I can (2.5)

I missed my Trent Reznor/NIN phase and never got into the group, so I was excited to hear this one. I would have liked this a bit more if it didn't continue on and on. I think it made its point pretty early on and the later songs don't add much. I'm also a bit turned off by "Big Man with a Gun," not because of the lyrics but because Reznor thought he was making a witty commentary on gangsta rap. It felt to me like his comments made it clear he doesn't (or didn't) understand the nuances of that subgenre very well. But to call it "cartoonish" and not have the self-awareness of the kind of music he makes is pretty wild.

Daft Punk’s evil, older brother ain’t for me. Went back and forth between “jesus, this is too much” and “oh okay, this sounds kinda cool” but definitely spent most of the time on the former. I’ll admit that I only listened through Closer (the drive back from Lexington to Versailles only got me that far and I wasn’t about to chill with this in my AirPods) so let me know if I missed anything other than Hurt.

More less

not my sauce

Yhh! Olipas tää nyt tervaa yrittää pyristellä läpi. Enkä lopulta ihan läpi päässyt vaan hyppäsin muutaman biisin yli Hurttia fiilistelemään 🫣 Se on kyl kova teos, mut tykkään enemmän Cashin coverista (jonka oon kuullu eka ja pitkään luulin alkuperäiseksi 😅). Mut siitä kuitenkin yksi piste 😌

I am 😚🐣🦋🌸👼🌱🌈❤️‍🔥 This album is ⛓️💀🪦⚰️😫🔪🚬👹⚔️🥴 Jossain toisessa mielentilassa saattais lähteä mut ei nyt Pride-pöhnässä ja kesäisessä fiiliksessä sekä helteessä. Liian likainen soundi ja synkät lyriikat. Ehkä tyyppaan uudestaan marraskuussa. Muutama vika biisi jäi kuulematta. En tiiä millasessa mielentilassa tarttis olla.

Tää on kyllä melkoista kuraa vaikka rehdin mahiksen annoinkin.

What's with the weird distortion on "Hurt" that makes it sound like my headphones are messed up? Kinda ruins the otherwise iconic song. "Closer to God" is a familiar one I haven't heard in a while. Everything else was meh. Not a huge Nine Inch Nails fan

Pretty cruel that Hurt is the last track and I was too good to skip down to it. Mostly too much for my soft ears.

Some great song but very dated angry young man syndrome. Piggy is ok and a few others Reptile etc Hurt but prefer Johnny Cashs version more point. Over all a lot of shouty shit with a few good songs. I like the way he whispers at times to offer dynamic but I had headache afterwards I guess you needed like them In the 90s to like them now.

I don't like it very much :(( I've heard closer before but i guess it's just not my cup of tea

Industrial rock doesn't do it for me. Quite difficult to listen to/enjoy and the best song on the album (Hurt) isn't anywhere near as good as the Johnny Cash version.

Mr. Self: Qobuz said this was pop?? Lmao Piggy: Very grimey and industrial which is dope Heresy: yeah previous two points are being reinforced, this is a very unique sound and it's a lot of fun! March of th pigs: fun continuation Closer: so this song sounds so awesome and I love the instrumentation of it. However, it lost me on the lyrical content, and while there IS a way to do vulgar lyrics this just isn't it for me, maybe I'm missing context from the album but it brought down the song a bit for me. Ruiner: Good middle ground to reset on The becoming: crazy bridge in the middle for the lyrical content and sound of the rest of the song, nasty back half of the song I dont want: uhh cool time signature! Big man gun: Reptile: so this is how you start a song with vulgar lyrics! Subject matter is super dope, love the implications of feeding herself as a reptile or whatever it said, I'm working as I listen and this is standing out as a favorite based on the lyrics. Hurt: Johnny Cash Would be a 2.5 but no half stars

The Downward Spiral ist das zweite Studioalbum des amerikanischen Industrial-Rock-Projekts Nine Inch Nails, das heißt: Trent Reznors Einpersonenunternehmen. Aufgenommen zwischen 1992 und 1993 im hauseigenen Studio Le Pig in Beverly Hills – dem berüchtigten Haus in Benedict Canyon, in dem einst Sharon Tate ermordet wurde –, im The Record Plant und in den A&M Studios in Los Angeles und Hollywood, erschien es am 8. März 1994 auf Nothing Records und Interscope. Das Konzeptalbum folgt einem Protagonisten auf seinem Weg in Nihilismus, Wahnsinn und Suizid, produziert von Reznor gemeinsam mit dem britischen Produzenten Flood. Die vierzehn Tracks sind keine Sammlung von Songs, sondern ein durch Leitmotive zusammengehaltener Strudel: Das chromatische Klaviermotiv kehrt immer wieder, die Phrase „nothing can stop me now" zieht sich wie ein bitterer Faden durch das Album. „March of the Pigs" eröffnet mit polymetrischer Brutalität, „Closer" destilliert Begehren und Selbstekel zu einem der prägnantesten Clubtracks der Dekade, „Piggy" bietet unerwartete Stille, und „Hurt" beschließt das Album mit einer akustischen Nacktheit, die Johnny Cash später unsterblich gemacht hat. Reznor lässt kaum Luft, aber genau da, wo er Raum lässt, trifft er am härtesten. Was The Downward Spiral von seinen industriellen Vorläufern unterscheidet, ist die kompositorische Disziplin. Das Album klingt nicht nach Chaos, das ausgelebt wird, sondern nach Chaos, das architektonisch konstruiert wurde – jedes verzerrte Sample, jedes abrupte Tempo sitzt. Der Einfluss auf die Rockmusik der Neunziger und Nullerjahre ist kaum zu überschätzen; Bands und Produzenten von Rammstein bis Rick Rubin haben sich an dieser Blaupause abgearbeitet. Dreißig Jahre nach seiner Veröffentlichung hat das Album nichts von seiner abgründigen Sogwirkung verloren.

I know people love it but this has never been for me

Nah, no me gustó jijiji

too much voor mij

Unique—and a couple of quality stand-outs—but, otherwise, just … not very good?

4/10 Started ok - better than I expected. But then the song about fornicating like an animal indicated the wheels were coming off and it was a "Downward Spiral" from there!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA. This album gave me a headache and depressed me. It was quite horrible. Hurt is barely listenable - what the hell is going on with the production? Stereo degradation. Well done

very uncomfortable

2.5

No me gusta nada el heavy metal. No puedo apreciar nada si escucho todo tan fuerte y violento.

The sound is not bad, but the mood is just too dark and depressing. Clearly they had some issues going on.

It just didn’t sound right

Not for me. Reznor’s voice is annoying, the sounds are too over the top. There’s no space to breathe on this album.

This hurts my ears maybe heavy metal/punk rock/whatever genre this is isn't for me. Then again the target demographic is like mid 40s white guys and lesbian teenagers so... Solid 2 not for me

WHAM CLANK BANG I just made a NIN song

İ dont like it

3 edgy 4 u

An interesting enough listen but there’s nothing going on here that makes me want to listen again. In fact, it all feels weirdly oppressive and I was relieved when it finished. It sort of sounds like a migraine. Getting Johnny Cash to turn Hurt into a timeless masterpiece was a genius move.

I was quite looking forward to this. I wasn't a big fan of Nine Inch Nails at the time but was ready to give this a really good listen and perhaps be swayed. However it just seems to be a slicker verson of a load of much better "Industrial" music, see: Cop Shoot Cop, Ministry, Young Gods, Einsturzende Neubaten, taht is trying to be shocking. Disapppointed.

I dont like metal and this isn't an exception, however, I could see how someone could enjoy this

I'm not a NIN guy and this album didn't help. I can recognize the hits and appreciate their relevance but the dark industrial sound and graphic lyrics make for a not enjoyable listening experience.

Did not enjoy at all. Started louder and metal but had some quiet moments.

I only like one of his albums that I’m aware of.

It gives off an eerie vibe. Also beat is kind of sick in some songs. I'm pretty sure this is in the metal reign of music, although I do like alternative/alt music, metal isn't really my favorite. So overall a good album, I'll give it a 2/5

2edgy5me

I so want to love this but it’s not my bag…. Jonny Cash made the song Hirt what it had the potential to be….

I couldn't really follow most of the songs, maybe that was the point?

I think there were a couple tracks that were decent, it's just really not a style of music I enjoy. I can't tap into that angsty, aggressive, violent, fuck the world attitude that this album requires.

I used to listen to this a bit and have a bit of a soft spot for it, I haven’t listened for a long time so good to revisit but not something I’m likely to listen to often

C'était certainement du bruit.

While it's certainly dark and deprived, I can't help but feel that The Downward Spiral isn't as intense as its reputation suggests. It's full of grinding, industrial sounds, but there's also a lot of empty space and slower moments. The lyrics on tracks like "Heresy" and "Closer" really aren't that much more shocking than what the industrial underground had been doing for the last decade. Even adjusting for expectations, there aren't many riffs that I find compelling or sounds that I find exciting. The industrial tones almost sound flat compared to what Steve Albini cooked up in his various bands. The one track that I think works is "Hurt," as it's nicely layered and the creeping pace lets the lyrics sink into you; it also has some of the album's best vocals. The rest is a barrage of noise that rarely forms an interesting song.

what the hell is this stereo mixing

Lo escuché mientras caminaba y ahora mientras me levanto

Didn’t hate it, also didn’t like it

Didn’t feel cohesive.

I don't know how to feel about this album. I usually love chaotic and noisy albums, but this one didn't do it for me.

Best Song: ?

Muy heavy metal para mi en muchas partes, pero el contraste de melodias a lo largo del album es super bacán. Hay momentos en los que el piano se apodera de la canción antes de que empiece de nuevo la música mucho más abrasante y las partes mas locas de la canción. Todo el album tiene una atmósfera demasiado chilling, al escucharla con audífonos es como estar dentro de la cabeza de alguien, como narra la historia del espiral. Literalmente te está susurrando siempre una vocecita al fondo. No es mi choice of music del día a día, pero muy interesante. Me gustaría escuchar mas al cantante cantar algunas canciones tranquilas, tiene una linda voz cuando no se trata de metal.

Not my personal type, but i can see why people would like it

4/10 An album that's less about enjoyment and more about endurance. The production is deliberately abrasive, the subject matter relentlessly bleak, and the experience genuinely stressful. It almost invokes sympathy for its subject as they spiral lower and lower. Moments of relief are scattered sparingly: A Warm Place offers a brief ambient reprieve, Ruiner has the most adventurous production, and The Becoming's strummed guitar arrival is indescribably relieving after the chaos. The Queen-esque segues in March Of The Pigs are oddly comforting before the noise crashes back in. Then there's Hurt, the perfect resolution, unsettling and lyrically brilliant in a completely different way to Cash's cover. An adventure. Not sure it was a good one. Knowing the history of the studio it was recorded in adds weight that the album frankly didn't need. Best track: Hurt Will I revisit?: No

I can see why Christians thought rock was evil

I'm 13 and this is deep.

Trop métal pour moi

meh… I guess its really diferent and all but i only liked a couple of songs…

A little too hard for my liking. Didn’t make it past the first song.

I've never understood the love for NIN...

I wasn’t a fan of this album I felt it was rather like a Jekyll and Hyde album some songs I didn’t like and felt the album changes a lot but redeems itself a little with hurt