The Downward Spiral

Album #70, Nine Inch Nails, The Downward Spiral, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’ve never listened to Nine Inch Nails before. The only Trent Reznor stuff I’ve ever really listened to is his soundtracks for movies like The Social Network, which I think are always amazing. This has always been high up on my list of albums I’ve been meaning to listen to, so today was my big push to finally give it a go. I loved it. What an amazing sounding album. A huge, big colossus of complicated noise rock. It’s so layered and dense and textured and powerful, and everything sounds so clean and crisp and clear and measured. deeply impressive production on this thing. What I would say is that while I think it sounds great, and I love the dynamic range of it, I do think that the lyrical tone and vocals are something that thankfully I just don’t relate to anymore. I don’t really care that much for existential angst anymore. There would have been a time in my life where I would have really related to this, but thankfully I no longer do. I suppose that’s a good thing. So this kind of singing style, it just doesn’t really do a lot for me. I think it’s all a bit over the top. But in a way, this is some of the best existential angst I’ve heard. It’s far better than Slipknot, who I reviewed a few weeks ago. This is done much better and much more engaging and much more listenable. My other big gripe with it, though, isn’t to do with the music at all, but actually more the recording process. Something about recording this album in Sharon Tate’s house where she was murdered, and singing about piggies and this and that just feels really distasteful and really disrespectful. I haven’t read too much into Trent Reznor’s rationale behind that decision, but I would struggle to rationalise a decision like that. But maybe somebody could explain it to me, maybe I’d come around, but I don’t know if I would. So yeah, not a gripe with the music. I think it’s an amazing album. I could totally understand why some people would give this a five star review. For me today, it’s a four. I was pretty much blown away by the sound of this thing. It’s huge.

4/11 Absolute masterpiece of an album. One that is still very relevant and I can identify with today

Pretty good but i feel like i listened too late into my life for this to mean anything to me

Ass

Cool stuff. I can see why Trent was chose to make the Quake Soundtrack :D

Not every track works for me but when it hits, it really hits. Just happy to have something to listen to that’s so sonically different than the vast majority of this list.

This is a brutal album, which is so far ahead of its time. The only things that are stopping it getting 5 are the length (it could have been a bit more concise) and it would have benefitted from a couple of quieter tracks at the start to increase the impact of the heavier sound (like “a warm place” provides later going into “Eraser”).

It’s a tough listen, both sonically and lyrically just because the content is so nihilistic. It does a great job of evoking those kinds of moods though by its abrasiveness, mix of industrial and electronic, and ebbs ands flows of it. I do enjoy it though, particularly when looking at it as a concept album. Not necessarily my favourite NIN album but one that has grown on me over time.

It was probably my first introduction to industrial rock. The lyrics are deliberately coarse, working sometimes and not others for me. High 3/low 4.

A high 3. Hugely influential industrial noise

Didn't land for me. Lyrics were tiresome.

The abrasive patchwork of distorted guitar loops, compressed drums and tortured, highly processed beats is unique and at times even ingenious. The most progressive and exciting instrumentals sit at the beginning of the album, but at no point does it sound disinteresting. The lyrics however range from being at best obscure enough to happily ignore, and at worst elaborately unpleasant, fake deep and emotionally stifling. Also, Trent Reznor has a distracting obsession with animals.

Yeah i’m going low 5 on NIN, this album is heavy, brutal, despairing in a way that not much i’ve heard achieves so consistently and in such an engaging way.

Very horny, very angry

⭐ Det är mörkt, deppigt och skevt. Har aldrig lyssnat aktivt på NIN, bara hört någon låt och hade på känn ungefär vad det handlade om. Var tveksam till om det skulle skulle vara något för mig och det visade sig att det är det inte heller. Det finns säkert kvaliteér här men det är för skevt och krävande för mig både musikaliskt och textmässigt, det bästa med NIN är loggan. Bäst A warm place (för att den ger lite lugn i allt ljud) och Hurt men vet inte ens om jag gillar denna versionen, gillar dock covern av Johnny Cash mycket. Det finns låtskrivarkvaliteér hos Trent Reznor men han gömmer det väl under produktionen.

Well I hate metal, just noise to my ears..

like caffeine is angry with their father. Found a little bit hard to listen to at first with the sheer aggression Trent brings but once you settle in to ‘this is the sound’ the album delivers sonic gold. Not sure how quick I’ll go back for a listen but very much enjoyed!

Amazing! Lovelovelove NIN.

I appreciate this more than I enjoy it. There is some great stuff on here but it leans a bit too metal for me — I prefer the more orchestral and industrial sections.

cant tolerate this type of music

What an album to get on the day my Grampa passed away - turns out he left me his empire of dirt in the will! Favourite track: Heresy

Not for me

If not a 5, what is

Moody, intricate, complex, with underlying dance synth vibes. NIN captures the dark turn from 80s flair so perfectly, and it endures.

its intense, like a downward spiral into a type of addiction. the album is much more than the one song, closer. he tells a story of a descent of a man down a madness. 10/10

not my mambo

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

I can kind of understand the hype for Nine Inch Nails, but its not my thing.

Really good

Probably the only metal album I’ll ever like

Album bizarre de fou mais j'ai bien aimé dans l'ensemble. Je m'imagine dans une réalité parallèle sans les frérosefs, influencé par les gens du lycée, punk, shit, ketamine dans un squat chelou en plein trip. C'est exactement dans cette vie là où j'écouterais ce genre de musique Rien à voir mais "hurt" c'est l'originale ou une cover ?

Du très bon comme du pas ouf

J'étais persuadé que ce groupe c'était du métal, j'avais jamais écouté et j'ai vraiment bien apprécié. Un sacré mélange de sonorités entre electro, hardcore, même phonk !? Vraiment à la limite du 5

This was the first time I listened to an entire Nine Inch Nails album. I understand the importance and influence of this album, but I would have liked it a lot more if I was 15 years old. The lyrics are definitely the worst part.

When you can't hear how lame the lyrics are and the noise takes over, it's better, but not by much. 'I wanna fuk you like an animal' yawn...'I drink the honey in your hive', hilarious, enough to bring you out in hives. 'Music' for 14 year olds with acne and a bit of gristle around the mush, thinking that raging hormones have real meaning to their existence. You grow out of it, well some do anyway.

This has its ups and downs but I will say, every song has at least a piece of it that makes it interesting and worth a listen. You have to like industrial and darker toned music to really appreciate this. Just the video for Hurt is enough to make this album better than mediocre. I’ve heard it a million times but why not listen with a critical ear for once. Choice cut: Hurt

I was unprepared for just how great this record was going to be. The fusion between electronic and heavy metal is next level on this record. Songs like Eraser and Reptile make you want to run through a brick wall. There are two songs we've all heard on this record. Everyone knows Closer, but it just hits so much harder within the context of this record. And then, we all know the story of Reznor giving this song to Johnny Cash. I have to say, I think this version is better. It's heartbreaking. 65 minutes. Never drags. Genius.

with most of the NIN I've listened to, I tend to enjoy the music more than the vocals. no complaints about his voice or lyrics -- they work within the context of the music -- they just don't resonate with me. I'm not harboring enough intense anger to connect. they really hit a sweet spot here, combining rock, techno, and other industrial approaches to sound while still staying palatable for the masses. similar to dance and noise genres, this is one that surely hits way harder live when you can feel it with your entire body. some bold production choices on this album as well, which I appreciate. they could have played it safe but leaned into the weirdness.

There are hooks for days on this thing. Beneath all the chaos there’s always a well-structured song.

It was okay…

9 / 10

This is a tough album for me to rate. As someone whose favorite band right now is SOAD, I expected to start listening and love what I was hearing. What I got was a very noisy first track that I had no idea what was going on. Other tracks were easier to listen to sonically, but the entire album felt abrasive. Maybe I would enjoy this more on another listen, but I'm not sure. With that said, I like to consider the experience that a band was trying to create for a listener as much as the music itself. The Downward Spiral is an experience unlike any I've had with any other album I've heard on the list. As someone who often works with people in various stages of the spiral professionally (from just starting to feel depressed to someone who has ended their own life), I think this album helped me understand these difficult topics to address in a different light than I have before. I think having a difficult album to listen to is helpful when addressing mental health issues. I thought they tackled this in a way that was respectful and acknowledged the problems without glorifying suicide. I feel I can be a more compassionate person after hearing this. 2/5 for how much I like the music 5/5 experience listening

Oh. I kind of hated the lyrics for the most part. They make me never want to listen to this album again. But everything else makes me never want to stop.

крутой альбом

It's an impressive album! Musically, lyrically and tonally!

Favourite tracks - March Of The Pigs, Closer, Hurt

Es muy alternativo para mis gustos, no me fue fácil escucharlo

exactly as expected

I was not in the right mindset to listen to this today. Giving it a 3 because I think I would appreciate it on a different day in a different week. maybe not all of it, though... :)

Soundtrack for the apocalypse. It's both beautiful and agonizingly unsettling and chaotic. Great concept, great song construction.

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".

4. enjoyed it, but not for me

1994. Considered one of the most influential and emblematic works of the 1990s. This concept album chronicles the self-destructive descent of a misanthropic protagonist into madness, dehumanization, and suicide.

A master of Industrial, pioneering the sound and equipment through the 90s.

As a concept it is whole and coherent. The lyrics are nihilistic and bleak, befitting the concept, but they were probably the hardest part for me to enjoy, simply because I’m in such a season of joy myself. But the music is great.

Never have liked thrash and this has not converted me!

Awesome album!

It was good, but I don't really want to listen to it again.

Ghosts will forever have my heart, but next to that The Downward Spiral is probably my favorite NIN album. The Fragile is close, though. I have a major soft spot for With Teeth since I got *really* into it when I was 17, but that's neither here nor there. This reminded me that I need to actually give their later stuff outside of Ghosts a listen.

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 industrial metal goes, this is about as good as it gets.

Heresy spacca, ma è tipo confusione March of the pigs è pura rabbia gaso per alcune canzoni, davano il ritmo per correre, ma album che non è il mio. Hurt è tristezza. In mezzo a stammerda ci sta a warm place che è come trovare le margherite sulla merda, ma poi eraser ti colpisce col fetore del letame della vita. È come se fosse un album dedicato alla depressione, ai peggiori modi in cui una persona potrebbe ritrovarsi, pure la tristezza, nella sua eleganza, viene confusa dal riverbero del rimescolarsi dei pensieri e le idee svaniscono, puro caos, e alla fine è onnipotenza (o solitudine?) PS: modifico il voto da 3 a 4, man mano che ascolto questo album mi piace sempre di più.

Un album troppo distante dai miei gusti musicali, qualche canzone mi ha gasato mentre pedalavo ma per il resto non riuscirei ad ascoltarlo.

muy ruidoso

Балдеж злобный

10/10

> the Beatles

I like NIN well enough and this is the Closer album, so I thought it would at least be a 4, but it was just kinda background noise for me

- The Downward Spiral - Piggy - Hurt

Classic

Not for me

Me pareció muy experimental y a nivel experiencia bastante bueno, pero no me gustó nada en particular

Ça fait pas loin de 30 ans que j'avais écouté ça. La dernière fois, c'était en jouant à Thexder 95. Les deux se sont fusionnés dans ma tête et je n'y suis jamais revenu. Brutal mais plein de hooks. Un peu trop tout le temps over the top. C'est un cul-de-sac musical. Rendu au bout d'une ruelle sale qui débouche pas, t'es obligé de rebrousser chemin et explorer autre chose. Je me mets une alarme pour réécouter une autre fois en 2056. 4.25 étoiles 1 étoile pour Thexder 95, ça c'était d'la marde, pas besoin de revisiter.

really difficult listen in the best way possible. confrontational angsty and just wow im unsettled. Fav Song: Heresy Least Fav: Eraser

Good angry album. All the songs tie in well with each other. It’s rather raunchy but it’s a good time.

This album was so dark and haunting. The production was perfect and though I’m disturbed I’m glad I listened

So sorry it’s giving music for COD… 3 stars for Closer :)))

Really looked forward to this one. Great album, some brilliant songs, but also some lesser stuff. Overall, enjoyable, and a great listening experience, but just missing out on 5 stars for me.

abrasive, snarling, and angry

brilliant

Had its moments for sure, but was a little inconsistent and repetitive.

I didn't like this when I was younger because it didn't sound like bands I was accustomed to. Now that I'm older I can really appreciate it.

Not as nother growly, shouty thing. Not for me

WHAT AN ALBUM. Loved it. From the glitchy start leading into Mr. Self Destruct, the double punch of Closer and Ruiner and the beautiful ending run of Repile, The title track and hurt. I know that the song is now synonymous with Johnny Cash but I think I like this version better. 65 minutes long and every second is worth it. 100% BANGER

no es mi estilo :/

Amazing.

In the past I was never a big fan of NIN, mainly because I preferred heavier music, but in a vacuum this is an incredible album. The creativity and production are off the charts. It's grating and very dark without ever losing a sense of melody, and this album was also super innovative and influential. 5.0/5.0: Iconic

this isnt my favorite but its pretty great. the songwriting is fantastic and the production is incredible. its hard not to give this a 5 if you are remotely into this/similar genres

Un poco shitero

This, along with Ministry's Psalm 69, defined exactly what industrial music could be for me. It's an appropriately named album, serving as a visceral document of Trent Reznor's descent into the hell he was experiencing—but also, somehow, his ascent back out. 'Piggy,' with its chaotic drumming at the end while Reznor just repeats 'Nothing can stop me now,' captures the very essence of the entire record. Perhaps Reznor said it best himself: a celebration of self-destruction in the form of a concept record that somehow became a worldwide hit. Side note: I remember thinking that if I could ever have sex while 'Closer' was playing, it would be absolutely insane...I was right.

Ugh. Completely unlistenable. Skip skip skip. I mean really. Couldn’t even last through the cover of Hurt. I was never NIN’s target audience I guess. Off to cleanse my soul with some Lizzo.

I first heard this album in college. I was failing and depressed but didn’t know I was depressed when I heard this album. When I heard “Nothing Can stop me now because I don’t care anymore” from Piggy I really felt that lyric. I never was a real fan of Nine Inch Nails but when I listened to The Downward Spiral I understood it. I felt it. I understood the spiral down. I would sit in my dorm room thinking of jumping out the window. When I heard “ Ihurt myself today to see I still feel”. I didn’t hurt myself during this time. I did drop out of college not long after. I still continue to struggle with depression. But I figured out better coping mechanisms. Now The Downward Spiral is really a great album because it does a great job of showing a person who is slowly deteriorating and is crying out for help. It’s sad and beautiful. The music is harsh and angry. But life is angry and harsh at times. A great moment in time.

This is a great album! It really stood out when it came out. I remember highly anticipating this after the masterful Broken EP and definitely not being disappointed. I probably haven’t put this on in decades and it still sounds great however the mix might be a bit thin in spots. There’s a lot of great experimental sounds on this album and maybe is a bit too thick in spots which may have contributed to a somewhat flat sounding mix. Also this is in the age of CDs so at over 65 minutes it’s probably a bit too long and could use a trim here and there. Overall though I still got excited hearing these songs again and it still was a good listen from beginning to end.

2 1/2

Iconic album of the time, great concept.

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

Too much rock for me

Love this

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.

The Downward Spiral is one of my favorite albums of all time. Listening again I'm surprised at how modern it still sounds and how club ready songs like closer, terrible lies, and heresy are in particular. The angst really fits the cultural moment we seem to have been going through for the last 30 years.

The angsty early 90s vibe is gonna sound dated to a lot of people, I get that, but this is brilliant, challenging abrasive music. Closer and Hurt are classics

Nine Inch NailsはOld Town Roadの人ということしか知らなかった。 このアルバムは80-90年代のEBMを色々と聞いていた時期を思い出すけど、ボーカルが好みじゃないし、ここ最近で聞いた音楽の中で一番つまらなくてダサい音だと思った。自分がメタル嫌いなだけか。

not my vibe

Aggressive and industrial. Punchy, punky angst. Nothing memorable or a pick, all just very shouty. And yet, not that bad. Probably unlikely to relisten, but I understand why people like NIN

Really interesting album. Heavy in unique ways, both musically and thematically. It felt a bit like Nevermind and Dirt, other early-90s albums on the list, but with the industrial sound instead of grunge. There was also a trip-hop quality to some tracks, maybe like Nightmares on Wax for another contemporary pick from the list (though it's been a while since I heard Smoker's Delight). It was certainly impactful even if dark and a little uncomfortable at times. It's hard to put my finger on exactly why, but I thought this was a pretty good album. The singles I'd heard from it don't really do the whole thing justice. I'm glad I listened to it here. Overall: 4/5

Closer Heresy Hurt Piggy March of the Pigs Eraser

3/10 So loud, not my thing

Phenomenal album. Raw and unhinged in the best way possible. Any time I listen to this, I can't help but go through my own downward spiral along with Trent Reznor, thinking about my own depression, angst, self-destructive behavior, delusions, just the whole thing. I just live through them again in each song. After this session, I did get the thought that it kinda perfectly encapsulates having a manic episode where everything starts to feel unreal towards the end. And of course, what do you do when even your own body does not feel like it's actually there? You harm yourself, and in a twisted way, it helps so much in the moment. The title track hit really hard this time. It's so melancholic and hopeful at the same time, especially considering that "Hurt" comes right after it.

I am quite shocked this is NIN's only album on here, it's abrasive and I think a testament to their powers but not my favourite thing to hear

Another DNF. I don’t understand the hype around NIN, it sounds all over the place and the vocals are too quiet in comparison to instruments.

17/03/25 o que quer que essa merda seja, eu não gosto pra mim é um dos álbuns mais superestimados da existência essa primeira música parece um poop com esse instrumental alto e a voz inaudível o final igualmente grande bosta isso ser a vibe deles nossa como eles são diferentões e fazem críticas sociais de forma mega inteligente nossa como eles se fato não se importam com nada, como são inteligentes piggy começou bem, chato mas um pouco menos foi um pouco menos chata do que eu esperava o vocal também é uma bosta, a galera tava era carente por uma vozinha baixa no ouvido o que aconteceu com a voz dele em heresy? conseguiriam piorar o que já era ruim agora ele decidiu berrar também, e o niilismo mega inteligente voltou march of the pigs acertaram no instrumental, parecia de videogame, daí o mano abriu a boca e voltou a bosta de sempre ainda bem que essa n tem letra, porque não dá pra ouvir o que ele canta mesmo, o nillismo e crítica social diferentão fica meio escondido closer é inesperadamente bem feito??? no instrumental obviamente, pq a letra é adolescente (niilista, claro) com tesão agressivo se alongou muito esse instrumental no meio já, quando eu finalmente acho algo decente aqui dentro ele se piora ruiner começa igual closer, instrumental decente e vão cagando com voz e etc um solo de guitarra distorcido bem broxa esses synths parecem intro de reportagem do fantástico kkkkkk the becoming é a pior de todas, esse instrumental é horroroso e até a voz consegue ser melhor esse solo de máquina quebrada é tão ruim que chega a ser engraçado para piorar essa bosta de projeto é imensa, tanto em duração individual de faixas quanto em todas as faixas I do not want this me define ouvindo o álbum, porque parece tortura essa poluição sonora do caralho big man with a gun é curta, finalmente algo ruim curto warm place decente, só de ser curto já me agrada, o contraste é até interessante eraser até que complementa esse contraste, acho que por não ter vocal na sua maior parte ela fica boa só pelo instrumental - só no final ela volta a merda que o álbum é esse álbum não acaba. o que caralhos esse álbum ainda tem para oferecer com todo o respeito, todas as músicas são praticamente iguais reptile tem esse som de tiro de textura que fica irritante por ser perceptível - e essa duração atrapalha tudo a self titled tem esse ar de antecipação, e finalmente algo tem impacto de acontecimento narrativo dentro dessa sonoridade tensa ela constrói algo pra hurt, mas a essa altura eu já fui lobotomizado - o que é minimamente bom na questão projeto narrativo fica oculto a versão do johnny cash ficou bem melhor também embora hurt seja boa aqui (talvez a melhor junto de closer e warm place), é uma joia oculta no meio de tanta bosta repetitiva - e esse é o problema desse álbum tudo nele é uma gritaria constante, sonora e temática, e as duas últimas faixas tentam trazer uma narrativa que não funciona por não ter sido desenvolvida e isso me leva ao segundo ponto, que é tentarem achar uma temática para isso (como abuso de substâncias) certamente não existe uma temática, é só alguns ouvintes que se acham diferentões dos outros tentando achar profundidade onde não tem, principalmente pela identificação com a temática niilista vergonhosa de tão rasa 2/10 (porque se tivesse como eu daria 1)

10/10. Quiet likely still my favourite album of all time. I can't understate how influential this album was on my appreciation and discovery of music, and how I processed my feelings in my later teenage years. It's still a job to listen to.

This album successfully made me feel mad, upset and like I looked inside a deranged person's head. Personally, I can't stand it, but it does accomplish it's goal

I see why David Lynch digged the shit out of these guys.

empezando y ya me pareció una chimba, amo la música así, al final si me gustó mucho pero no me mato

Must be the most dirty, angry sounding album that somehow still manages to have mass appeal. One of my friends is an absolute NiN megafan but I find his whole discography hard to approach somehow despite his attempts. Heard this one maybe twice before in full, but probably heard "Closer" 100+ times. Loved his soundtrack stuff with Atticus Ross since Social Network, though admittedly usually as an accompaniment to whatever they're scoring (Except "Hand Covers Bruise", could listen to that on repeat, breathtakingly minimal) Like this one more and more on repeat listens, "Take the skin and peel it back" and there are some weirdly catchy melodies in here, and the industrial hellscape is weirdly addictive

Think I was kinda disappointed in the this album from the AM top 100 and it's still not really clicking for me now either. I still think cash's version of hurt is better. 3

Hurt is great, Closer is great...especially the way it ends, it's just an amazing beat and groove. I understand the rest of it, but if I ever came back to it, I'm probably listening to these two songs and that's it. I'd much rather listen to Pretty Hate Machine, that's an album I really do enjoy and come back to from time to time. And really, I'd rather listen to the Johnny Cash version of Hurt before listening to this one. Glad I listened to it, respect it a lot, probably wouldn't play it again.

Could really spiral downwards with the album. Its pretty good apart from some questionable lyrics.

One of the greatest albums of all time in my opinion. The thematic cohesiveness and the production alone make this an incredibly strong standard by which I still measure other albums by.

This is cool, it's definitely not music I would ever choose to put on but I did like it more than I thought I would! Heresy is a banger! Hurt is a beautiful song! There are lots of good songs on here even though this is to me a pistachio ice cream situation. Good job Trent and Friends, have fun making music soundtracks that Doug will listen to forever

I didn't end up finding a 3rd song to really get into, but Inside and Hurt are too good and none of the songs were bad

Fuck yeah

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!

i fucks with it lowkey

-nicht meins

cool record. I really do hate to sound square but I did kind of find myself wondering somewhat offhandedly how we got to a place where Reznor is singing "I want to fuck you like an animal"

A couple great songs, but very dark and a little too dissonant at times.

Bak met herrie, 5 sterren

Soms heb je van die platen die een tijdsgeest en muziekstijl op zichzelf zijn. The Downward Spiral is zo'n plaat.

Solid 4 I like NIN but I can’t listen to them for too long as they can get a bit much but overall a solid album

I knew of Nine Ninch Nails for their lyrics, this album sure did not dissapoint I enjoyed it alot, There were not Nine nails however.

This is some heavy shit from Reznor

Very solid album

I can definitely understand why this album's on the list. I see this album and it's songs everywhere, I guess it's the quintessential industrial metal album. I may not totally "get" it on the first listen, but this was interesting enough to make me think, this may just be one of those things I might be "converted" in favor of in future. No guarantees though. Tracks I enjoyed: Mr self destruct, piggy, ruiner, a warm place, that one song the name of which I forgot in which he was like your god is dead or something like that

This was so much better than I expected. March of the Pigs, Ruiner, a Warm Place into Eraser? Holy shit. I spent a lot of the time listening to this thinking of a kid in elementary school. Poster child for adhd. Always wearing NIN, White Zombie, or Korn shirts. True madman shit to listen to this as an 8 year old.

The Downward Spiral is strange, creepy, incomparably distinct and oddly comforting. This entire album is filled with eerie instrumentals and lyrics that add to its charm. This is one of my favorite albums of all time and it will always a hauntingly beautiful masterpiece.

So, It's 2:30am, I'm suuuuper behind on this list to the point where it's not even funny and thought if I'm not sleeping I should just get some out of the way. Um, this is the next one up. Again, 2:30am. Let's see how this goes I've never heard anything by them before, or at least I don't think so. The main things I now about them is their music is apparently abrasive, loud, and "scary", the lead singer is friends with Tori Amos (?), slay. And Johnny Cash covered a song once, which i believe is the closing track on here? I actually really want to like this band tho, so I'm nervous as fuck to hit play and actually finally form an opinion. 1. Mr. Self Destruct - Okay, so i actually like the sound? Lyrics are exactly my favorite, but I understand what it's going for. 2. Piggy - Is is bad I actually like this? 3. Heresy - Okay, I kinda love the sound of this? Genuinely my favorite so far. Even down to the lyrics I vibe with it hard. 4. March of the Pigs - This ones kinda cool too 5. Closer - Okay, mixed feelings lyrically, but I understand this song is typically taken the wrong say. It sounds really fucking cool tho. 6. Ruiner - Holy vocal performance. The production too. wow 7. The Becoming - First song I'm not really vibing with on any level. I don't like the consistent screaming in background. I get the story, but no thank you. I was getting dizzy. I ended up having to skip halfway through, sorry 8. I Do Not Want This - Okay, vibing with this one 9. Big Man with A Gun - Okay so... not vibing with this at all. I can appreciate it's place in the story, understand the background on it, and hope that any man listening takes the time to understand it instead of going "ha ha, cool I like this one. that's so me". But, I will probably never listen to it again 10. A Warm Place - Pretty as fuck, holy shit. I really like this one 11. Eraser - Okay, so as cool as I am finding this album. Holy fuck this really is a red flag album if a man says it's his all time favorite. That's fucking scary. Like, you'd really have to explain yourself and make clear you don't feel like the protagonist is cool 12. Repile - Are the lyrics abhorrent? yes. Am I vibing with the production and vocals? also yes. I honestly really liked this one 13. The Downward Spiral - Oh, not exactly vibing with this one, but I get it's place in the story 14. Hurt - Overall Okay, holy shit. I actually really vibed with this, wtf? Is there something wrong with my brain for liking this???? It's probably not an album I will come back to as a whole very often, if at all, but i do see myself coming back to a few songs if I'm in the mood for this abrasive vibe. Wow, this was insane. I feel the need to say, if this was made by a worse person or it wasn't clear this was a story I would most likely be rating this a 1. Understanding it's critique on this vibe is what makes me like it as much, as well as the production and vocal. Idk I just find the overall sound really fucking cool. I think listening to Model/Actriz earlier in the year helped prepare me for this sound. Anywhooo, I think I'm going to listen to some Sabrina Carpenter as a palate cleanser then get some sleep.

lmao another album i've played on my cd player within the past week. kind of magical that an album this nihilistic and abrasive became a hit. it's edgy and juvenile and too brash maybe but fuck. it's just too compelling. i love the Johnny Cash version of Hurt but the original feels much more suicidal and hits harder emotionally to me. deserves to be one of the 1001? of course! toss Pretty Hate Machine and maybe The Fragile on too, honestly

No

What a singular experience, chaotic and dark throughout and thoroughyl original. It really is an important cultural staple and summary of the mid-90s.

I was a teenager in the 90s. I hated NIN then. 30 years later - I still hate NIN. This noise ruined my day.

I enjoyed this ..I’m not a hardcore fan but liked this genre in the day. Hurt is a great tune made even more special by the man in black. Honourable mentions to piggy, March of pigs, closer and I do not want this.

Pretty Hate Machine still is probably my fave NIN but this is a classic for a reason too. But, and idk if this is just a bad copy on Spotify, but the vocals are mixed so low they’re sometimes impossible to hear! Maybe that’s Reznor’s point, but his voice is absolutely drowned out by the music for, honestly, most of the album.

One of the best. Great mix of aggression and softness.

Just no

Perfect title for this exhausting album. Enjoyed Piggy and a couple of others though.

I like weird 90s music

Feels like a 90s sci fi move and some shit is going down in an industrial warehouse.

That was painful

Heresy and a warm place my likes other than closer. First version of hurt is good

Very unique album.

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.

Well, it's hard to say I'm *pleasantly* surprised with Nine Inch Nails, as there's not much pleasant about The Downward Spiral. But given how turned off I'd been by some material of theirs I'd heard in the past, I definitely dug this a lot more than I anticipated. Reznor is a hell of a musician, composer, and arranger, and for my tastes, he consistently strikes a solid balance of the overall industrial sound with distinct humanity, be that with the use of organic instruments or his harrowing lyrics. I'm still not sure if I love the overall style, but after one listen, it's at least an easy, high 3.5, with lots of potential room to grow. 3.5/5

It had been a long while since I last sat down with some NIN. I've always been a bit torn on them (him?), somewhat colored by having dated someone who was really into them for a while. On one hand, I like a lot of what they have going on sonically. Super creative sounds, innovative production techniques, off kilter time signatures, harsh effects. I can dig it. On the other hand are the vocals and lyrics, which still strike me at times as edgy for the sake of being edgy, and just too full of twisty ego whining delivered in a whisper-scream cadence that just bounces off my ears. I've seen them live, great show, I own Pretty Hate Machine on vinyl, which to be honest has been sitting on the shelf for years at this point. Downward Spiral is a classic, I'll go 3.5/5. Not totally my thing, but I get it.

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...

This album is raw, depressing and relentless. I can see why it's in this list but it's not for me.

Vet hoe ze hier steeds tussen dat schurende korrelige geluid en goede melodieuze songs in zitten.

Deze gaat morgen op repeat. Wat een teringvette plaat en een duidelijke voorloper op zaken als Code Orange en daar mag je me altijd voor wakker maken

Just wow

Alright, the absolute grunge goat, the sort of albums emos and goths attempted to make for years afterward. Just insanely good, emotionally devastation, new sound, Reznor is just unbelievable. Hurt just caps an amazing album and stronger legacy. Only problem is that this is a sometimes food if you aren't a depressed 17 year old wearing all black (positive).

RIDICULOUSLY vulgar, and that's saying something considering some of what I've put up with on 1001. Was barely able to get through the majority of the album even if the few tolerable songs were great

Like some other albums so far, this one was too sexual and abrasive for something I'd listen to regularity. But unlike some others, I'd be interested in listening to this one again. The sound design was fantastic, with lots of interesting samples and clean sounds to balance out the distorted ones. I found myself enjoying the instrumental moments more than the ones with vocals, go figure. The last song was powerful as well. Strong 6 to light 7

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.

cringe

An album to listen to while laying in the street in the rain. So good, so depressing, so cathartic...

4/5 I feel horny and depressed. This was a good album, but man is it heavy.

Depression and madness are portrayed so well that this piece of music is absolutely terrifying

Tad bit too heretical

It's rare to hear a records that slides deeper and deeper into the abyss with each passing track, without feeling like a total cliche of itself. It's as though Trent started working from the same styles that he'd used on the Broken EP and then gradually went deeper and darker into the reaches to find the absolute pit. It also would take him to an incredibly dark place personally, but it's a triumph of a record if occasionally uneven.

Not my type

Some really solid rock music. I expected to like this and I did! All in all I am pleased with this. Its not my favorite album of all time, I may not even re-visit it any time soon, but I am happy having listened to it. Everyone (myself included) loves to glaze Cash's cover of hurt, and it is very good, but his cover completely changes the meaning (if not the tone), such that its almost an entirely different song from Reznor's original, so I must say, no, Hurt does not "belong to Cash" I have changed my mind on this matter. 3.5/5

Was never a huge fan of NIN. Can't say that listening to this changed that. So much rage! And much of the time I have no idea why exactly he's so pissed. But the originality and musicianship is undeniable. And Hurt really is one of the all time classic songs. I could make a mix of maybe ten NIN tracks and that would be an amazing playlist and would not really care about anything else they (he) ever did. But rounding up for going out on a high note.

Distorted emo murmuring =music? 🤔

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.

Great album! one of my favorite bands in the world.

I know this band was (is?) really popular, but to be honest listening to this album filled me with the desire to go out and yell at kids to get off my lawn and, a) There were no kids out front and b) I don’t have a lawn. I’m old and listened to punk if I needed angsty music, not this. It's just not my jam.

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

Vähän ehkä liian industrialia omaan makuun. Ei mitenkään täysin mahdoton kuunnella, tosi paljon hyviä juttuja. Ehkä vähän raflaava ja cringe paikoitellen. NIN on iso bändi tällä saralla, mutta en tän levyn ekalla kuuntelulla ainakaan faniks rupea.

Obviously Closer is one of the best songs of all time but I also really liked Heresy and Ruiner sounds like something from Queen of the Damned so I really loved this one.

THIS ALBUM IS FIRE! 5/5

The album still sounds incredibly intense and dark, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s easy to understand why younger listeners are drawn to that kind of raw negativity. Sometimes I wonder if still loving it means I haven’t really grown up—but the music itself remains powerful and compelling. Listening again, “Eraser” might actually be my favorite track. There’s something about its tension and atmosphere that still hits just as strongly as it did before.

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

like an italian wiseman said: "sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit".

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.

Liked these guys from a distance for a long time, and bought this when it first came out, but didn’t spend much time beyond the hits until Trent and Atticus scored The Social Network. That was basically my gateway into going back and exploring NIN. Been a fan ever since. Saw them live a couple of weeks ago, with Josh Freese on drums - fantastic show. So yeah, five stars for this.

this album is like sickening to listen to, i'm just not a big industrial sound guy i guess there are a few good songs though so it gets a high 3

quelques rares moment , dont Hurt, qu’est sympa sous cette forme 1.5+/5

An incredibly powerful album.

It was ok, I like his voice and theres some really good guitars, it was too long I got bored of the angst.

Hmm, this band has some bangers but seemingly not on this album. As an ex suicidal angry person, I expected to enjoy it a bit more than I actually did. Maybe I've outgrown this sort of thing. I dunno. I'll be controversial though: Johnny Cash didn't do it better. Disappointing.

Reallygood

Not a fan of the screaming.

shout out drugs!

I've never been a regular NIN listener but always held them in high regard. I think this is my first full listen of this one, and it's not as good as I wanted em to be. Still worthy, just not a 5* experience!

He seems mad about something. 4.6/5

Absolutely GREAT!! 8.5 OUT OF 10.

Trent was well on his way to doing soundtracks for Disney movies.

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

Straight poop. Fuck this album

I'm torn: as an audio experience, not great. But I do appreciate what Trent was going for and he executed his vision very well. At the same time, it feels very try hard, even if it is sincere. Like, it's hard to know what to make of "What if Hot Topic, but sincere?" The original is good, but the Hurt cover by Cash is a dark horse candidate for HOF of covers

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.

Really great album. Crazy how current/new and different the beats and production still sounds over 20 years later. Dropped a star because it’s just so angry/dark and that’s not my vibe so I don’t want to listen to this on repeat, but the music is so good.

Some are 5s but the majority are 3s and 2s!!! and it hurts to say

asi suena el sexo

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.

When to listen: in a dark rage. Started out enjoying this album more than I thought I would but then, as the title suggests, it took a downward spiral and I liked the later songs less.

An album that has undoubtedly influenced a lot of music that I love. A true masterpiece

A throwback. I listened to it a lot back then. Doesn’t hold the same appeal now. But it is good, unique, and I still like a few of the songs.

This is not an album to sew by. Nor is it my thing.

Incredible sound design, and some cool tracks. Probs went a bit long, but it was worth sticking out to hear Hurt.

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.

Good

8/10

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

Tortured, bleak, rough, and yet completely and utterly outstanding. Favorite track: Hurt

Not everything you'd label "experimental" is a success, but this has clear intent and well executed. As a concept album about a fall into despair you really feel it, but you'd probably have to be in a certain mood to want to listen to it

Drew like a dark, fucked up version of the hamburger helper mascot haha. Just a glimpse into my dark reality. A full stare into my twisted perspective would make most simply go insane Imao

Noise and evil

Solid 4.5⭐️. Victim of the CD era and plays a little too long. Found myself spending most of the time after A Warm Place waiting for Hurt. With editing could have been a no brainer 5⭐️

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.

Absolute abysmal noise. The only track I liked was the one they didn't shout/groan/swear/sing on! Can we just stop with the rock now!

Not my vibe

I bought this CD when it was released, but I never really got what he was doing. Haven’t listened to it again until now, and I regret that because this is pretty great (even moreso because of the ‘when’ not just the ‘what’). Crazy Tom Waits ‘Bone Machine’ vibes, mixed with Rage Against instrumentation, metal vocals, all mixed with crooner sensibility on one song, fourth wall breaks on another - and that Johnny Cash cover to end, genius (I know…). I’ll head back to the vault and check out more Reznor…but then I turned on my lyrics scroller and saw just how awful the lyrics were (I couldn’t really make them out otherwise) - I’m hoping they’re ironic and metaphorical, and I think they are, but Jesus! Down to a strong 2 if not…

Listened to this a lot in high school. One of the first albums that made me feel uneasy/gross when hearing it. If the measure of good art is to illicit feel ing, than this is great. The production is great and so influential for what was to come. And Hurt is one of the best songs of the 90s.

Too wild

why would trent reznor ever apologize for making an album as raunchy as this? as nasty as this? favorites: mr. self destruct; march of the pigs; closer

Great listen overall—an experimental mix of electronic sounds, guitar, and edgy vocals. I was ready to give it 4 stars, but the track Closer really put me off. I don’t mind edgy vocals or provocative lyrics, but this one pushed it a bit too far. It started to feel reminiscent of those 2009 bowl-cut kids, and not in a good way. Still, a solid 7.5/10.

This one is a masterpiece. So many layers to the sound, so many sounds, and of course, Trent’s angry voice. Plus, Hurt is just fantastic.

Industrial is Still not my Favorite but admittedly this is brilliant for what it is. And Hurt is one of the darkest, saddest songs ever written. Both this version and Johnny cash’s cover

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.

Dark, heavy, emotive. I love that about Reznor and NIN. The mix of Industrial and grungy rock makes it stand out, though on occasion it stood out in a not great way. Still a very solid album. 4/5

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

2.5/5 - Oisin luullu, et oisin tykänny täst enemmän. En ollu ennen kuullu mitää tält bändilt, kuullu vaan nimen, enkä kyl oottanu mitää tällast. Kun aloitin kuuntelee tätä, tein sen oppitunnilla sillee et mul oli vaan yks kuuloke, mikä ei kyl oikeuttanu tätä levyy yhtää. Täl levyl on tosi monii tasoja ja paljon erilaisia ääniä, mitkä kyl ansaitsee molemmat kuulokkeet. Tää on just sellane levy, mille pitää kiinnittää täysi huomio todella tarkas mielentilassa, että sitä pystyy arvostaa ja et sitä levyy jaksaa ees kuunnella. Mun mielestä tuntu et tää albumi oli enemmän joku tarina kuin pelkkää musiikkia, mikä oli ihailtavaa ja tosi siistiä. Tää kuitenki johti siihen et biisit oli välillä vähän korvia raastavia, varsinkin ne kohdat missä vaan legit karjuttiin. Myös tän albumin sellane 'metalli' (ei se genre vaan legit niiku tehtäis jotai metallist, hitsataan yms) soundi ei natsannu, vaikka arvostanki sitä. Tosi hienosti suunniteltu ja toteutettu levy, mut it wasn't for me.

100% yes!

Frankly unimpressed after listening for the first time in 20 years. This didn’t age nearly as well as I was expecting (compare Killing Joke‘s first album which still hits hard after all these years). Bonus point for Hurt, though- one of the most intense songs ever written. It rolls in like a calm tide and before you know it the lyrics seize you and pull you down into the cold depths. I wish the rest of the album was as riveting…

've listened to this album many, many times. We have it on CD and up until we got rid of our last car that had a CD player in it a year or so ago, it was on regular rotation in the car. Trent Reznor is such a musical genius and this album is a great example of that. The songs are just raw and a look into everything he had going on in his life at the time. If I was picking a personal list of my top albums, this would definitely be on it, so totally worthy that it made this list in my opinion.

Not a album I would listen to again

Equal parts horny and angsty Favourite track: Mr. Self Destruct

Good stuff, but not really my taste. "Hurt" is easily my favorite track, but the cover by Johnny Cash (not featured on this album) is still the superior version. 7.5 / 10

Listened at my desk at work; industrial with moments of quiet vocals, definitely impactful but not an easy listen.

A great album by an even better band. I was lucky enough to see these guys last year and they amazed me, the sound quality was something I’ve never witnessed before during live music. This is the first album I listened to before becoming a big fan of Nine Inch Nails work, after a lot of listening I must admit there is better NIN albums, and this one slows down for me towards the end with a few tracks I see as filler. I love the crazy song structures and experimental sounds used in this album. There’s elements of so many different types of music. I always used to describe them as if Depeche Mode did metal. It’s great how they can have songs like ‘March Of The Pigs’ and ‘Hurt’ on the same project and both contain so much emotion, presented in an entirely different way to each other but neither lacking in quality. Favourite tracks are: ‘Mr Self Destruct’, ‘Piggy’, ‘Heresy’, ‘March Of The Pigs’, ‘Closer’, ‘Ruiner’, ‘Big Man With A Gun’.

Not really a rock fan tbh

It's great. I felt like playing Quake after listening to this.

It's noisy and edgy but the sound is like contained in a chaotic atmosphere set to a rhythmic beat (3.5)

I've never really got into NIN. Listening to this again got me a little closer but I don't think I'll ever be a fan. Some surprised me. Only a few tracks met what I expected this to sound like (ignoring what I already knew). But I largely enjoyed it, even if I didn't love it.

Oh, I thought I was gonna hate this. I was soo wrong. I kinda half knew a couple and thought it would just be a lot to take and no fun. But this is tremendous. The grooves are awesome. The sounds are so well put together. On track 1 I thought I was gonna struggle with the aggressiveness of some of it, but it just works so well within the context of the tracks. It's also very funny in parts which I didn't expect. I think that the run time is a little long and there were a couple of tracks in the middle I could have lived without, but beyond that I really enjoyed it. Half of me wants to give it a 5 and I think with a couple of the middle tracks dropped it would have got there. Great stuff.

It sounds so horrible yet its mastered so well. I don't like the lyrics or the instruments used, its like putting a cheese grater up to my ears.

It was ok - lots of electronica. Lyrics were basic but had a darker meaning.

Yeah pretty good album. The only song I'd listened to was hurt and I still think it is the best song on the album. But lots of other cool songs and should definitely listen to it again with more focus

I think there is a period of one's life where Nine Inch Nails speaks to you, and I might have aged out of it. What I once thought was pop genius processing metal, industrial, sci-fi into a zeitgeist cyborg sounds a little pedestrian now, but perhaps we have finally caught up to Trent Reznor's dystopia leanings. Were I 17 just hearing this, I might blast it from my battle tank, but in my golden years, it didn't grab me from my Honda Civic.

I’ve never really known what to make of Trent Reznor and his whole tortured, angry persona. What’s he gotten so worked up about? He’s a talented arranger of electronic soundscapes, no question. But as a guy singing about wanting to penetrate and violate you, on an album about some guy’s toxic-masculine mental breakdown, yeah I dunno. It seems carefully curated for shock value (or alternately, the inspiration to would-be mass shooters). In the end, I guess he just wants to fuck everyone in the world, he wants to do something that matters. Who doesn’t?

Yes this is angsty teeny mad at the mean old world music but it also goes to interesting places.

Too long, but the singles hold up. NIN proved that you didnt have to be German (or European) to make it big in industrial music.

Trent Reznor seems to have spent his entire life experimenting with sound, and while Pretty Hate Machine was dominated by synthesizers and Broken by aggressive guitar sounds, this album incorporates the best of both. It's almost an hour of industrial history from a furious lyrical protagonist who hates everything around him, and especially himself, ultimately ending his own life. The lyrics delve into those corners of the brain and soul that you'd rather not think about, and the music sometimes forces you to vent your anger with its thunderous sound, and sometimes simply frightens you; this is aided by periodic rustling, screams, creaks, and other seemingly otherworldly sounds. But there's nothing otherworldly here; this album was written by a living person, based on his feelings, and that fact sends a chill down your spine. I would strongly advise against listening to it in an unstable emotional state.

Top Songs: Heresy March of the Pigs Closer

concept album about someone who is on a journey to self discovery. themes of addiction, religion, sex, and violence. a true masterpiece of an album that made trent reznor a household name in the alternative music genre. highlights: “march of the pigs” “closer” “the becoming” “reptile” “hurt”

I'm not the biggest fan of industrial music, but there's something about NIN that I love.

Ok. Best so gar

I can't really explain why I found this album interesting. I do like the anger and the sound of it. In the end, it's an interesting listen, which is way more than some of the albums here.

NIN has always been a bit hit or miss for me. But this is arguably his best work. I almost wanted to stab my ears with the first track, but then he goes on a nice run of good to great songs. Gonna add Closer and Hurt to the playlist. Gotta go with the classics.

This is a key example of how 1994 was peak music. Rolling Stone ranks this album at #2 for that year, right between Dookie and Weezer. This album is epic.

well it's peak

Sheer genius writing from Trent Reznor on this album. I’m a sucker for concept albums and this album is a great example of why people should listen to them front to back. A story of addiction and the decline of one’s sanity til the point of suicide. Now, I will admit the songs on this album, aside from maybe two, are not worth hearing by themselves

Just the right feelings of grime and slime. 4/5

I don't dislike industrial music but a whole album of it is maybe too much for me. However when a song or part of a song hits right it goes HARD.

i realize i think i only liked closer

The sound of tattoos and piercings for the 90s. Trent reznor was an original and this ‘industrial’ sound enraptured david Bowie who asked him to tour with him. ‘Hurt’ was immortalised by Johnny cash’s swansong acoustic cover version. A bit dismal but not boring.

Instrumentals and production is dope. Lyrics not so much.

Production and arrangements are fantastic.

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

Fine but not for me

Noise. But hurt is a banger.

Noise

Innovative noise

I was really surprised how much I liked this recording. I liked the second cut a lot.

Liked it a lot more than I thought I would.

The fact that these sounds came out in 1994 is a little wild to me. Safe to say Trent was blazing a trail back then.

Fantastic, I wasn’t allowed to listen to this as a kid but finally came around to it now and wow. This move been mind blowing in the early 90s.

Please put Nine Inch Nails straight into my ears. And by that I mean deafen me.

I like Closer, but NOT MY VIBE AT ALL

Big NIN fan and love this one; own the remix Further, also love.

Whoa - Incredible. I was a teen in peak NIN time, but I just never got them. None of my friends did either, so I know if them, but never listened to an album. What a shame, but better late than never. There is so much amazing stuff going on. First listen was with a set of ear buds and I was thinking the production felt like it fell a little short. Then I put it on the good headphones. Poduction is amazing! Get past the dark themes (or maybe enjoy them), and it's clearly going to get the religious folk off side, but the whole package works, and it's bloody excellemt.

How Mr. Reznor can take so much pain and suffering, translate it to industrial sounds and make it so listenable is amazing. I grew up with Pretty Hate Machine and this came out when I was 20. It resonated with me in a profound way then, and I was surprised how well it held up to a relisten when I'm in my 50's. The textures are so interesting and engaging, I thought I would be turned off by the screaming now that I've mellowed a little bit but it still hits. I only docked it a half star just because I couldn't listen to it very often because of how angsty it is. 4.5

I fully recognize from an artistic standpoint what makes this a great album. It just doesn't really do anything for me. I'm quite sure 99% of that is having grown up in a world that came after this album, I've heard this kind of thing a million times and it's worn out. The shock value is gone. What once surely felt raw and real now feels cliche and overdone. Frankly, I think too many edgelords took cultural artifacts like this album and made it their whole personality and just ruined it. 3 stars to try and be fair.

Filthy but genuinely arousing.

Nice - was not a fan when I was younger, they have clearly grown on me

Too exhausting for me. Experimenten and noisy.

Thought I was gonna really like this album but it was a meh for me. Some good stand out tracks but don’t think I’d revisit. 5/10

I'm never sure how to feel about Nine Inch Nails. Maybe if I'd discovered them a few years prior to when I did I would have some kind of nostalgia for their music and enjoy it more. Now, however, it's just a bit too "aggressive" for me. I appreciate their art. I think the musicianship is great, and I liked the vocals a decent amount. This was just a miss for me today.

I've never really listened to NIN despite them being in the genre of music and generation I listen to. This album was my first real introduction to them despite having heard "Closer" several times. The cold industrial sound is amazing, so unique and creatively done while also being rock at the same time. Dare I say it's like a prototype Sleep Token, or perhaps Sleep Token pulled inspiration for their sound from NIN? It's definitely an album that I need to be in a specific mood for, but it is good. 7/10

Chaos and distortion reigns. There may be art and skill here, but I am not appreciating it. The track “I Do Not Want This” accurately summarizes up my experience.

Very interesting industrial sound, but not something I'm interested in