The Downward Spiral

A classic album of my goth youth! Accidentally downloaded disc 2 of the remaster and ended up listening to all of the remix as well having my daily bicycle commute, but then I listened to the entire the album on a moderate volume during the evening and it was great.

Man, the synths and bass riffs on this album are DIRTY. Like, they're sick as well, and were this album completely instrumental, I could see myself liking this a whole lot more, as it has so many cool sounds, especially for 1994. However, my issues with this album lie in the angst of it all. If you like that sort of thing, that's awesome, I can dig some anger every now and then, but at over an hour long, this album tends to go from cheesy lyrics to just being a bit dull by the end, and while Trent Reznor is certainly the mastermind behind this album, instrumentals and all, I still think his singing is more cringeworthy than piercing, and it leads to a lot of awkward moments, I feel. However, when this album sucks you in, dear lord is it surprisingly funky, and that mood, which is more prevelant in the first half, really skyrockets the album for me from the depths of "ew" to a more understandable "oh, okay!" I can totally see why one would consider this one of the best albums of all time, just a little too much 90s-ness for me.

Þetta er svo drullugóð plata, frábært flæði í henni.

Possibly THE artistic masterpiece of the 1990s. For the truly hardcore fans it is referred to by its alternative title Halo 8. Easily one of three of the greatest albums of music that was released in the entire decade, the other two also being Nine Inch Nails (Broken 1992, and The Fragile 1999). This is the album that delineated what music was before and what could artistically be realized afterward. When I picked up this album I had limited experience with Nine Inch Nails previous songs. I didn't know what to expect and it was a musically religious experience. From the Russel Mills painting as the cover and the attention given to every little bit of every track on the album. It was the first time I really grasped how powerful a concept album could be. I was aware of Pink Floyd's The Wall, but it did not land with the impact and force that this record did. A production and engineering master class. The remix album Further Down the Spiral (version 1 and version 2 (for the amazing Ruiner and Heresy remixes by Charlie Clouser) might be the single greatest remix album ever.

Would give 3.5 if I could, a decent LP

Listened 3/4/24. Good headphone listen.

Ah yes, the album that features "Hurt," which was more famously covered by Johnny Cash. Other than the aforementioned song, the album has little to offer — it's dark, angry and harsh but the songs themselves are superficial.

got some real bangers in it, and love the aesthetic of the whole thing. sounds like music made by factory mechanisms. but sometimes it was a little too stylistic, it could fade into thumps and clangs too often

This album was edginess incarnate. While it brought some interesting ideas to the table, I don't think any of them were executed well at all. So many decisions come across as intentionally circumventing what's expected of music, forgetting that, in the end, this is still supposed to be music.

It’s fine. Not really my genre.

All the edgy kids in the 90's loved this. I hate those "this is just noise" comments but...this is just noise. Really sounds like it's trying too hard, moving into Sharon Tate's house to record, wtaf?

one of the true rebellious bands from high school days. Trent is a genius. Don't really have them in my rotation anymore.

Oh boy, an album by the esteemed artist who scored "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem"! Look, I suppose if you can't make music that sounds good for normal people to enjoy then you can make loud, discordant noise for stupid, angry people to enjoy, and can make a lot of money that way because there are plenty of stupid angry people in the world who can often manage to scrounge together $15. But this is stupid noise and it sucks.

"The Downward Spiral," I remember that, should be easy to get into again, I thought. Turns out the opening of this album is rather difficult and not very good. "Mr. Self Destruct," whether by design or accident is just awful to listen too. It starts off with an upsetting sample (apparently from George Lucas first film THX 1138) before becoming a noisy mess, and not the good industrial music kind, the hurts my ears kind. The lyrics don't redeem it, and it goes on far too long. I hate it. "Piggy" is much better from a noise and composition standpoint, but the audio mixing is so unbalanced it's distracting and hard to get past. As a song it's fine, but intentional or not, I don't remember it sounding this shitty. Thankfully, the difference between the second and third tracks follows a similar curve on the upswing from the first to second and settles into a coherent, though not necessarily easy, listening experience. The standout songs are "Heresy," "March of the Pigs," "Closer," "A Warm Place," and "Hurt." "Eraser" goes on entirely too long, and "Reptile" is all buildup for no payoff. The track "The Downward Spiral" is interesting, recontextualizing the ending motif from "Closer," but the electric "swarming" sound present throughout most of it is unpleasant. Then at the end there's the screaming and edgy spoken word about...let's just say trigger warning; overall I'd rather not listen to this track. This is a flawed album with a pretty enormous delta between its best and worst pieces and some tracks that make it a difficult listen at times, but it's hard to ignore the genius of the work as a whole. For this and the handful of really great songs rounding up to 4 stars.

It was good

Downward spiral is correct.

Nice sound. Didn’t understand a whole lot, but it was good background music

It took me a couple of tracks to get into this, but when I did I found it quite interesting and will definitely want to listen to it again. A second listen went even better, but it seems like there's depth here left to uncover. Amazingly, the only song I had heard before from the whole album was Hurt, and only because Johnny Cash covered it.

Mr. Self Destruct, Heresy, March of the Pigs, and Closer. Really enjoy listening to those songs as loud as possible. The rest of the album was meh.

The first time I heard “Closer” was at Chu’s night club in Bloomington in 1995. It felt instantly iconic. Plus, everyone on the dance floor lost their damn minds when it came on. It still sounds like nothing else from that time. I have also always LOVED the chaotic rage of “March of the Pigs”. It put to music what my brain felt at times. This album is one of the best of the 90’s because it stood alone in its own weirdo corner raging and plotting revenge against the grunge jocks who overpowered the rest of the classroom. It truly embodies the spirit of 90’s music and culture.

To borrow a phrase from my dad and uncle, “That’ll put hair on your chest.” One of those albums that’ll really wake you up in the morning and then send you into a dark and confusing place. I really like NIN, but the older I get, the harder time I have enjoying this kind of dark energy in the music I listen to.

10/10

Brilliant LP.

https://youtu.be/vwKSN8pSq8g?si=Q5k2hvgcFxLrG1MM

Awesome taking a deeper dive into a band that I thought I knew. They are masters of their unique sound and style. No better band for high intensity workouts. This music has a time and place.....my office desk is not one of them.

I understand its groundbreaking nature and importance to the decade, but it’s not for me

1 song saved

Excellent all the way through.

Yuck, no music, just noise

It's so much fun, and I realize that I only really listened to Nine Inch Nails in the Kazaa era where I basically grew to know their singles rather than albums. So I thought I knew this but I really didn't. Do they paint themselves into a corner early on and maybe don't have anywhere to go after side A? I'm tempted to think that. It is so often an issue with bands that are mainly interested in creating a totally new sound at the outset. More about textures than about narrative. And here the only place to go is quieter and more reflective. I'll have to spend some more time with it to get into the words, which remind me of being a teenager.

# 174 : Can't Listen, will not go back to this. Not my kind of sound. Too angry and noisy.

The Downward Spiral is possibly the most unlikely commercial success of 1994. It's not metal or dance or industrial. This album was my whole personality in ninth grade. The lyrics might tend toward "edgelord" but as a kid in his early teens they really spoke to me. Thirty years later I still appreciate the themes though the words are maybe too obvious. As with all of the NIN albums the production and songcraft is top notch. As with many other albums from this era (the mass adoption of the compact disc) the length is too long. Trimming some of the tracks from the tail end would make this absolutely killer.

I would give it a zero if I could.

Love

This is like the third or forth time I've tried to listen to this album. I really wanted to like it but I just don't. Reminds me of some edgy kid that just says the weirdest shit to get a reaction and thinks that makes him cool. Obviously Trent is a talented musician and lyricists sometimes but it just doesn't do it for me.

Not my thing. Hard to discern anything approaching music in this.

Gave this a listen, a good friend I lost loved them. More light and shade than I expected, not for me though.

The Downward Spiral may not be my most favourite NIN album (I do prefer The Fragile more) but! Trent Reznor, you depressed little man, you are—without any exaggeration—my Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. And God, every time I listen to NIN I think there's something wrong with my earphones, amen!

NIN just has never been my thing. Some interesting industrial sounds but everything is too drawn out and overly dramatic for my taste. Too much screaming. The sexual lyrics are just flat-out cringey and did not age well. The only song that seems introspective as opposed to masturbatory is Hurt.

Punchy. Fuzzy. Thiccc. Fat synths. Distortion. Seductively understated vocals. Sometimes screaming vocals. Classic! "Closer" always made me feel mad uncomfortable and it's wild that this song is so popular. Resnor might overuse that major third in his melody's. That kind of melody is pretty common for this era though. Maybe that's why it's somewhat boring to my ear. The instrument industrial sounds and beats really do make NIN stand out from the crowd though. A lot of these songs feel like the first club scene in the Matrix. I think I'm realizing I like the NIN band but not so much Trent Resnor's vocals. I would rate higher if there was a different vocal style. Faves: Heresy -love the lyrics on this one A Warm Place -a peaceful moment among the chaos Eraser -another (mostly) instrumental one.

A perfect fucking album.

No es mi estillo

Not for every das, but nice. Good for Sports and bars

An awesome album I haven't given enough time to. Gush incoming. But doesn't it make you feel better? I have listened fairly extensively to the albums either side of it, plus a lot of his later excellent soundtracky work (Pre-saged beautifully here much earlier with the extremely Eno (again, huge tick) 'A Warm Place'), but strangely not this, their hugest success. Not as much anyway. Not nearly as much as I should have. I finally listened to it in full about 15 years back after being 2nd handedly aware of it's greatness for 2 solid decades. The big songs of course I know like the back of my hand. Heresy, God is dead and noone cares. If there is a hell I'll see you there. Bow down before the one you serve, you're going to get what you deserve. Closer played endlessly in the clubs of my youth, and never, never ever got old. It's fucking brilliant. It has it's own dance. I could probably write a whole review on this one song. It's legit in the top 10 songs of the decade, absolutely no question. Ruiner, is almost effortlessly epic and anthemic. And just randomly stops mid fl- Eraser a wonderful and weird slow burner that explodes in an interesting way. Reptile a slower, dirtier (if that were possible) Closer. Complete with the title track as it's coda, the explosion of which is one of the most singular productions I've heard and this bleeds into... Hurt, which is simply magnificent. Yeah Johnny cash cover is better, but this is still so, so special. A magnificent song. One of the greatest ever written. This album's got dance, it's got metal, it's got dirt, it's got Depeche Mode. And all twisted together in a big old gnarled tree trunk growing through the centre. It's basically the perfect record for my tastes.

4.75

Groundbreaking album. Reznor continues to make a mark in so many musical realms

I expected more, but a lot of this just came across as noise, static, and banging on trash cans. The good songs are really good (Closer, Hurt), but the bad ones are quite bad. 3 stars on balance.

Ramble Time: Such a dark, dirty, grimy, depressing albums (the album cover matches this perfectly). This album sounds so good, the production on this is top notch. All of the synths have this great unique tone, and all of the overlapping synth parts (especially the outro on closer) are perfect. The drums/drum machines all sound super powerful, and I love the clean guitar tone on this album. Closer is such a funky little number with some of my all time favorite synth tones. The muffled screams on the Downward Spiral are such an interesting and unique idea. And hurt is such a powerful closer with those last three hits. This album also has great sequencing, with a good balance of quiet and loud moments The easiest 5 I have given yet.

This album is grim, horrifying, degrading, uncomfortable to listen to… but god is it so well made. It uses a massive sonic palette to take the listener on a full tour of a mind in trauma, from moments of quietly whispered fear to pounding, screaming rage. The word that comes to my mind is “unflinching” - NIN is unflinching in its portrayal of its horrible yet undeniably real subject matter here. Millions of people have gone, are going, and will go through their own downward spiral. God help them if it’s anything like this.

2 good songs. The rest weird and too grungy.

Iconic. A certain kind of aggression here that is missing from modern music. No surprise this connected so hard with its fans. Love it.

Its not an easy listen, it confront many harsh and important subjects like the ugliness of the human psyche. I like the raw sound. But it makes me wanna quit my job

I liked parts

this is an experience It's a good experience It you want something that takes big swings, this does it in abundance. It's really easy to see how people become obsessed with the band and trent. I'm not gonna be different or impressive with this opinion, but the stand out tracks are Closer and Hurt. They make a really good spine, and the rest is dotted around the outside, becoming a full picture. I think I will revisit this album I'm the future I get it and I like it 4

Many people smarter than me have written oodles on the subject of this album. It is difficult, it is angsty. It is industrial. What can't be underestimated is the production value behind this. There is not a note audible that wasn't decided on. There isn't a sound or a nuance that hasn't been selected to contribute to the overall picture. There's stuff hidden in the music that can't be heard that has been selected to contribute to the overall picture. I don't think I can even try and sum up what this album is. Yes, it hasn't aged particularly well in places, and no, it hasn't got any form of fun or frivolity to it. But it is a great album, a considered album and a masterpiece of production.

Didn't like this.

Iconic

I liked Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt better than the original. The only other song I liked was A Warm Place, which stands in stark contrast to the rest of the album's industrial yelling

Trent Reznor is an unqualified genius. What’s interesting about this, and I listened to pretty little hate machine a few months ago and same deal, is that it was made just a few years before bass really took over. There was a whole evolution in synthesizers and sound machines and amplifiers and speakers that happened at the late 90s that gave everyone access to another, like, geologic strata of sound. Because of that, in retrospect, Nine Inch Nails early stuff seems kind of tinny. It didn’t back done, because we didn’t know what we were missing, but you can imagine how much more filled out this might be if Trent were to have done it today. But then, maybe it would’ve robbed him some of the things he did here to get the message across anyway. It’s like if painters had never had access to the color blue. Would their paintings be better if they went back and redid them with swatches of blue on their pallet? Or would they just be different?

I never bothered to give Nine Inch Nails a real chance because it seemed like only emo fuckboys were into in the suburbs back in the day, but you can color me impressed on the creative chutzpah that went into this. Now I wonder if those fuckboys listened to the whole album or just had the fuck you like an animal thing in repeat.

I was enjoying this album quite a lot, but i think Hurt pushed it over the top

meh, its ok

nota 9

Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails is not just an album, but a sonic journey into the depths of despair and self-destruction. Recorded in the infamous house where Sharon Tate was murdered, the album reflects the haunting and violent atmosphere of its location. The music is a blend of industrial, rock, and ambient elements, creating a diverse and dynamic soundscape that ranges from aggressive and distorted to calm and melancholic. The lyrics are raw and honest, expressing the inner turmoil and pain of the protagonist, who spirals down from anger and addiction to depression and suicide. The album features some of the band's most iconic songs, such as Closer, a twisted love song that samples a heartbeat and a whip, and Hurt, a poignant and powerful ballad that was later covered by Johnny Cash. Downward Spiral is a masterpiece of musical artistry and emotional intensity, and deserves a full 5 stars.

Non

Not very into this

Industrial angst.

Terrible. Mostly just shouty industrial metal noise. No discernable melodies.

Prefer Atari Teenage Riot

Repetitive and dull

2.5. I last heard this album as a teenager, and it hasn’t aged particularly well.

One of my favorite albums of all time.

Interesting album. More noise pop sound than I generally prefer. The album was best from "closer" on, prior to that it struggled to capture my attention.

Abrasive, connective - this album feels like darkness and chaos. One of the few selections that you can just as easily listen to on headphones to unwind, put on to boost your daily run, or hear while dancing at a club at 3 am. With all sorts of backing tracks permeating the songs to invoke the swirling keyboards and vocals, The Downward Spiral takes you to a fractured mental landscape.

The first couple of tracks are a bit too abrasive and inhuman for me. But I guess that’s the whole point of industrial metal. Also so much processing of his vocals sometimes leaning on the side of overdone. But when the industrial beats groove it’s really great.

Some high highs and low lows. While a few parts drag i thoroughly enjoy the majority. 4.5/5

An album that defined a time in my life, it's still pretty great.

It is a sprawling, engrossing, and seemingly personal work. Hard to love such a dark record but i certainly can appreciate the artistry.

It's a fairly distinct and unusual sound, even next to similar artists/albums. Lyrically, there are a lot of critiques on society, thinly veiled behind angsty nihilism and BDSM tropes. In the end, I can see why Reznor and NIN have so many fans, and I can also see why they have so many critics that consider it banal edgelord fair. I'm somewhere in the middle. I can appreciate what it for what it is, but I wouldn't choose it over most other albums.

This is one of those perfect storm albums. It was the right album at just the right time. There really isn't any other period in history that a concept album this abrasive and ugly could have been released and worked. In 1991 - 1995 people actively wanted music that pushed boundaries musically and had something to say lyrically.

Inte för mig

Got the blood flowing on a Monday morning, for sure! My first listen to NiN, although I had heard about them for years.

honestly really liked this more than i thought i would, usually not much of a nin listener but the synths, clanging percussion, trents voice, and general arrangements won me over. love that warbly piano moment that returns for hurt

There was a time and a place where this was cutting edge, it's now a curio. One track with any kind of groove, the rest is just angry noise that is kind of exhausting. Should be a 2, but Closer gives it an extra star even if it isn't going onto any kind of regular rotation

Nostalgic. Some of it still hits. Some of the teenage angst has worn off.

Hard to take...i tryed. I might been getting softier. Some very good passages and effects, others sound like a windows error message (probably they were searching that)

The best thing out of this album is the last song that was going to be covered by Johnny Cash later. Strange sounds, interesting atmospheres, not suitable for all moods, but for that mood of not being at terms with anyone is great.

I can see why people love NIN but I cant get behind it. Closer is good I guess. Trent Reznor's musical contributions spanning albums, movies, games, etc. Is really commendable and he absolutely gives a distinct flavor that sets a mood.

How delightfully unpleasant! I used to date a goth chick who was super into NIN. I didn’t get it then but I do now. They are dope as frick

Twas okay…some songs hurt my brain

Mr. Self destruct: feels like a headache, jarring. Very intense. Feels like a rant more than a song almost. Stuck out to me March of the pigs: Emotion in this song feels very realm idk how else to put it. A warm place felt like a nice break thematically, really pretty song The downward spiral was probably the most interesting to me, the musical ideas are so crazy and work so great with the vocals and lyrics Hurt is easily my favorite song, its a great conclusion to the album. the pain in this song feels so real super innovative album, not big on industrial but this is great. The music works better in this album to compliment the theme and vocals then i have seen in pretty much anything else. 4.5

Heavy, dirty, grimy rock. Felt like being homeless

Horrible

too negative for "every day" consumption

Not my typical cup of tea but was listening to it through a storm so fit the part. 4 stars. (Hurt clears the other songs btw)

Wasn't fully in the right headspace for this one, but I can tell it's a great album even if it's outside of my typical tastes/preferences.

Not my type of music but excellent for the genre. HURT is wonderful and Johnny Cash did it justice.

Everything is great : sound, imagery, energy, voice, composition, etc. Maybe I'm not objective with this one.

Reminds me of Black Dresses a lot, specifically forever in your heart. Favorite songs- A warm place, Mr. Self Destruct Least Favorite- The Downward Spiral 9/10

I listened to each song all the way though and I could not wait for each song to end. Such a hard listen... "Closer" and some parts of "Hurt" are not as bad as everything else. "The Downward Spiral" literally brought me distress. I really tried to find something to appreciate about this album but it made me feel so bad. The best part about The Downwo Spiral is that it eventually ends.

Don’t like

Not a fan of industrial rock

There were 2 songs I liked, the rest were too hard

Trent Reznor at his angriest. I’ve loved this album since I was an angsty teen. Highlights: Piggy, March of the Pigs, The Becoming, Reptile.

Forced myself to listen to it out of nostalgia for “Closer” and a sense of duty to the project. A couple songs near the beginning were interesting but I ended up skipping through the last 3. I feel like I got whatever this album was trying to do within the first 20 minutes.

Pop-industrial masterpiece. One starting with what sounds like an S/M "séance". Do I need to say more at this point? Yes, I do, because rarely have depression, perversion and self-hatred produced so many intense, aggressive, and, most of all, *catchy* moments, The first five or six tracks of this album are a perfect string of songs, with all sorts of uneasy electronic details and rhythmical flourishes finding their way into your brains like so many infected earworms (Those spiky sunth basslines! Those drilling sounds in the background! That time signature on "March of The Pigs"!). Over this hellish but highly seductive program, Trent Reznor sets no filters for his lyrics, for better or for worse. "Closer"'s chorus still sounds as gratuitous and offensive today as it was in 1994, but it's the overall energy and musicality of the music carrying this sick chorus which sells the whole thing. Drawing as much from Ministry and The Killing Joke as he does from Prince or that recent so-called "grunge" wave, Trent Reznor applies a musical program that is not also violent, haunted and anxiety-ridden, but also rich and highly flavored. After such a raucous start, the first half of the second side is even more stifling and claustrophobic--maybe even a little too much at times, admittedly. Yet you soon realise this claustrophobic dead-end of sorts was all on purpose when heartrending ambient instrumental "A Warm Place" surges to terminate that particular "downward spiral". Then, you start hoping that the sick, psychotic, drug-addled protagonist at the center of this record is going to find redemption at last. Alas, the last batch of songs slowly but surely place you into the boiling water again, with some of the best build-ups in the whole record--sometimes suggesting a little optimism in their first seconds, but then increasingly invaded by all sorts of unsetlling noises. Up until the finale "Hurt" (famously covered by Johnny Cash) ends the proceeding on one last desperate, but highly moving note. No wonder Trent Reznor became a film composer. *The Downward Spiral* might not fit with every listener's taste, but it's an impressive narrative, with the sorts of dynamic twists and turns that bear the mark of the best concept albums in the history of modern music. And it's a narrative mostly conveyed through effective soundscapes, memorable melodies, and a care for detail which easily place Reznor as a genius of the nineties. 5 stars, what else? Number of albums left to review: 315 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 308 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 167 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 223

No me encantó

Awesome

Very hard to rank this album as it’s not my kind of music. So hard to classify what I’m hearing. It’s like heavy metal techno alternative horror.

Nine Inch Nails - just good

I found this better than I expected. There were parts that were quite entrancing. Was it good? Unsure. Did I want to seek it out again? Kinda. I re-listened to it after realising I had finished the album without remembering it, and that happened a second time. So, its background music that I barely remember. I think I would prefer to remember it than to find it forgettable. So, what to do now, is that a 3 star or a 2 star? Let's try 2 stars for now.

I can see why Trent and Atticus are tapped to create soundtracks for dark movies.

Aua

Empezamos con Mr Self Destruct, no pude con ella. Una cacofonia que tuve que parar. El grupo usa ruidos de fondo en sus canciones, que si bien es un hecho original no me termina de gustar. Las letras tampoco es que sean muy buenas o memorables. Definitivamente este grupo y el género no es para mí. La única que pude escuchar: A warm place. El resto, no me gustó nada.

It’s great

Lieblings NIN Album (nein, wie originell).

Mr. Self Destruct // Hurt

Still listening to it. Pretty meh

I am not very familiar with the industrial genre, but it seems this album is one of the better examples. From this album, I already knew Closer and Hurt, both of which I like. The album is cohesive in that there's a strong mood and feeling throughout, with similar sounds and textures. I may not find myself listening to the full album particularly often but I can appreciate it for what it is.

Cheer up mate!

I tried to make it through this album, but not my kind of music at all. :(

I can't find where you make comments at

Unpleasant album but the music is very good

laut, langeweilig

Initial song is either terrible on Spotify or produced to intentionally be unsettling. Immediately understand what "texture and space" meant in the wiki entry. What great descriptive language. Really unsure about the album until roughly halfway through. Then it absolutely becomes incredible. 100% see why Raznor gets the production credits he now has. This album is incredibly well produced even if material and style are dark and heavy for my personal taste. One of the few concept albums that delivers on its premise fully. It starts so disorientating and then morphs into this angry, dramatic rise and fall. 100% puts me in the headspace even if my personal depression has more sadness and melancholy vs. the anger here.

Piggy is my least favorite song. It sounds ok but the lyrics don’t do anything for me. I genuinely disliked it though. There are some fun synthesizer/electronic noises on this album. Coupled with the bass guitar is a vibe I’m very much into. Awesome album The song exploder for Hurt is awesome.

Brilliant album. Noisy in the right way.

Too heavy, too manic

I appreciate this album for a huge leap forward in alternative modern music. It’s just a tough record to go back to and listen.

Too much distortion on a lot of the songs for my tastes. The outro of Ruiner is pretty cool. The best songs are Closer and Hurt.

Up and down. Great synths and weird sounds, but March of the Pigs is the first standout song. Closer is still deranged sounding, almost hard to believe it was a hit. Nice ambient soundscapes on A Warm Place. Hurt is a beautiful closer.

Ikke musik man tager med hjem til forældrene

Kæft det her var fed. Mørkt, hårdt, uforudsigeligt, godt flow. Synes overhovedet ikke den var for lang, havde været mindre effektivt hvis det var kortere (i modsætning til fx Kid Rock..................)

Føler at jeg har arbejdet på en fabrik den sidste time! Super nice plade - med en vild produktion! Man kan høre hvor, i hvert fald, Marilyn Manson har fået inspiration fra!

This album is just unlistenable for me, it feels souless and grating in ways that I cannot tolerate much more than a song or two and then I regret hearing the lyrics. I like Ministry, Laibach and Unwound but this is just nothing I would ever listen to again.

Very good at times can get a bit too metal for my taste but excellent. Hurt is a brilliant song, but as they admit cash owns it now

This album is very much a NIN album. "Closer" is a well known song which makes radio waves with some regularity despite its questionable lyrics. "Hurt" is a ballad cover of the Johnny Cash tune, which is not unfamiliar to radio airwaves, and includes a static background noise which serves to tie the mainstream to the more familiar sounds of the artist. The album does juxtapose the extreme noise of NIN music against some lighter tones. While not an album I would pick to listen to on my own, this album does expose the musical ability of NIN.

Masterpiece

Intense

I'm trying to keep an open mind throughout this project, so here's the most charitable version of my take: "The Downward Spiral" is not for me. Trent Reznor poured his hatred and his cruelty for capitalism, religion, and any living being with ears into this album. The nails in the band's name might as well be the ones on a chalkboard, which featured prominently during the 65 misanthropic minutes of its runtime. This album was mixed with utter contempt for audio normalization, forcing me to look up the lyrics later. None of those words are in the Bible. I can't imagine reaching a life state where these lyrics resonate with me, but—who knows—poetically, maybe there's something there. Sonically, it was akin to the Human Centipede being dragged into an industrial lathe at one of those dystopian cyberpunk raves from sci-fi movies. This album could have been a fitting OST for the gory shock websites of the 2000s. “A Warm Place” felt like a calming oasis of actual music in the desert of edgy screeching, and I’m not sure if the final track, "Hurt," really fit in the mix. The angst was there, but instrumentally, it felt like an afterthought. and props to Johnny Cash and Neil Cicierega for creating something enjoyable from this heap. "I Do Not Want This" was a standout track for summarizing my thoughts on the album in its entirety. I'm relieved that at least the author of this book liked the album. Nine Inch Nails, consider going to church. A wholly despicable and malicious piece of work.

I can see how alt white people love this music. I wasn't drawn to most of it, but it wasn't TOO readily skippable. Although, if I wasn't working while listening to this, it probably would have been a different story.

This album is angst and nihilism incarnate. Maybe I’m just a normie, but I think music should be pleasant/enjoyable on some level. This was the music equivalent of modern art – it’s there to make you think or make a statement, but nobody would use it for their own enjoyment. The mixing/mastering was weird too. Tons of oversaturated guitar making the vocals totally drowned out (which I’m sure is on purpose). The most unpleasant sounds were the loudest in the mix. Closer and Reptile were interesting and had some fun electronic sounds, But I think I only liked them in comparison to the other stinkers. Hurt is actually a good song, but it can’t redeem that godawful album. By the end of I was annoyed that it was even included in the 1001.

5/1001 Another exciting album and I believe we're at 3 90s in a row. If I've heard this album before it was a long time ago. "Closer" is by far the most recognizable song here, and I'm still perplexed at how it passed radio censoring even with the edits. As if there is some other word that fits in that blank. Elementary age me didn't quite get it, but at any rate...I appreciate the sound of the album and what Trent was doing, but there weren't enough standout tracks to bump it to a 5, and the top track has its own issues I also forget "Hurt" was their song, great by them and Mr Cash Favorite track: "Closer" I guess 4l5

Track 8 was actually very relatable, because I Do Not Want This. March of the Pigs was trying so hard to be a good song, but the singer and guitarist had to insert themselves. Hurt also became very relatable by the end

Hurt still fire

🤩🤩

Hasn't heard this album in like 20 years. Still holds up really well

it’s a good thing Reznor and Ross got into movie scoring because this shit SUCKED. 2 stars because at least it was cool at times

It wasn’t my vibe (which I’m shocked by too?) maybe it was just the day… gonna listen to it again

Not my personal vibe but i see the vision

An industrial classic. Some huge songs on here that are just amazing. The production quality is great too. Although, i must say that some songs are hard to get into if you’re not a fan of the genre!

Not enjoyed. Appreciate the time and place but not my scene

Stoked to see this come up, never really gave this a listen before. Anthems for grumpy incels. Or, should be the soundtrack to Fight Club -- which isn't a compliment.

This was a teenage favourite so may be a bit coloured by that but I love this album. The production is still insane 30(!) years on

Know the album from growing up. It grates on me and it's not enjoyable to listen to--it wasn't back then, it definitely isn't now!

Still is a breakthrough piece that disturbs and fascinates while still entertaining.

Trash

Wow! Pretty scary stuff.

Not fun, boring.

NO FUCKING WAY DUDE mr self destruct- 10 piggy- ehhhh 7 or 8 heresy- 8 march of the pigs- 8 closer- 10 ruiner- 7 the becoming- 9 i do not want this- 6 or 7 big man with a gun-6 a warm place- 6 eraser- 6 reptile- 7 or 8 downward spiral- 10 hurt- 10 favorite track- idk it used to be mr self destruct but i love a lot of it easiest 5

I listened to this near the end of my 11 hour flight to Honolulu when I kind of had a headache, and that was probably not the right decision. My note from the flight was that this is "Heavy metal meets alien invasion meets video game soundtrack. The sound only parts can actually be pretty interesting though". It has moments where I get it. "Hurt" is actually a really strong closer, it's legit a great song (though it drones on a bit long at the end). It's generally pretty abrasive though, and it's a bit of a tough full listen without really being in a bit of a angsty mood. "Closer" is the most famous song on the album, and I've added it to my playlist because I feel like I have to, but frankly it's a bit much. Apparently the music video is in the permanent collection at MoMA, will have to look for it next time I'm there. On partial re-listen I also just can't quite shake the "video-game-ness" of the sound. I don't know if it's necessarily a bad thing, but something just feels a little off to me. My rating on the plane was a 2, and while I'm tempted to bump it to a 3 I think I'm going to stick with my initial reaction. I can see the appeal, and it has some strong moments, but 65 minutes of this is a bit much overall for me. I do like it more than a lot of the very hard rock that I've gotten so far though. I'm also very glad I heard "Hurt", so there's definitely a positive from this one still. Favorite song: Hurt Other: Piggy, Heresy, Closer, A Warm Place 1/4/24

Album sounds like a nightmare. Very heavy and black. Some instrumentals are dark and hellish. 4.16

Another classic

Depression put into music and it works with this style. Trent does a great job with this one.

Super dank

Not for me. I didn’t like it in the 90s but legitimately gave it another shot. I’ll give it a start for creating this vibe of music but it sure did inspire a lot of really terrible music in its wake. This album makes me uncomfortable, much like the kids who listened it in my junior high.

It's OK not my favourite Trent Reznor work, and I doubt I'll listen to it again, but the craft is to be respected

3.5/5

I'm starting to question my own musical tastes. Another good album when I was expecting very little, I had previously considered Nine Inch Nails as something way outside my preferences. There were a couple of moments that I didn't gel with, but in large it was a lot better than I expected. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, I'll go with 3 as 4 probably feels a bit too much based on other ratings I've given.

This was a really big album in formative years. It's aggressive and the lyrics are pretty angry. It has a place and I just don't know if it resonates anymore at 35 years old. It gets bonus star for what it had been in the past.

Ik had dus echt een ziek uitgebreidde review geschreven, maar die is niet opgeslagen. Samenvatting is als volgt: Veel herrie Lang geen fan van alles. Closer is mn favo maar verder is het erg depri en boos enzo. Vond de mixing op de eerste nummers meh en ook best wel vaak dat ze eerst fluisteren en dan schreeuwen. Iets wat ik na 1 keer al gezien heb. Hurt is een goed nummer, maar ze hebben echt de pech dat ik de Johnny Cash versie best goed ken. Dat is niet een eerlijke vergelijking, die verliezen ze keihard. FAVO: Closer

Messed up and depressing. But great album

hurt!!

It's been years but this has aged well. Music for an industrial world. I remember hearing this for the first time as a boy and feeling intense fear but also fascination. Almost 30 years later and this makes me miss the boy I was, and reflect on the animal I have become.

Fucking loved this album. I love the story and sound to it

What a horrible, ugly album. This is the epitome of ugly, dirty, grungy, edgy, "I hate god", postmodern trash. Trent is too lazy to hire a real drummer, so he uses an awful drum machine. The whole album just sounds like static with screaming. The whole thing is just an effort to piss off social conservatives. And if that was the goal, Reznor succeeded. Robert Bork was correct to point to this album as an example of cultural decline. It's meaningless, nihilistic, and adds no value to the world. If you disagree with me, consider this. "If there are so many religions, gods, beliefs, etc., how do we know which one is real?", says the postmodernist. Answer: the one you hate. NIN takes the beauty of cathedrals, the peace of a loving family, the community of a church, and angrily spits at all of it, childishly spewing shock content in an edgy nihilistic rage. If you find yourself wondering why we no longer build cathedrals and all modern architecture is horrifically bereft of beauty, the answer lies in the postmodern trash as exemplified by this album's degeneracy.

Sorry. Not my music…

Love the crescendos of some of these songs. Industrial vibe. The melodies really catch you off guard, contrasted with the heavy distortion and unpredictable transitions. I would say that at least 6 of the tracks on this album would be single-worthy anywhere else.

All of these tracks are pretty hard, I'm seeing the appeal of NIN. Yet I also expected something *more*, given their wide appeal on the internet. That could be their association with Johnny Cash through Hurt more than anything else. The more I listen the more I'm getting into their sound. Very surprised by A Warm Place, I wasn't expecting such a pleasant...? track from this album. High 3, or low 4.

Very complex audio soundscape, very pleasant to listen to

Wow this was intense! I’m glad I listened to this with headphones. I think you’d miss a lot just listening on a speaker or even in a car. I honestly didn’t expect to like this album, I’d always just wrote NIN off as noisy and abrasive. Don’t get me wrong, this album is noisy and at times abrasive. But it’s not just noise for noise’s sake like I imagined. The production on here is stellar. Like wow does reznor know how to use a studio. Not only that, the emotion is there too. If I was listening to this back when it was released I’d be worried for the songwriter. I think this is definitely an album I’ll be revisiting. It won’t be everyday drive to work music, it’s pretty dark and very intense. But I do want to dig in deeper, maybe read along the lyrics as I listen and try and hash out everything that’s going on. I feel like the themes are well portrayed just through the music itself but I know there’s much more to this album than I can get from just one listen through.

I fucking love this album. I went through a huge NIN faze in my teens. I can’t listen to it often, as it can take me into a dark headspace. Also glad that Trent Reznor dealt with his demons and seems like a happier guy now

Angry, dense industrial music with vocals hidden in the mix for most of it. Mr. Self Destruct Heresy Closer Hurt

Shouldn't have listened to whilst having a bad day at work. SO. VERY. ANGRY. NOW.

Someone sleep w this man and put him out of us misery

It's just an amazing fucking album.

There is a version of me in the timeline of my life that would have given this a 5. But I am just not that version of me. I did however enjoy listening to this again after all these years, more than I expected to.

enjoyable usage of noise could i wrote poetry to this? y

In two measures, Trent Reznor re-established the "concept album." Four and one-half stars. Dinged one half-star because I liked the remix of this, "Further Down the Spiral" just a little bit more.

Years ago, I was in a play with a girl who used to strip and she said that Closer was one of her songs. I say that to underline what I love about this album and Nine Inch Nails in general- the music is dark, intense, and angry but also catchy and danceable. That is definitely a sweet spot for me and this album is one of the foundations of that taste.

Half of the songs are great. The whole thing suffers a bit from edge lord lyrics.

4.25

4/5 Favorite songs: Mr. Self destruct, heresy, march of the pigs

Good industrial fun.

It's just totally fine. Nothing I'll return to, but I didn't hate it, so

Noisy and irritating. Some familiarity with Closer and Hurt but I wasn't touched by any others.

4.5 Grimy, gritty and vile at times. Captivatingly beautiful in others. I know this album well enough but I hadn’t listened to it, front to back, in ages. Trent is a musical genius and this is him at his best. Loved it.

Tô ligado que influenciou várias bandas e pa sei o que lá mas é sofrível de ouvir, com alguns raros lampejos

Vika biisi ok. Muuten meteliä

Classic electronic industrial peaks and valleys of thick textured sounds and stripped down rhythm. Thank you Trent

Raw, noisy, abrasive, and full of emotion. This album being recorded in the Tate murder house (whilst Reznor also lived there) adds to the eerie, visceral themes too. This record is packed with interesting sounds and experimentation. It's an fascinating concept album that explores the dark depths of the human mind.

Closer, Hurt, and a few others make this a very interesting album. Mostly very hard and pounding music. Something I have to be in the mood for... 3.5

Cool sounds, NIN still isn't really my thing. Obviously crafted with care

jo wtf wieso so lut jo wtf wieso so lieslig wtf isch dynamik vo brickwall zu noise level zu brickwall wa lauft mit eu, sind mini chopfhörer kabut?? Also, ich bin kein fan vo Mr. Self Destruct sein Mixing. Piggy fangt gad nomol mit z lislige vocals ah. Die lislig synth (?) melodie gfallt mir, de rest inkl. de Schlagzügstuff nöd sehr. Heresy: Vocals am afang wieder weird gmixt, wenns luut wird, wirds besser. Tönt nice. Aber alles isch so lut! Die nögste Lieder gfallet mir au, aber de mix verstohni immerno nöd. Closer goht recht hert solangs nur es paar luuti instrument sind. Geg de schluss wirds chli kabutter, aber au weniger schön für mich. De Jack Stratton het gfroget: Does mixing matter? jo mega i wött das nöd lose

oke lesgo mr self destruct induustrial hössig, flüsterige bueb. noisi stuff ok piggy er immerno flüsteribueb, phased up drums sind geil. heresy, s isch weird aber s het en groove und isch geil hässig, aber schochli streng. March of the pigs, scho bitz messy, aber d gitarre drunder isch no cool. ich glaub ich checks langsam. KLAVIER??? sini clean stimm isch nöd de hammer. closer. beat gfallt mer. aha you let me penetrate you uf chillo. text huere nasty aber dasch glaub de sinn. i wanna fuck you like an animal? de song het meh hooks als d pj harvey. ruiner. uuuh synthchords. und denn singter mir is linke ohr, hoi jo gang chli weniger nöch ane. the becoming. hui ihm goht nöd guet lüt schreied überall. ich checks mega aber s isch huere nöd min vibe, mega streng. i do not want this, trent alls ok? aha nai glaub nöd. uuh screamy time no cool s wird metaltime. oke nocher meeega noisy stuff, ha nonie öpis so noisigs ghört glaub man with a gun. noisy streng aber häsig a warm place. mega schön eig?? eraser. synth sound geil drums au. oke s isch afoch wieder weird reptile. do hets es riff und e melodie no nice. refrain goht no dumm. er macht chli viel breathy singe. the downward spiral. akustischi gitti?? meditativ ufe intressanti art irgendwie. detuneti gitarre au no nice. uuuh und de dämpfti shit au cool. hurt. sehr guet sehr guet mega guet sehr guet. isch biitz schluss vomne teeniefilm? boah d gitarre nöd uuuuuuuh yes ccool oke ähm ich glaub wenn mer so shit gern het liiiiiiebt mer das album. so mega mega fest. mir ischs z noisy und z wenig lieder und z viel bitcrushing. aber s isch huere eige und verstoh wie revolutionär s isch für 1994. s tönt wie nüt anders irgendwie. es 3 hets verdient.

ich glaub ich han schomal inneglost und hans denn aber langwilig gfunde, mal luege ok s konzept dehinder schomal spannend iwie ischd stimm chli lislig abgmischt? find drum mr. self destruct echli vill distortion mit wenig wo ich chan ahfange chan de mal SINGE anstatt FLÜSTERE oke aber suscht no col, reduziert und vor allem bass und drums, plus hii und daa synths heresy fangt guet ah ok ich chegg jz sehr ihre ihfluss hahahah ok closer findi super, immer sochli de glich beat aber sini stimm isch fast gar nöd nötig ruiner chli inere ähnliche art und wiis a warm place findi no cool, es würkt iwie au warm? und isch e willkommeni abwechslig zude herte industrial-kläng allgemein han ich nöd vill chönne demit ahfange, so paar synthi-parts hani sehr gfühlt aber iwie ischmer alles chli too much gsi für so chillig, bzw. denn au genau z wenig mengisch? mengisch hettis gern gha wenns eifach durrezoge hetted anstatt so es gesflüstere und pipapo und weiss nöd öb das sinn macht aber ja s hetmi nöd so umghaue, es KNAPPS 3 (chömmer endlich 1-10 bewertig haa?)

1/5. If you enjoy listening to rhythmic static over the course of an hour, then this is the album for you!

Not my usual style but I enjoyed this more than I expected. Fairly angry and hard-edged sound, but well-crafted and played

I loved this album. So many listens back in the day. It holds up really beautifully. I also like the instrumentals a lot. They have ages very well.

Harsh as fuckk, grungyy

Absolute all time classic

Cet album m'a botté le cul, excessivement intense et énergique. Aussi, le mixage est incroyable mais il faut plusieurs écoutes séparées dans le temps pour dompter le chaos!

if horny metal spoons made music, that’s what this is.

Too much screaming

Fantastic follow up to PHM. This concept album is phenomenal. Watching Trent play this live in the 90s was amazing…and makes me feel so old,

I was originally going to give this two stars, but the more I listen to it the more I warmed up. I can dig industrial music, but Trent reznor's particular style leads to some messed up music for messed up people. While I'm not that messed up, I can still appreciate his use of instruments and sounds that are probably very mundane in nature, but are so unnatural to hear an everyday life that your mind thinks up the worst possible image. That being said I'm sure the music videos to accompany these songs did not help.

An Album that is not easy to listen to, but that was the intention. I was pleasently surprised by the album the longer i listened to it. It is full with anger and hatred but still manages to allow some more light moments.

9/10

no thanks

Surprised that the 90s kid in me who was struggling with religion never got into this. I think late 90s new metal made me think that NIN was shit? Totally listenable - not necessarily something I would return to a bunch.

the harder songs are way better than the gentle ones. 'Mr. Self Destruct' and 'Big Man With A Gun' being my favourites. 'Reptile' is also great. shocked that 'Closer' is the most popular song on the album being my least favourite. also hearing the original 'Hurt' after Johnny Cash's cover lol. wtf is that instrumental?

Music for boring straight men, literally every song is the same, *yells into the microphone with a distortion effect*, did not every attempt to finish

Not my jam

Very industrial sounding. heavy use of distorting sounds. can be unpleasant for many to listen to. Not unlike Death Grips.

I've this in my collection since the nineties. Excellent.

This made my angry little goth girl heart happy. It's not my favourite NIN album, but it has a couple of my favourite NIN songs, including Hurt. Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt is probably one of the best covers ever.

Hurt er emosjonell banger

Ouais bah rock industriel c'est le bon nom j'ai l'impression il a enregistré l'album à l'usine le boug Mais en vrai je comprends que des gens aiment mais perso c'est pas mon style

A tour de force.

It's weird how much of my musical life has been Nine Inch Nails adjacent while not really listening to them. I'm intrigued and will listen to more, but immediate impression was "yeah, I know why I didn't gravitate towards Nine Inch Nails".

Closer is very good, but the industrial noise is in the rear view mirror for me.

Pure shite!

Nostalgic

This is an absolutely fascinating album. To start off, it's a concept album, and a great one at that. The idea of an album all on the "downward spiral" of a man is one that can either be really good or really embarrassing. Fortunately, this one ends up in the former of those two categories. It is a very haunting album, to say the least. The writing captures that feeling of incoming madness and tells a great cohesive story. I have an immense amount of respect for this album. However, my respect for the album is quite a bit higher that how much I actually like the album. It's quite well made, but I don't really know if the sound of it is for me. The vocals feel too quiet at times, and I can see where they were going with the editing on the vocals and instruments when it comes to the concept, but I just don't really know how to feel when it comes to how good I think it sounds. The final thing I need to bring up is whether or not I prefer the original or the Johnny Cash version of Hurt. I think both versions have very distinct feels and honestly tell different stories. They're both very good in their own ways. Overall, this is an expertly made concept album that I'm never going to listen to again. 4/5.

Piggy piggy piggy piggy. 5 pigs. piggy.

Really good and aggressive!!

Maaaaan. I wish I liked this album. I’m just not an industrial fan. The sound really ruined it for me. Lyrics/vocals were decent but I was honestly glad when it was over. Please forgive me for this rating.

I like industrial a fair bit. Pretty good. Would pair nicely with a Lord of the Flies reread.

Now this is the industrial sound I wanted. Almost a five honestly. Rex it basically wrote the genre here in my opinion. Very good and dynamic

Each song is its own audio story. Even at its most chaotic you can feel the connective tissue of good composition just underneath the surface. The voice work perfectly matched to the instrumentation, tourtured but varied. Even on the slower tracks the sound is full and audibly varied. Good ass album

Not the biggest industrial fan, but it was still pretty good. At the very least I enjoyed how unique the sound is.

There were some bits that I liked, Piggy was great. But I often found it too abrasive, and found myself hoping songs would be over soon. Great soundtrack for a serial killer.

Don't listen to it all that often these days, but very familiar with it & it's a key part of my musical foundation. Great stuff!

Nine Inch Nails is not exactly my type of music, but this is a strong release. It looks like a work that intends to make some art with the music. It's a bit longer than necessary, making it hard to pay attention until the end, but it is vital and absolutely worth this place on the 1001 list.

Cool NIN. I've never listened to an NIN album all the way through before. Is it industrial rock? This sounds like industrial rock. I just checked.. it's industrial rock. The first track kinda slams you with a wall of noise but the second track does not. I like this.

If I had to describe this album in two words, they would be rough and dynamic. No two songs on The Downward Spiral sound the same. This was a great listen and it gives me great confidence that NIN will do a good job with Tron.

I might've just not been in the right mood for this, but it was just way too noisy and chaotic for me. I do recognize why this album is so respected though as there were a LOT of cool sounds annd production throughout the entire thing. Doesn't seem like my thing now, I do want to give it another listen in the future though.

definitely not my type of album and don’t think i’d listen to any of these songs again except one which i know from tiktok lmaooo. it’s more of a hard rock album which isn’t what i normally listen to so i just didn’t enjoy it that much. didn’t even get all the way through it.

Great band, great album.

Not my style, never really was. I tried but just couldn’t get into it. It’s not terrible though & Hurt is iconic so.. 2/5

Thanks Ned for the CD.

Niet echt mijn ding, maar ook niet slecht, begrijp dat dit vernieuwend is.

Too experimental for me

I guarantee that there are very few people in this world who could recall (let alone quote) this, but once upon a time, I actually said to someone, "I used to listen to NIN - Pretty Hate Machine was the best. But Trent sold out, man. The Downward Spiral Sucks." I look back upon those days and I simply wish there had been a wiser man around who could have caned me for my ignorance. I have to admit that of all the things that shame me in my life (and there are quite a few), this was one of the big ones. However, as usual, I am going off track.

Definitely some known songs on this album but just not my style at this point in life. NIN resonated with me a lot more in my teenage angst years

Wat een gruwelijke herrie.

fine

Love this

I tried listening to these guys before and wasn't super into it but listening through this now it really clicked with me. Definitely going to be listening again

Sonzeira, este é um álbum emblemático.

Holy guacamole, this album is beautiful but it sounds like how a panic attack feels. Terrifying.

Good, a different sound. I like it

The first 5 seconds of the first song annoyed me so much I turned it off.

Now this is a 90’s albums. How the hell did rey trash album get on here with this one also. Plus got my new pickup line *tips fedora* “I want to fuck you like an animal” works every time

NIN never does it for me. Album did not age well.

Pink Floyd's "The Wall" for the school shooter (Look it up) Cool album

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.

The nine inch nails sex album. Wow, amazing! Like a solid 7.5-8/10, it captures a lot of the right feelings, but I wouldn't put like 90% of these songs on in any other scenario though.

Wasn't expecting as much horny as I got, Hurt and a couple of others (I forgor) are pretty good. I was surprised and grateful for the variability throughout the album. 7.5/10

I never gave it a chance in high school but its actually pretty good

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

Really really bad Too much noise Video game music? Tony hawks pro skater Makes me feel like a Christian parent who thinks rock music is the devil because I hate it so much

NIN a le génie d’utiliser des synthétiseurs en les faisant sonner comme autre chose, ce qui leur évite de paraître datées. Les pièces ont un goût d’angoisse et d’infini, un martèlement inlassable.

I do not like industrial metal. I hear the brilliant songwriting, but I did not enjoy the brilliant songwriting.

Mostly mot my taste

I don’t like them

Probably one of the more ground breaking albums of the mid-90s, which is saying a lot due to the sheer volume of incredibly influential albums happening at that time. Reznor creates so much tension that it's palpable and then completely pulls the rug underneath you with abrupt changes and soft, almost whispered passages. His understand of mood and dynamics is top notch. Like it's namesake, this album is what I imagine someone who is really going through it in life feels like before hitting rock bottom/the brink of insanity. Well performed and executed. A definite classic whether you enjoy the genre or not. The closing track has always been my favorite Nine Inch Nails songs and inspired one of the greatest covers to happen during my time on this Earth by the Man in Black himself, Mr. Johnny Cash. Well worth the price of admission. Stand out tracks: Piggy, Closer, A Warm Place, Hurt

Ok New sound to me Liked the first song quite alot Rest not as much Too long

Very much not for me. I am just not interested in deliberately unpleasant sounding music (even if I theoretically understand how it might be cathartic and emotional) and I found this a struggle to listen to. Every so often, in one of these songs, there'd be a tiny snatch of something actually melodic and interesting, which would get my hopes up, and then they'd immediately go back to screaming. However, because of this, A Warm Place, which I'm sure is a beautiful reprieve for anyone listening to the album, was actually borderline transcendent and completely unexpected to me, so that was really lovely.

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.

Can’t believe I’ve never listened to this. Amazing

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.

this album is a bunch of noise trying to be louder that the other noise and i love it

- industrial rock really is what it sounds like - a little too edgy for me - “god is dead” song - I can see why social conservatives didn’t like the lyrics lol - I’m not against some of it sonically but it’s not my cup of tea lyrically or the voice - it’s basically repeated whispering over a decent electronic rock beat - the becoming is the most decent song - why is the best instrumental muffled - didn’t realize Johnny cash was covering hurt in the previous album

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

Industrial rock indeed

Never really gave it a full listen but I recall the significance in my own time. Truly great album!

I did not care for this album there was more screaming than I remember with Nine Inch Nails may comeback and try it again not first thing in the morning

I quite liked this. More industrial than I typically enjoy, but still a pretty good album. 4/5

Today, I leaned I’m not a fan of industrial rock. Telling someone “I wanna feel you from the inside” is a definite way to get seggs every time, I guarantee it. This album is what I think having schizophrenia is like. These are actual lyrics from “Big Man with A Gun”- I’m going to come all over you & my personal favorite- got me a big old d*ck . Just keeping it classy folks. After reading the Wiki, I think “A Warm Place” is like the calm before the storm. Some peace before destruction takes all. I thought NIN covered Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” but was absolutely shocked to find out that it was the opposite. Then, later on today I realized I am a fan of industrial rock. 7/10

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

Oh man it's great. Unless you listen to this album you'll be confused on why this is one of the greatest clubbing albums of all time. Fantastic pushing beats in most songs along with amazing singles like Closer and Hurt. I wanted to give it a 9 but I do think the start of the album is a little slow and skippable. 3 songs in they find a sound and it's a banger after that. 8/10

This is the music they play when the main character has to walk through a gay vampire nightclub in a tv show. Nickelodeon gross out humor but music. Closer is about cumming, nice. This album borders on being too industrial to actually enjoy and being just industrial enough to be bearable. Trent Reznor is a horny freak. Every song is about fucking something or someone, nice. In conclusion, I would listen to horny angry man scream at me with aggressively industrial beats in the background again. 9/10

An extra star for Hurt

Good industrial rock, the lyrics were lacking for me though. Favorite song was Ruiner

Good album. Can see why they were so influential

"Industrial" rock. Heavy, distorted sounds with big, echoey beats.