The Downward Spiral

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

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

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

Nope - don't like the sonics and don't like the lyrics.

Har aldrig lige været min kop the desværre. Men en fair chance skal de da have. Synes ofte der er trættende meget støj på deres tracks. Dette kan være fedt, hvis det er gjort ordentligt, men synes tit det bare bliver irriterende hos NIN - især når det mixes med deres ofte lidende vokal. På mange måder et ubehageligt album med meget mareridt lyd. "Hurt" er et masterpiece og trækker derfor albummet op på 2 stjerner, men kønt har det ikke været at komme igennem. Det var lidt som at blive tatoveret på 12 ud af 14 sange på albummet.

Jeg kan godt se ideen, men jeg bliver nok aldrig den helt store Nine Inch Nails fan. Der er lidt for dårlig stemning til min smag

Jeg fik tinnitus efter første sang 👍 La Pasión: Bueno, det må man give dem. Men udviklingen i mit psykiske velvære samt lydniveauet i mit headset afspejler navnet på albummet utroligt præcist under seancen. Det er en utrolig kompetence at lave noget der er så fedt og så forfærdeligt på samme tid, kudos.

Didn't land for me. Lyrics were tiresome.

cant tolerate this type of music

Not for me

not my mambo

Definitely not my kind of music. There were a few songs I could tolerate but overall I am not a fan.

It was okay…

The background music was maybe a bit too much at times, and also there was too much silence at other times. Overall, not necessarily a great album, but it was okay leaving it in the background. I found it to be a bit too meh and intense.

Lite väl skrikig kanske

Seems like an important album but NIN have never really chimed with me. I didn't get on board with the abrasive industrial noise, sonically I found it a bit unpleasant. Also the lyrics are depressing. More than anything, there wasn't a single point where I thought "yeah I'm quite enjoying this right now".

My giving this album 2 stars is not meant to indicate a reasonable level of enjoyment for the album, as I wouldn’t listen to it again, or that I enjoyed it as much as other 2 star albums. However, many albums I give 2 stars to are mediocre, forgettable, and feel like a drag, and to describe this album like that would seem unfair. I skipped through several songs on the album as I wasn’t enjoying listening to them. But many I didn’t. Hurt is a genuinely great song and an unbelievable piece of songwriting, I also really enjoyed A Warm Place. To give this album 1 star like other metal albums I don’t have much time for would be reductive and unfair as it shows far more variety and generally talent than these albums. I wouldn’t listen to it again, but I can respect that as far as 90s hard metal goes, this is about as good as it gets.

Un poco shitero

2 1/2

I didn’t listen to the whole thing. While I appreciate this as a countercultural and conceptual work, it’s just not for me.

My generation apparently but I wasn't into it then, nor now. A couple of bangers I recognize, Hurt done way better by the Man in Black.

This is the first album in this list that I’ve thought, “Oh! No thank you.” I remember when it came out. I remember the singles. My brother is a fan. But there was no good time in my day to shift over to this album and, frankly, I didn’t want to. So it gets a lower rating reflecting: good for you, not for me. Onwards!

-nicht meins

Look, I appreciate the talent and how much of a trailblazer Trent Reznor is. I get that he tapped into some primal emotions of his own, and of his audience. But even as someone who was a teenage boy in the 90s, this is just noise that I do not want to choose to listen to.

Wasn't terrible. Not my type of music whatsoever so probably wouldn't listen again. Relies on quite a few shock lyrics that are a bit cringey and that's coming from a rap fan...

Not really my cup of tea. Music for angry teenagers? But I wasn't a particularly angry teenager. And I wasn't a teenager for long. I'll give him a 2nd star for . . . commitment to his aesthetic? And maybe helping angry (or alienated or disillusioned) teenagers. I guess this (album a day) practice upon which we're embarked is maybe good for . . . exercising our music-listening muscles? Although I think (if I do say so myself) that the 3 of us were already doing pretty well in that regard, and have earned our right to have opinions and preferences. ;) So, yeah, 2 stars . . . and I won't be coming back. But, worth checking out: right near the end of his life, Johnny Cash did a cover of the last song on the album, "Hurt," which is worth listening to.

Not my type

I really wanted to enjoy this, and for sure there are songs that I recognized and enjoyed in a nostalgic fashion… But mostly this was mere noise and a slog to get through.

Yleisesti kamalaa melusaastetta, liikaa säröä. Hyviäkin hetkiä oli kun ääni tuli puhtaasti. Ei kuitenkaan jatkoon.

i've never been a big nine inch nails fan. really not the kind of thing i usually listen to. this is abrasive, discordant at time, and not always easy to listen to. but clearly, based on how universally it is praised, there is something special here. the writing is pretty fantastic and i appreciate the experimentation. "closer" and "piggy" are probably my favorites. the drum pattern on "ruiner" is pretty neat. of course i love the closer "hurt," although i must reluctantly admit that i prefer the johnny cash version. sue me. not sure i'll come back to this one very much, but it was a fun listening adventure. also, shout out to the album cover. that shit is cool.

No thanks

Had low expectations going in and sad to say they were met. I generally like dirty/ industrial/noise - but it needs to be paired with a good tune/ some joy / great vocals. Unfortunately Trent's lyrics are pretty dumb (but not in fun way) and too low in the mix. Don't care for the drum machine and more more noise noise sonic overload. JC's version of Hurt far superior - although that song does show that Trent can write decent lyrics.

I appreciate it's place on the list, but not my cup of tea. Best song on the album is done better by Johnny Cash.

Too noisy for me. :/

ммм так себе. Интересная идея, но на середине уже слишком заебывает, запоминающегося ничего нет помимо одного трека из тик тока. СКУЧНО 5/10 за интересные идеи. НЕДОСЛУШАНО

Contains quite a lot of bits and ideas that I really enjoy, along with with some fairly adolescent gesturing, all smooshed together to make something quite annoying.

The only reason this isn’t getting a 1 is because Hurt is a good song and I guess because I get the vision here? I guess that’s two reasons, but the majority of this is unlistenable to me. Just go to therapy

Obviously Trent Reznor is crazy talented, but I don’t enjoy this music. I find it really stressful to listen to. I also find the difference between the loud and quiet parts to be too big- if I had the volume at a good level for the loud parts, I couldn’t hear the quiet parts- it’s set up to make sure you blast it basically… maybe I’m just too old for this.

Brings me back. I have heard this album before, not my cup of tea for the most part with a few bright spots here and there. But I can appreciate the passion.

I have never listened to an entire NIN album. I probably will never listen to an entire NIN album again. I have to be in a certain mood to even enjoy Closer. This is harsh and angry music. The kind of music couples listen to when a safe word is required.

First time listening to NIN and a bit disappointed Stand out: Heresy and closer

No. 362/1001 Mr. Self Destruct 2/5 Piggy 3/5 Heresy 3/5 March Of The Pigs 2/5 Closer 2/5 (2x) Ruiner 2/5 The Becoming 2/5 I Do Not Want This 2/5 Big Man With A Gun 2/5 A Warm Place 3/5 Eraser 2/5 Reptile (2x) 2/5 The Downward Spiral 2/5 Hurt (2x) 4/5 Average: 2,41 Didn’t really enjoy that. For me this is more noise than it is music. The Hurt cover was pretty awesome though.

Too wild

I have a lot of thoughts about this album, and I also did a deep before and during listening to this record. I was reticent to listen to this album due the dark subject matter. How do I rate an album like this? First off, I think that the concept is very interesting. The album was intentionally designed and sequenced in a quasi linear story (this is up for debate online it seems). It is evident that this is well written and is meant to be listened as a cohesive body of work - I like that! Secondly, I didn't mind the sound that Trent Reznor created. It is abrasive, hard to listen to, and wholly unpredictable. I don't think that I have listened to anything quite like it before. Not an easy listen, but definitely a unique listen. For the interesting and potentially 'redeeming' qualities this record possesses, I need to talk about my issues with the lyrics. It is possible to write a dark, brooding, and complex album without using misogynistic language. 'But it tells us how the narrator feels' is a weak excuse - the lyrics are bad in a lot of places. "Closer" is an easy candidate that does not need explanation, and "Reptile" is awful as well. And "Big Man With A Gun", could Reznor have tried any harder to make it sound like he was talking about his penis? I digress, I have given this album enough of my time as it is. My standout track is "Hurt". Final rating, 2/5 stars.

i had hopes for this cause closer is such a banger but it's lowkenuinely ahh

it’s alright just not super for me with the electronic element

Not a album I would listen to again

Not really a rock fan tbh

i realize i think i only liked closer

Musically, Hieronymus Bosch as postindustrial atheist; lyrically, Transformers as kiddie porn -Robert Christgau

Noise. But hurt is a banger.

Innovative noise

I like Closer, but NOT MY VIBE AT ALL

Not my cup of tea but.. I was productive while listening to it.. maybe people are on to something… but probably not.

The first sound of the album is either a boxer hitting a bag, gunshots, or some sort of workers marching? Pretty intense. I never got into NIN, and whats weird is I always thought of them as a sort of anachronistic, forgotten 90s rage band for Woodstock 99 attendees, only to discover in the late 2000s that Trent Reznor is celebrated in music circles as some sort of canonical genius like Kurt Cobain. His talent and vision are undeniable, it has cool moments, but overall as a listening experience, its pretty abrasive and unenjoyable....not a lot of melody, more like a moody sound collage, which is not my thing....and I think the mix is kind of odd. Vocals are too soft, and as much as I appreciate dynamic range in music, the loud parts feel TOO loud and the quiet parts feel TOO quiet. Also to be honest I find Trent Reznor a pretty grating singer, not very charismatic or dynamic; I dont mind the yelling but he kind of has like a karaoke voice or something, and a better singer (like his big influence and collaborator David Bowie) might be able to elevate such aggressive music to a more interesting place. Also, while I'm out here hatin', I'm just gonna say it: "Hurt" is an overrated song. To the contrary, "Piggy" is a cool song with a cool splashy snare sound. I'm going 2.5 rounded down because it mostly held my attention and has some cool moments, but I cant exactly picture throwing it on in the car.

Not my cup of tea.

Kjent band som jeg sjekker ut for første gang. Industrielle og elektroniske elementer møtes i en kraftpakke av et rock/metal. Et konseptalbum om en mann som virkelig sliter mentalt, og til slutt møter sin skaper. Jeg liker nok konseptet (med tekstene som står til) bedre enn lydene som strømmer inn i øregangene mine. Lite som fester seg til hippocampusen av auditive inntrykk. Følelsene er derimot til å ta og føle på. Trenger flere lytt for å forme et fullverdig inntrykk, men akkurat nå holder det dessverre ikke til mer enn to stjerner. Top 3: Heresy, Closer, March Of The Pigs

Nine Inch Nails have never really done anything for me. 1 star seems harsh as Closer is decent and Hurt is really good but other than that, pretty poor.

Just no

Niet mijn ding, kan me voorstellen dat dit heel veel influenceert, maar zou dan liever naar Tool of andere rock luisteren

A bit to experimental for me except for those 2 songs Song I like: Piggy, Hurt

Who cares?

This one did not pass the three songs smell test. Annoying production, screamy vocals.

I can appreciate the production but I might have enjoyed this more as a teenager. Other than Hurt, the only tracks I enjoyed were the mellow ones like A Warm Place.

pas ma tasse de thé 😬😬

Highlight so far is “Heresy”, sound wise at the beginning at least, I don’t necessarily like the lyrics as much “March of the Pigs” has a nice intro, but I don’t like the screaming that comes next “closer” has my favorite singing so far “Reptile” is both good singing wise and music wise

Loved a couple of the songs, really disliked the others. Too abrasive for my tastes.

favorites: track five: closer

I understand that Trent Reznor is a musical genius but I just cannot get into NIN. This album especially is just too abrasive and experimental. I know it’s the theme and the point of the album but I still don't get why you would want to intentionally make something sound so grating to the ears. Some songs are good but there is too much shit. Whatever 'industrial music' is I do not like it. I have heard that it takes a few listens to really get into but I dont want to put myself through that, maybe some songs could be for the gym. Fav songs: Hurt and Mr. Self Destruct I agree but to a lesser extent. I don’t think it was grating, it just wasn’t for me. I can see why people do like this band tho! I liked Hurt and Big Man With A Gun

very powerful and strong, but the songs give me anxiety

Utter ear noise, not my cup of tea. I understand there's a listener for this type of music but it isn't me.

:/ helt ok

didn't love

I was not angry enough to listen to this today

My personal preference is not for albums that are this loud and edgy. :(

I think Trent Reznor is a fascinating person. His film scores are incredible. I just...can't do NIN

:/

Wasn't for me. Too dissonant

not my thing

Different and loud but most songs werent for me but i do appreciate the uniqueness

Not for me

A few tracks (The Becoming, Hurt, Reptile) pulled this from a 1 to a 2 for me, but overall it's just a little too noisy. The first track made me think my headphones might be on the fritz, but the rest of the album got a little more cohesive.

It was different but i didnt find the instrumentals to be that unique or nice and the vocals werent crazy or even appeared often. 1.8/5

Sent me in a downward spiral

not my style

There’s moments where I almost connected with this album.

This album made me feel on edge and dark…not my cup of tea, but grateful for this app making me listen to albums id never choose myself. I do see what they’re trying to do and they definitely create the emotions they’re intending for the listener to feel

meh

not my jam

i don't rememebr, so giving 2

I didn’t love the album but I really love the song Hurt.

I never understood why people like NIN, and I still don’t get it

Not my kind of music

Not angry enough for this album while sitting in the lobby at Jiffy Lube. Closer and Reptile were good.

I had listened to Hurt before. The rest I did not enjoy very much. Did not listen a second time.

Sånn ræva gothisk sex elektronika rock, som typ Marilyn Manson, digger null

This music is made up of a bunch of components that I’d theoretically like…but somehow I can’t get along with Nine Inch Nails.

I respect the fact they have their own sound throughout this album, I just don’t like the fact it only works for 2 songs max

Not for me

I somehow missed this band growing up. Later on I have listened to a few songs but none from this album. Its very interesting music with layering and lyrics that certainly fit the bands style through and through. Most of the songs have to much noise for me to really get in to them though, what ever it is they are doing with the guitars in those parts of the songs it would make me click next as soon as could If I heard it in another context.

I recognize it's super influential and famous, but it's not so much my vibe.

This is like a kid on his first day of secondary school. He’s walking around at lunchtime, trying to figure out which group of friends suits him best. He sees a group of boys sitting on the edge of the field, sneakily smoking cigarettes while scribbling in notebooks. “Might give those guys a miss”, he thinks to himself.

A little heavy metal for me, fav song on the album is probably a lot of people’s fav; Hurt. Don’t know if I’d listen to this through again.

I didn’t like it. Too much dissonance and too long.

A little too intense for me.

Not a nine inch nails fan. Didn’t click with me.

There were some songs i could get down with but a lot just felt too edgy for me to enjoy

It felt so close to being good, but ultimately I was effectively just sitting inside of a washing machine for most of the album.

Not for me. I find it plodding and boring.

My teenage years!

heard the tiniest bit of screaming and knew it wasnt for me

There isn’t much that appeals to me here. Trent Reznor is a smart and creative guy, but I don’t want to spend time in his world.

I actually really enjoyed parts of this. But I still think I can only give it the two. Had it been later in the day, I may have been able to give it a three 😂

maybe revisit later but probably not 2

I see the vision but it's really not for me. I understand that it's not supposed to be a 'pleasant' listen, and as a concept album about the life of a tortured man it's excellently executed.... but to me the music itself was thoroughly unenjoyable the whole way through. Standouts: March of the Pigs • A Warm Place • Eraser

I liked the slow songs. In a different world I could see liking this bad if it wall like that. The lyrics were so self-pitying

Very disturbed songwriter.

ah mano foge completamente do que eu gosto, mas entendo quem goste tb esse gênero todo representou uma geração de gente bem chata xd

A bit much

Both better and worse than I expected

The lyrics are too corny when I hear them now.

Never been a NiN fan, and listening to it was like listening to a horror movie soundtrack. Some bits in here were entertaining, so I'll go with a 2 star.

Not my thing

I love Closer but this was hard for me

Not a great band, unusual concept of only having 1 permanent member and touring with special guests.

Musical terrorism

je pense très honnêtement que c'est le premier album de la liste pour lequel je ne sais pas vraiment trop quoi penser. d'un côté les paroles ont très très mal vieillies (Big man with a gun? Reptile?), d'un autre côté le projet est intéressant (même si certains sons ont été conçus et produits dans la maison où Sharon Tate a été tuée, un peu sombre comme ambiance). closer faisait déjà partie (étonnamment) d'une des mes playlists btw. A Warm Place et Eraser étaient franchement de belles surprises (i.e. pauses) dans l'album, mais hors contexte il faut admettre que j'ai eu du mal à accrocher au projet. 2.1 pour cette première écoute entière de l'album malheureusement.

Well-produced and original. But I'm just much more into music for sad young boys rather than angry young boys.

Little too loud for me - lot of growling and screaming vocals… deep fast bass… very angry

Was excited for this one and it was just too much/heavy for me. Hurt is a great song but it’s all about the Johnny cash version

It was okay but the sound is a bit too abbraisive. Some lyrics are a tad cringe

I’m sure this was really cool and edgy when it came out, but its boring now. Closer and Hurt are good, but I already knew that.

I enjoy a wall of sound. Perhaps sounds a bit like a movie soundtrack - or maybe the other way around.

A mixed bag. Why is the music so much louder than the lyrics 80% of the time? Some of the tracks are before their time with the electronic beats. I like those. Some of them are 90s whiney. I do not like those. I like the music, the lyrics are full of sexual violence. Johnny Cash does a better Hurt.

Can see why he moved into soundtracks.

Nope

Didn’t age well.

My brain registered this mostly as noise, and I just wasn’t angry enough to push through it. It’s an intense listen...

Too angry for me to enjoy it.

This is a compassionate 2/5. I get how people like it. It's an essential '90s album, and pioneered industrial rock and industrial metal as genres. It's completely valid. I just, personally, don't like it. I'm not a huge fan of albums that cause migraines. It's constantly loud, thrashing, with few moments of reprieve over the hour. The lyrics come off as hackneyed and juvenile. I recognize that this album and Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails are massive influences. I just won't listen to the album ever again. Painful, long, and eventually gets on your nerves.

Rating: 1.8 This guy never could hang he has good songs but likes to sperg all over the place and make a lot of bad ones in the middle. He’s either at 0 or 100 all the time.