The Downward Spiral

Sinister, loud, in your face, a wall of noise that makes you want to go smash something. I like Pretty Hate Machine a bit more than this album, but still, some of the best music to play when you're just pissed off.

Probably the best NIN album. Its iconic. Its dark. Its sexy. Its intense. So industrial.

Do yourself a favor and sync this up to watch the movie krull

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.

Really good

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 ?

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.

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

крутой альбом

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

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

4. enjoyed it, but not for me

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

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.

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.

Classic

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Too much rock for me

Love this

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

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

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

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

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

Very solid album

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

An incredibly powerful album.

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!

Absolutely GREAT!! 8.5 OUT OF 10.

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.

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.

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

8/10

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

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⭐️

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.

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

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

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…

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

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’.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

Production and arrangements are fantastic.

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.

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

Filthy but genuinely arousing.

It's a good album that I never reach for. I just can't ever "be in a NIN mood." And Trent Reznor is a genius, a fact which I think is undisputed. But, it's so tough for me to find my way into these works without wanting to gravitate to something more melodic and less dour. Again: good record. Maybe even a classic. But for me, this sits firmly at a solid 7/10.

The Downward Spiral both evokes and requires a certain type of mood. Primarily, it is industrial rock, it is an in your face, at times disorienting album, driven by Reznor's screeching vocals and it's themes abrasive. Within the chaos, and judicious use of distortion, it also manages to mix in elements of techno and ambient soundscapes. This, it's extremely dark lyrics, and surprising room for reflection amidst the chaos elevates it above the clutter of most heavy albums.

I mean, the 90s me is loving this.

I played this for my daughter and she started crying. Sign of greatness Got my man adrian belew on guitar, whose just swell. Standouts - march of the pigs, heresy, hurt

Already listened, super disturbing album with very heavy themes and some interesting sounds. I can't say much else, but I'll give it an 8.5/10.

First off, I totally dig NIN. But this is probably my least favorite NIN album. Almost all of it seems too same-y. Crash Crash Industrial noise with occasional dips to near silence for dynamic effect. Cool, but it's just too much. I know it was part of his journey from Pretty Hate Machine into his greater success, but I can understand why Trent said, 'Sorry. You shouldn't have let me do what I was going to do" when he turned it in to the label. Someone should have watched over his shoulder a bit. BUT, and this is a big but... "Closer" is an AMAZING song. It may be a perfect song. How many songs have that content and the cursing and Still get played on the radio? Sure, bleeps abound, but we still hear what you're saying there boyoo! And "Hurt" is almost as perfect. (aside from that drone for a minute at the end) Just like everyone, I loved the Johnny Cash version of it. Trent even said That's Johnny's song now, But coming back to it and listening a few times, This version is amazing! They're both exceptional, but for different reasons. So those two songs along make this an absolute Must-listen and Trent has done a dozen other great things since then. But I can't imagine coming back and listening through this more than once or twice in a lifetime. It's too noisy Giving it a 4 simply based on those 2 amazing songs

Great music. There is a reason Reznor went on to make music scores and soundtracks. There is a reason he makes movie music and gave up vocals because his "through the megaphone" yelling and hollering and whispering on this album sucks ass. Could have been perfect.

Brooding digital meditation of yearning

I knew nothing about NIN until I saw them at Reading festival about 10 years ago. Well I say I saw them... what I actually saw was the shadows of some figures through the smoke and dry ice on the stage and an extraordinary light show. It was hugely memorable but I never saught out any of their albums so listening to this is something I've been looking forward to. And I'm not disappointed. When I listen to any album the first time it's naturally the music I concentrate on. And this is a sonic explosion. Sounded great on heaphones. But all I picked up from the lyrics was that NIN must be really into pigs. Later I read that it's an album laden with anger and angst. So that must be what all the screaming was about? I will seek out more NIN. But then I said that 10 years ago.

Late 90’s sound but holds up

I don’t know if Trent was the first to do it but he’s one of the best to.

harrowing listen - breathtaking in its destruction

8/10. Really enjoyed this one, much to my surprise!

Denne hører jeg på helt feil dag. Jeg er fan av Trent Reznor og liker Nine Inch Nails, men idag har jeg feber og har spilt Stardew Valley. Ikke i humør til å fuck you like an animal. Skikkelig rå og sårbar musikk Helt vanvittig historie bak, kult å endelig høre sammenhengen. Hurt er en av de vakreste sangene skrevet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF-5AS4m4Ck Høydepunkt: Piggy, Closer (utrop Serenne), Heresy, Big Man With A Gun, A Warm Place

classic.

Not my style but they definitely rocked!

Tältä ei ollut tuttu kuin hitti ”Hurt”. Aivan hyvä levy. Kuuntelin Deluxe-version.

I like NIN, but I don’t love NIN. I’m actually more of a fan of Pretty Hate Machine over this album, but Closer is a stone cold classic that can’t be ignored. Hurt is a Johnny Cash song.

Moments of brilliance. But also (too many) moments of Trent Reznor singing about his dick.

enjoyed this a lot more than i thought i would lmfao

* Notes: The vocals are very NIN, and the raw, grungey rock aesthetic they were going for is super clear throughout the album. * Overall: I think if I gave it a couple more listens, I’d actually really like this album as a whole for the right mood. It’s a good “spooky season” album and I love the unique production.

Essential 90s alternative rock album.

First time I listen to this album in full, absolute masterpiece and remarkable songs, production, sound and lyrics, it stays with you and hits you in the head with bricks. What an experience, what an album.

Great album! I love the song Parklife. His accent is great. Fun to listen to and upbeat.

NiN has always been unique to me. Industrial sounding with great production, Trent Reznor has a weird but special understanding of music

Good record. I haven’t listened to anything other than Closer or Hurt in years. I’m glad I had to today.

Not much of a NIN fan, but this album seemed so unique compared with the music coming out around that time.

classic one🤌

Album got rolling after a couple of songs. Actually tried to listen to this one before but really enjoyed it this time.

Nine Inch Nails crowning achievement. The anger and rage is so visceral on this album. The music is abrasive and raw, yet it’s also a technical masterpiece. Not the kind of music I can listen to often, but when the mood is right, this album is really pretty incredible. Nothing else really compares to it. Also, side note… pretty incredible arc to Trent Reznor’s career. From this to scoring movies and winning Academy Awards. Quite an accomplished musician.

this is what i'm talking about! it is so much better than the other albums I've listened to so far. This album is extremely textured, with layers of sound that you can feel inside your head. It's stimulating and sensory rich without being overstimulating.

If I could give this negative stars I would

Loved this since I was a teenager

Som great songs here

I listened to Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt so much that I forgot how haunting the original NIN version was.

Another classic

Classic album they never really matched.

Driving to Saskatoon rn. This first song sounds like complete ass through my truck speakers… incoherent, radio fuzz. My speakers aren’t that bad. wtf is this song. This song literally hurts my ears, or I can’t hear it. First four songs sucked. Mix was trash. The rest is good, some songs bangers even. NIN are fucking weird. But it’s fucking cool. The fact I listened to Closer so much as a teen is hella concerning and also probably explains a lot. 3.75/5

I know this is an important album, but I found it hard to bear at times. Very grating. Maybe I‘m too old now?

Om robotar kunde ha bdsm-partyn hade detta albumet varit obligatoriskt för ändamålet. Jag börjar förstå varför jag inte lyckats fastna för NIN tidigare och detta album fick mig att ändra uppfattning. Enstaka låtar presterar inte jättehögt men sammansatt i ett album uppskattde jag hela lyssningsupplevelsen mycket mer!

Some of the most unique and interesting music we’ve heard thus far. The lyricism at times is a bit too much for me and enters cringe territory, but otherwise great

Haven't listened to a ton of nine inch nails, i had a perception they were something they are really not. I enjoyed this.

One of the greatest concept albums I’ve listened to for the longest time. It’s not totally perfect, but I’d love to listen to it again given the right mood. Favorite tracks: Heresy, Closer, The Becoming, The Downward Spiral

I had only known one song on this album. I had heard their single Closer and I was impressed. So when this album came my way to review I was looking forward to it and I was not disappointed. Of course I had heard of their version of Hurt but I had never actually listened to it. I can see why JC liked it. Every song on here is a banger but you have to listen to it with headphones or you will miss the nuance in the music.

Puh, tuff to get into at the beginning, but damn does this album tear you apart und put you back together again! Really pushing the boundaries of what can be enjoyed as music, while always holding on to a sense of melodie. An atmosphere thats really one of a kind!

This tour came through my college campus. Quite literally across the street from my dorm. It was Jim Rose Circus Side Show, Marilyn Manson, and NIN. One of the best shows I'd seen. This album is a huge evolution from Pretty Hate Machine and Fragile. Aggressive, abrasive, and filled with angst. Lots of ear candy sprinkled throughout. Reznor was never a great lyricist, and this album kinda highlights that. But the point of those lyrics were to prod at those pressure points. To make you feel a bit disturbed by them. It's music for your BDSM. This album ends at a point in his career where he reevaluates his life and artistic direction before creating NINs masterpiece, The Fragile. This is Pink Floyd's Meddle before recording Dark Side of The Moon.

This isn't the first album to deal with a downward spiral of mental health, violence or suicide. But it's one of the more high profile and well-known ones. It's violently aggressive at times but also has an irresistible swagger throughout. Kind of a weird juxtaposition, I want to hate it and love it at the same time. Musically it's got a lot going on that isn't immediately easy to pick out and the production is excellent (today I learned Reznor worked with Flood). Definitely best appreciated in one long sitting.

Legendary, still not enough bangers for me, used to love them from later releases

Один из тех альбомов которые я в основном слушаю целиком или никак. Мне кажется он затянут, но я все равно люблю его структуру. Особенно обожаю warm place. Словно небольшая передышка, в ожидании мрачного будущего. Лежишь без движения и не можешь ничего поделать с этим. И конечно hurt, а также предшествующая ей downward spiral отлично закрывают альбом.

Listened a lot to to Nine Inch Nails for a few years. A great band with a lot of energy and ideas which are produced in a very creative way.

WHAT A FUCKING BANGER WTF

I suppose I had been taught by kids in the 90s that this was aggressive, angry rock. Pretty much what Limp Bizkit was trying to do. I guess I took them too seriously..I mean, I knew who Trent Reznor was and why he was important to music. But I couldn't have told you a single NIN album. Anyway, roll tape. It was quite pleasant. Not too aggressive. Yeah. The whole thing about pigs was kinda weird. But I liked the acoustic instrument breaks. And, some parts where like movie scores. I had never actually listened to the original Hurt (just the Johnny Cash cover), so it was quite satisfying to listen to. Dragged a bit, but I think it has aged well. I'm just wondering what the vibe of a concert would be. 4 Stars.

Ye it's cool

I don't think I've ever given Nine Inch Nails a fair hearing before. I wasn't familiar with the term 'edgelord' in 1994, but if I had been, that's definitely how I'd have described someone living in Sharon Tate's old house while writing songs called Piggy and Mr Self Destruct. It just all smacked of trying a bit too hard to be shocking and dark. I shouldn't have been so quick to write them off though - this has some pretty strong songs. (I still prefer Johnny Cash's version of Hurt though.)

Really good.

One of the best noise/alt rock albums ever cut

Such an intense album, just on the border of being too much to enjoy. But I do enjoy it, bordering on a 5 star album for me.

One of my weirdest concert experiences was seeing NiN in 2007. During Head Like a Hole I somehow found myself in a circle pit and got absolutely freight-trained in the chest by a gigantic sweaty bear of a man, easily three times my size. The same dude then scooped me up off the ground, said he was very sorry, hugged me and… didn’t… let… go. I slow danced with this bear for a full 5 minutes while Trent Reznor closed the show with Hurt. Not sure if I felt comforted or violated. Basically the same experience coming back to this album.

Yesterday I got Berlin by Lou Reed: I think the generator is trying to send a message. I've spent my fair share of time with The Downward Spiral, and it's still fascinating that something this completely grim was a massive break-out. This is basically a character study about an individual representing all of Trent Reznor's aimless, impotent anger and worst self-destructive tendencies. Throughout the album, this character's rage and frustration are peeled back to reveal the sad emptiness at the heart of it all. Starting off, the oppressive world of The Downward Spiral is presented to us through four generational barnburners, before things shift a little with the chronically misunderstood Closer. To me, it's really about debasing sex beyond a coping mechanism, almost into a form of self-harm. It's here that we really start peeling the layers back. Some of the aimlessness, regret and alienation is laid bare before one final outburst of masculine violence in Big Man With A Gun. Then, following this, we follow the spiral to the aching, fractured Hurt, and it's implied suicide. Sonically, the textures of The Downward Spiral may be its single greatest draw. From the *searing* synth and guitar tone on Mr. Self-destruct, to the massive, bleak industrial soundscape on Reptile, to the eerie dance beat on Closer, these songs maintain distinct. Incredibly, the sheer knowledge of the equipment necessary to produce this is pretty much on display at all times. This album contains some of the most improbable and distinct synth tones ever. I think the biggest weakness of this album, generally is the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, a lot of Trent's best lyrics are here, and this album has its fair share of mantras and anthems. But on a song like Big Man With A Gun, he is almost *comically* on the nose. I will say, this album's sheer anger usually helps it out on this front. Even if what you're saying is a little stupid, saying it with conviction goes a long way. And this album has conviction in spades. I'm really trying to think if this deserves the 5. I think I'm gonna veer no, if only because the tracklist starts *incredibly* tight, and is observably a little less tight by the end. Despite that, this is a *very* strong 4. This may be industrial's greatest crossover with the mainstream, especially just because of how little Trent had to give up. This album is still *incredibly* personal, and its character portrait is uncompromised. One of the '90s most interesting moments for sure.

Sometimes Reznor's vocal style gets in the way of this going from an album I appreciate to an album I enjoy. One that I will definitely return to. Fav tracks: Hurt. Saved a song: N RYM: Y (#78)

Excellent album!

ders çalışırken dinlediğim için çok bir şey anlamadım da rock bayadır dinlemiyodum iyi geldi ama çok horny

Tremendérrima portada. Contra todo pronóstico, Trent Reznor y sus amigos aporreando cosas me ha gustado ¿? A ver, no lo escucharía todos los días de mi vida, pero sabe hacer que este sonido tan duro me resulte disfrutable y eso habla muy bien de su maestría como músico que ya todos la conocemos. Como seguramente nos pongan más cosas de este género que no es para nada de mi gusto, le voy a poner un 3,75/4 porque creo que este sí puede ser el pico de este tipo de música. Jamás hubiera imaginado que me gustarían: Mr Self Destruct, Closer, Ruiner, Big Man With a Gun, A Warm Place (gracias por el descanso, lo necesitaba), Eraser

Oh, Trent! You beautiful beast! No one did or still does sound like you or the barely restrained fury of NIN. The Downward Spiral remains an album to be reckoned with.

“The Downward Spiral” is (perhaps together with the early work of Einstürzende Neubauten) the benchmark for industrial music and, as a result, one of the most influential albums of the 90s. Even after 30 years, I still find the opener “Mr. Self-Destruct” rather inaccessible, but it is followed by unusual but really strong material – examples of this for me are “March Of The Pigs” and “Closer.” And surely everyone knows “Hurt,” even if it's perhaps more likely to be the legendary Johnny Cash version. I think this album is the reason why I often find later experimental bands (keyword: noise rock) uninspired—Trent Reznor's creativity, as demonstrated on “The Downward Spiral,” was simply rarely matched after that.

I have great respect for Trent Reznor’s genius as a composer and this record was a 5 for me 30 years ago as a college student. Now, the punishing industrial bits and dark subject matter are more intense than I want, but so much of this record still sounds fresh and impressive. As then, I am captured by the fact of this as a solo project and the feeling of being inside the brain and emotions of someone going mad. I love when the music changes and beautiful interludes come in, and I love the synth-driven beats as well as the masterpiece “Hurt.” High four stars

Honestly more familiar with Trent Reznor from his work on movie scores. Of course I've heard some NiN music, most notably Hurt (prefer Johnny's version) and Closer (which I never enjoyed) so I can't say I was overly excited when this popped up. Right from the opening track this album is atmospheric, intense and feels like the musical accompaniment to the Saw movie franchise. Heavy electronical sounds paired with harsh industrial rock. Trent's musical ability really shines through and it's no surprise he's since worked on movie soundtracks as he paints a clear picture of the themes and story of the album, not only through his lyrics but also through the tense, anxiety inducing production. Sidenote, the piano breakdown on March of the Pigs genuinely took me by surprise. It makes for bleak and depressing listening for large parts of the album with key themes of self loathing, sexual guilt and religious apathy. But it would be a lie to suggest I didn't find myself enjoying chunks of this album. Not sure when I'll find myself in the right mood to listen again but I enjoyed this. I think. I need a shower after that one. Favourite: Piggy, March of the Pigs, The Becoming, A Warm Place, Hurt Least favourite: Closer, Big Man With A Gun, Eraser, Rating: 7/10

With distance and time, I've come to enjoy this album. I mostly listened while riding my bike to/fro work and an appointment, so perhaps you can add the effect of wind to that list, too. Regardless, listening to this now, I'm not sure why I didn't like NIN back in the 90s. Maybe it was too many meatheads with NIN stickers, or knee-jerk opposition to media saturation, or who knows? Now, it sounds dark, but poppy, and kind of fun. So, yeah, Iiked it.

I appreciated this more than I thought I would. Had not listened to it in 30 years and it held up well.

Could use some tighter edits, but I love the epic sweep and hammering rhythm of many of the tracks.

4/5 - I recommend walking around a leafy neighborhood on a Sunday morning listening to Heresy on earbuds while fresh faced people enter the nearby churches. It's weird. Not an everyday listen, but I love the production and sound on this album. 30 years has allowed me to ignore the goth-shock-shtick that was gaining ground at the time and just tune in to how Reznor is trying to connect to an inner pain that feels intense and authentic to me.

This is probably my favourite album by NIN. Lyrics can be a little edge-lordy at times, but the samples and music elevates it to something solid for me. The piano in Closer :chef-kiss: . I'm willing to admit it could be a time and place thing, as I was just the right age for this when it came out.

Svårbedömt ändå, vill säga att det är helt fantastiskt men vet inte exakt varför. En del oljud men också jävligt najs? Oklart.

Dark, disturbing, gloomy. Just as intended. I do believe some of the distortion effects here and there can get dangerously close to genuinely being annoying than adding to the whole composition, but I do like this album for what it strove to do.

Bisschen Chaos // Vielfältig

Industrial, Brutal, Heavy, Awesome!

I recall seeing the clip for Closer on Rage. It was unlike anyrhing I had seen before, and after a few views I realised it was also unlike anything I had heard before. Eventually I got the album and it did not disappoint. Full if aggression and retrospection it is a damn fine album. I convinced my cousin to buy it in a second hand shop years later, and he liked it until the "god is dead" lyric, being a christian. Also fell in love with Cash's cover of Hurt on a first listen not realising it was a cover. This could release today and be better than a lot of what is around.

damn thing nearly made me crash my car when i thought my bluetooth disconnected at the beginning, 4/5

I found NIN a little after their initial popularity, but I fell in love with them when I was about 20 in 2002 or so. This album was so different from anything I had ever heard so I was instantly intrigued. Closer still stands the test of time as one of the, frankly, coolest songs ever. It is just so unique. Other songs like March of the Pigs and Hurt are also fantastic. Great album that holds up because it is not of a certain time or era.

I'm beginning to think that the recommendation algorithm is sometimes given a push, especially with NIN doing the newly released TRON Ares soundtrack. (I'm a sucker for TRON)

Mixed bag but generally very enjoyable. Really close to being too noisy but finds a sweet spot

Moral panic was overblown, was sonically interesting

I recognize the songwriting talent and if I had more of a musician's experience I'd probably recognize the performance talent. Unfortunately, the vibe is not mine and does not spark joy. People have done some amazing covers though.

на самом деле неожиданно прикольно и интересно музыкально! но очень длинно....

As a sheltered child when this album came out, my first introduction to it was at a cast party for a high school play, where the owner wanted us to sit and listen to it. Not the vibe, Levi! I decided I didn't like it. Next I heard the Weird Al polka version of Closer. Obviously amazing. Years later, I heard Johnny Cash's rendition of Hurt. I've read that Trent Reznor has even said that it's Johnny's song now. So I came into this expecting not to like it. By and large, I did, however! Closer is a really good song, it turns out. I did keep expecting to hear silly noises instead of f-bombs, though.

An absolutely brutal album. Achieves what it sets out to do and is a totally unique listening experience. 1 less star for being a little difficult to get through.

NIN are so bloody moody and cool aren’t they. A band that sound like no other, and instantly create a mood. But it varies, it amps you up and it cuts you down. I’m angry and want to xry angry tears at you. 4.75/5.0 Best Song: March Of The Pigs

Moody, Angsty, Atmospheric, a very good album. Also Hurt is just such a ridiculously good song

I was never a NIN fan, but 31 years later, it's definitely still a really good album.

Discazo!!!! What else can I say?

1994 me would give this 5 stars. I love this when it came out and saw NIN live several times. 2025 me is tired and annoyed. So much whining. So much noise. A 3 at best. I’m meeting myself in the middle and going with 4 stars. Yes, it is annoying at times, but it is also great at times.

Interesting listen. I am enjoying triphop at the moment. It was different with the heavy industrial sounds.

not 100% my cup of tea, not a fan of the sort screamo, although some of the other singles are quite unique and I enjoyed how they were a bit funky

Great!! Gnarly production and incredibly powerful. Not quite perfect, second half slightly blurred into one for me.

Cock and ball torture soundtrack.

Incredible album, almost timeless. For some reason I always preferred the first album but I enjoy this one more now.

What does it say about me personally that the older I get, the more I enjoy this album? Maybe I should talk to someone... I was actually never interested in NIN until I heard Reznor's film scores. From there I started paying more attention. And the evidence of his genius was always there, just hidden behind angry industrial rock. And while I still don't normally favor this genre, I really appreciate the quirks that the band offers to break up the constant onslaught of overdriven drum machines. If you're really listening, there is genius to be found in The Downward Spiral, even though you might come away from it with a headache.

To all those circling the drain, take a note from Trent: draw the curtains, find the art within, then ascend again.

His voice is the thing i liked the least. But damn everything else is a banger

This is an old favourite

A wild ride for sure-boundary pushing, experimental, and highly entertaining. This album made me feel "bad" when I was a fresh-faced 20-year-old college student, dancing and singing along to "Closer" in the club and feeling a bit naughty for doing so. I saw NIN live on this tour and it was a really incredible show.

More interesting than I thought by quite a margin

i remember listening to this album a while ago and really hating it, but my eyes have been open and i’m a better, slightly different person than i once was. my ex loved this band which is why it’s missing a star

Det va en lett blanding av ting æ ikke hadde forventa å like, og ting æ definitivt ikke likte. Nokka av det blir simpelthen for høylytt og industrielt for mine ører, men det va ting her æ va overraska over å oppdage at æ satte pris på, så æ kunne nesten ha laga en spilleliste med sanger æ likte. Det hadde æ ikke nødvendigvis forventa.

I’ve never gone further than the hits with NIN, so I was excited for this listen. This album was very good! The sound and production is top-notch, and each song has its own distinct feel. My favorite track was not one of the hits (‘Closer’, ‘March of the Pigs’, ‘Hurt’), it was surprisingly ‘Heresy’. There were two tracks that were basically noise rock that kept it from a 5, but I will give this a solid 4/5, very cool album.

Pleasantly surprised how much I liked it

Forgot just how good this album is. Strong writing from start to end. Great tracks!!!

Incredibly diverse, engaging and interesting music. Lots of emotion, good composition and great collection of aounds/samples.

Closer is a great song but rest of album too abstract for me

Some great songs on this album! There’s some filler too, but still a solid piece of work

I know that I have enjoyed this album in the past, even in the last few years. But it just did not vibe for me today. That makes it hard to rate? Down the middle 3 I guess? Naw 4 because I know it can slam but it's so specific

Znowu mi tekst usunęło więc w skrócie: Fajne mocne brzmienie, choć czasami męczy; za to jest na tyle spokojnych kawałków, że da się słuchać całości. Kilka utworów zostawię w ulubionych. Hurt spoko ale brzmi jakby mi kot przegryzał kabel od słuchawek

You're a teenager in the 90s and like all teenagers you need loud music to annoy your parents. They've had rock and metal and punk so it really needs to be really nasty, electronic and disturbing

Strong evidence for an argument that music is a drug that alters us chemically is the fact that it can affect us differently as we evolve/change chemically too. I know every note by heart on this album and it’s one of the most important albums to me, in terms of emotional development through my late teens and early 20s. Now? It’s fine. Trent’s success several decades later and how he’s evolved probably speaks to that too. The collapse and drama of TDS seems kinda silly when you picture him holding an Oscar twenty years later, and the raw music he made just hits different when you’re older. I can think of probably a dozen other angsty albums from that era that I’d recommend to a brooding teen who needs art to feel connected. It’s still really good though, maybe just a little much.

Visceral, ragged, disjointed, 2edgy4me, noisy, and still somehow much more listenable than half of the albums I've heard so far on this list. I think this just proves to show how skillful Trent Reznor is at making music. I'd gladly put this on over some bland uninspired generic music that seems to make up the majority of this list.

Eraser Reptile Hurt A warm place

Solid 4. At first I didn't want to raise the rating above 3.5 due to some controversial aspects in nearly half of songs. Those include the lack of sympathy for industrial as a genre, with its noisy moments. However, this album (recognised as one of the best of this band btw) is quite diverse in terms of harmony, the lyrics of some songs (ESPECIALLY "Hurt") are heartbreaking. At last, Trent Reznor's talented contribution to music should not be underestimated.

A pretty complex and experimental album. I can tell that there is a lot going on with this one and I'll try to revisit when I have more time to invest in it. Brock Lesnar you've made a great album.

That was an experience, not sure I’ll ever listen to it again but damn

4.5/5

42/1089 i’ve wanted to get into NIN for a while since they’ve worked on other albums/projects i’m a fan of a chaotic start as expected, a bit overstimulating but cool Heresy is giving me Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra vibes March of the Pigs is the fave so far, so interesting but also has moments of reprieve that are more accessible, Closer too A Warm Place is an extremely well placed and produced instrumental track. almost a record highlight for me and i love a good transition, and Eraser is mostly instrumental until the end, love that The title track is a great culmination of everything that came before it and Hurt is a pretty stunning way to send it off I loved and disliked this album. The concept and production is cool and so interesting, i saved 6/14 songs but also naturally it’s very intense and tough to process. really not sure how to rate this, a 3 seems right based on how likely i am to return to it but also seems too low for what it deserves 4 stars or 74/100 faves: A Warm Place, Eraser, Closer and Hurt least faves: Big Man With a Gun and Ruiner

This is an excellent album. Yes, 90's alternative is right up my alley and I remember when this came out while I was in college. Maybe NIN are a bit harder than I might usually like, but not egregiously so. And while I could see where some would be turned off by this record, eventually by the end of it, I loved it. The way that Trent Renzor constructs song, especially alternating between aggression and a softer tone, I think is very cool. Closer is a great song, as is Hurt, but there's lots more to like on this record, whether it is Piggy, I Do Not Want This, Eraser, or others. It's not a perfect record, but it's still really good and one of the best of the decade.

Yeah quite sick. Enjoyed much more than I expected.

I can absolutely see shades of this album in current surf/garage artists. I like it but probably won’t be revisiting it a ton.

One of those albums where the music fits the title aptly. It is indeed structured like a negativity and self-harm fuelled downward spiral that is dirty, loud, evil, angry, horny and yet sad, quiet and painfully beautiful. It's the contrast between the brashness and the quieter moments that make this such a rewarding experience. Makes the harsh sound of industrial rock more accessible. You can actually dance to 'Closer'. And then you can do something depraved while listening to Big Man With a Gun and then immediately regret it and question your entire life while listening to A Warm Place. And then you can kill yourself on 'The Downward Spiral' and descend into hell while hoping for a better life in the next birth.

Great industrial stuff here. Plenty of amazing songs like Hurt (though I like the Johnny Cash cover more) and Closer.

Heavy album, very intense. In ways it feels very of its time, but I do still enjoy a lot of this album. The industrial "wall of sound" vibe informs so much stuff that came after this album.

Doesn’t mean as much to as it once did

For someone who hates gritty, negative, depressing music I sure do love this album. I think it's just so good at expressing all the rage and pain and sadness beneath the "edgy" it's not edgy just to be that way, it's edgy because it's expressing real emotions in a talented and cohesive way. It's a dirty album in more ways than one but god if it isn't catchy. The whole album feels like driving in a fast car at night on a poorly lit highway with no other cars around. I just love Trent Reznor's work. I think anyone who meets me would be shocked that this is a high rating for me but anyone who REALLY knows me wouldn't be shocked at all. I love me some thematic drama and The Downward Spiral delivers.

Grown up goth

I prefer Pretty Hate Machine as my go-to NIN, but there are so many gems on Downward Spiral; Closer and Hurt are epic!

That one od the top reviews on this site is a 1 star reviews that claims this album is directly responsible for later mass murders and is an affront to god and nature is really funny to me. So I must give it 4 stars.

7 Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would some crazy rhythms and cool songs in here

very interesting 7.5/10

I was 15 in 1994 so this should have been right up my alley. However I just found it too chaotic, aggressive and self-disgusted. Over the years I've tried a few times to get into this as I appreciate Reznor subsequent work demonstrates how talented he is, but still I'd find myself hearing the 10 second "doesn't it make you feel better" piano part in March of the Pigs wishing that more of it could be like that. A Warm Place is a beautiful piece where again there's some restraint. Clearly Trent was in a dark place when he wrote this as evidenced by the lyrics of Closer and Hurt, but I think there's a better album here if he gets some therapy.

To be honest, my jury is still out on this guy. I wasn’t a follower in the day, and shunned the pressures to like his music. Thus I never gave it a chance. Now, much older and a little grayer, I feel like I need to hear more of what he’s trying to say. This is a good album clearly, and perhaps an important album in the day. I’ll go 4 stars, and make an effort to broaden my mind a bit further.

Var bombsäker på lågt betyg men det här är faktiskt ganska bra. Såg dem live i Arvika 2009 och det var inte särskilt bra.

Moods on mood on moods! Best listening in surround sound. Also, make sure you have a good batch of trees, because if not, you're liable to lose your sh*t!

Having heard Trent Reznor do so many movie soundtracks has made me way more open to the music of NIN and though I prefer the movie work, this is still good

- Wait I actually love this - The way it was so loud then so quite literally gave me so much joy for no reason whatsoever - OMD HURT IS SO REAL AND ONE OF THE BEST SONGS EVER I AM PUTTING THIS INTO A PLAYLIST Ultimately, one of the best albums I have listened to, sure I wasn't that keen on some of the songs but hurt is one of the best songs ever so that completely makes up for all the random ones. I really genuinely did love this so much and I am not just saying that because I expected the album to be so much worse. I had high expectations for this album and it so definitely lived up to the expectations.

distorted, weird and dramatic. loved it

This surprised me, expected to say this wasn't my thing, but really enjoyed my angsty walk to work listening to this

Pretty good album

Inventive, raw, sonically interesting, demanding to be played at volume. There's a couple of tracks that are a little average, but much of this is superlative.

I try to keep in mind the extensive work that was required to make synths and samples back in the 90s. It’s extremely impressive.

Raw. Powerful. Strong. Good pulse, instrumentation. Cohesive. Not my genre (too dark, too much scream sound, distorted guitars not my thing), but I liked it a bunch.

“Mr. Self Destruct” kicks open the cathedral doors with steel toe cap boots and introduces us to the beautifully manic priest of annihilation. Every snare hit feels like a bullet ricocheting through your mind palace. And then oh, sweet lord “Closer” arrives like a velvet whip to the ball sack, drenched in sweat, sex, and the scent of cheap perfume. It's not a song, it's a slow motion explosion in a pleasure lab. Each track is its own fever dream: “Piggy” drips like tar in a candlelit asylum; “Hurt” closes the curtain with the delicacy of a funeral held inside your own ribcage. If sorrow could take human form, it would sit silently in the corner while “Hurt” plays, gently nodding along, weeping through a grin.

Intense, sprawling, angry yet vulnerable. Admittedly, I have to be in the right mood to listen to it which deducts a star for me. But this is damn solid and a very worthy addition to this list.

So pesat, idustrial, amb ràbia. Està molt guay.

#DÍA 13: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Tras la paliza emocional que fue ayer el nuevo álbum de Quadeca, hoy me toca escuchar otro en el que el artista muere conceptualmente al final… Qué alegría oye. The Downward Spiral es otro de esos discos que llevaba mucho queriendo escuchar, aunque siempre ha sido difícil para mí introducirme en la música Industrial. No es un LP que pueda escuchar personalmente a la ligera, no es mi estilo de confort, pese a que mucha música ruidosa sí lo sea. Aún así, desde luego que admiro la calidad de este proyecto, sobre todo la producción, que es mano de santo. Literalmente podría escucharlo sólo por las instrumentales, sin la voz, que es lo que menos me gusta sinceramente, posiblemente porque me parece muy Grunge en ocasiones y no me termina de cuadrar. Sin embargo las texturas tan corruptas e industriales, los tonos de guitarra que parecen oxidados, la percusión tan seca y violenta (sobre todo al final de Piggy) y ese manejo del sample tan sugerente e ingenioso para crear una atmósfera tan peculiar, son impresionantes como poco y han envejecido como el vino, podrían haberse creado ayer vamos. El concepto del disco, la espiral de decadencia, es proyectado de un modo muy interesante a lo largo de las canciones. Arranca con ese dibujo del personaje Mr. Self Destruct, una especie de reflejo de esa voz que todos tenemos dentro que nos inclina a sacar lo peor de nosotros mismos. Luego una serie de temas que nos muestran el desarrollo del estado mental del protagonista, quién finalmente acaba tocando fondo, completamente consumido por su oscuridad, haciendo daño a todo ser querido y disparándose a sí mismo en la pista homónima. Toda esta historia es realmente impactante, con letras de lo más pesimistas, oscuras y sin filtros, aunque tristemente empatizables. Favoritas: Mr. Self Destruct, Piggy, Heresy, Closer, Ruiner, The Becoming, A Warm Place, Eraser, Reptile, The Downward Spiral, Hurt Menos favorita: Big Man With a Gun #DAY 13: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die After the emotional meltdown that was Quadeca’s new album yesterday, today I have to listen to another one where the artist conceptually dies at the end… What a joy, huh. The Downward Spiral is another one of those albums I’ve been wanting to listen to for a long time, although it’s always been difficult for me to get into Industrial music. It’s not an LP I can personally listen to lightly—it’s not my comfort style, even though a lot of noisy music is. Still, I definitely admire the quality of this project, especially the production, which is absolutely brilliant. I could literally listen to it just for the instrumentals, without the vocals, which are honestly what I like the least—possibly because they sometimes feel very Grunge-like and don’t quite click for me in this album. However, the textures are so corrupted and industrial, the guitar tones feel rusted, the percussion is so dry and violent (especially at the end of Piggy), and the sampling is so clever and suggestive in creating such a unique atmosphere—it’s all downright impressive and has aged like fine wine. It could have been made yesterday, really. The concept of the album—the downward spiral—is portrayed in a really interesting way throughout the tracks. It starts with the depiction of the character Mr. Self Destruct, a sort of reflection of that inner voice we all have that pushes us to bring out the worst in ourselves. Then there’s a series of songs that show the protagonist’s mental decline, who eventually hits rock bottom, completely consumed by his darkness, hurting everyone he loves and finally shooting himself in the self-titled track. The whole story is truly impactful, with lyrics that are extremely pessimistic, dark, and unfiltered—though sadly relatable. Favorites: Mr. Self Destruct, Piggy, Heresy, Closer, Ruiner, The Becoming, A Warm Place, Eraser, Reptile, The Downward Spiral, Hurt Least favorite: Big Man With a Gun

Very interesting sonic choices made here, really demonstrates the descent into madness. I was familiar with ‘Closer’ for sure, but may have heard some of the other tracks back in the day as well. Couple weird song transitions hurt the flow, but overall I enjoyed it. The industrial/techno fits really well with the heavy rock. 4.25/5

Dance beats heavy abrasive, own it Closer Ruiner Big Man with a Gun Hurt 8.5

Doesn’t sound like anything but NIN. So good.

So good.

industrial sound with some good bangers. 4/5

If 10-grit sandpaper were music. not easy to listen to but a very unique style. Tracks 345 are quite strong, and this is the record that gave us Hurt which became Johnny Cash’s unforgettable ode 3.8

Classic NIN album

Honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would, Although I wish it had a bit less lyrical repetition. 3.6/5

Reznor atomizes the dark electronic music of it's predecessors (I am no expert but I would say Joy Division/Depeche Mode/and other emerging synth-goth stuff) into a landmark 90's album. Spawning a slew of similar artists into the mainstream. The textures and carefully destroyed and deconstructed sounds throughout the record hint at his future as a great film composer, while the themes of harm, sex, hate and technology feel visceral still today.

I really enjoyed their use of synth and soundclips from real life

Started this on a Monday, needed to get to a Tuesday to finish it. Rough listen. Can see why it's so influential, and wild how tracks can pump your blood despite this album coming out in 1994. I won't return to it, but not because of quality. Listening to this album feels a bit masochistic.

First my full listen to NIN album. Pretty aggressive, eclectic and industrial sound. I like it

4.1 2x listening on way to London (Berlin trip)

Ah, there’s something about 90s rage and cynicism that’s way more appealing than today’s rage and cynicism.

Do I need to explore why I liked this so much? Can I just say I liked it and move on?

Very different sound from what I expected, NIN is like the metal version of Linkin Park.

Experimental and telling of the genre. A tad repetitive, but Hurt really throws the whole album into relief in a fascinating way.

I do appreciate the edginess of this album and its willingness to branch out and combine new sounds. However, I didn't really love it, so I will give it 4/5 stars, but I recognize its addition to the game.

Surprised in a good way. Not a huge metal fan but the instrumentals are insane. Coworker said he did work in Classical music and that comes through in a dark, industrial way

as gritty and down as my life right now

Never listened to much NIN before but i am now a big fan. The album has a very cohesive theme and many songs that stand up alone as well. 4.5 stars.

Challenging. Noteworthy.

one of my favourite albums from my formative years. classic

I listened to this album MANY times as a teen so my rating might be a little biased.

Part of the challenge of reviewing this is that it's such a grimy, discordant and angry album. Some songs are incredibly abrasive and others are actively unpleasant to listen to. However! It's a great album overall, and I really appreciate it. I think the production is incredible. Obviously very industrial, but there's some super interesting synths and soundscapes in there that really work. It feels like a complete thing, like one big mood. You can almost imagine this whole album being the backdrop to a disgusting, grimy, post-apocalyptic world. I had this album on CD when I was younger, and my opinion on it (and the band) has changed somewhat over time. I've come to appreciate the weirder, slower tracks a lot more, whereas I was all about the upbeat, rockier, in-your-face tracks before. There's some great tracks on here, but it really works as an overall.

The US gave up its last free breath to a pedophile dictatorship today. This record is a distillation of the fury in me.

FYI: I'm reviewing the Deluxe Edition which includes all of the singles and other stuff that Trent and gang were putting out around the release of this album. I'm a huge fan of NIN's early stuff meaning this album, Pretty Hate Machine, The Fragile (some of it), and Broken. This album ranks pretty high for me because it's such a huge departure from Pretty Hate Machine. Where PHM was designed and packaged for radio and MTV airplay, Downward Spiral goes all over the place. Closer being the lead single was pretty awesome though. It's the best song on this album, no contest. While I like the album enough to give it a 5 just for fanboying, I don't think it's as good as PHM which is a definite 5 out of 5. This is a solid 4 out of 5 for me.

I feel like this could be four and a half stars. It’s such a loud album and so abrasive- the mixing makes it feel fuzzy even though I know it’s an intentional style choice. The way the album slows down at the end contrasts sharply with its aggressive opening. The elements of electronic music and metal blending with the rock is very cool. I really enjoyed this album.

Fear I might not be in a bad/weird enough mood for this but I'm up for it. Actually I'm always in a weird mood and I'm enjoying myself. Fear some of the punchier sound is being lost in my cheap headphones but my brother will work from home >_> Closer actually stands out as almost poppy compared to what's around it .. to its detriment? Not sure. Probably bc i don't really listen on headphones much but the production on this is Standout. I am surrounded by Yelling and Noises. See like A Warm Place is the sort.of track that I would never normally pay any attention to but it's placed perfectly as a Breather. Oooh I'm enjoying this horrible racket quite a lot you know. If anything it hangs around a bit too long and gets slightly too instrumental and less noisy toward the end. And i don't love Hurt, wish it was a bit muddier. Good closer tho. But yeah I'll definitely come back to this I really like it.

One of the most original and innovate rock albums of all time. Nobody combines aggression, melody, and sonic experimentation as well as Trent Reznor does.

Really threaded the needle here Trent. A truly ambitious project of industrial pop and rock that's too good sonically to get caught up in the fact that some of the lyrics are a tad cringy at times. 8.85/10 Favorite Songs: Hersey and Eraser

Crazy album!

Amazing album that I grew up listening to but I have a hard time putting myself in that headspace now. Trent is a brilliant musician and this album is his opus but by the end you just want to say “come on, man, just slit your wrist and get it over with.”

Excellent album without a doubt. It’s weird to me that Pretty Hate Machine is not on the list, but I guess this album is a bit more adventurous and on the experimental side. I do find some of the tracks tedious, but the standout tracks are pretty extraordinary.

Way better than I expected. Heavier, too. Quite an interesting record, I might get back to it someday.

well yes

4 stars for execution. Reznor is a mad man.

Подростковый бунт.

Definitely too abrasive for me to consider for general listening - I can't deny it's power as an emotional statement though - and Closer and Hurt are remarkable songs.

I enjoyed this much more than I expected. I was never much of a fan of the industrial sound, but the production on this is super interesting, with some cool machine samples etc. Favourite tracks: Heresy, March of the Pigs (nice 7/8, 8/8 time signature going on there), Closer (the ambient noise that accompanies the sparse beat is chef's kiss), A Warm Place, The Downward Spiral, Hurt (probably prefer Johnny Cash's version, but this is the OG and it's undoubtably a fantastic track).

Oh, it's the person who made Johnny Cash's most famous song! I don’t what it is about this album in particular, but most songs here are extremely memorable. Before relistening, I’d only heard it once a bit over a year ago. I’m terrible at remembering music, but here most songs almost immediately made me go, “Oh, I remember how it goes.” This is some really powerful noisy music that is produced so well that even on high volume, the loud parts are not painful. Despite being about 50% longer than an average album, it doesn't feel drown out; but the second half is quite a bit weaker than the first. It just slows down later on, with the songs becoming more personal and sensual. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but I preferred the more loud, angry sound of the first half. On a side note, whenever I see someone talk about this album, I always hear Danny Brown in my head. "And it's a downward spiral / Gotta figure it out, out / I gotta figure it out, out."

Listened running. Didn’t know loads about NIN but enjoyed this so may check out more of them

Noisy. but nice.

I lack personal knowledge of the context of the times but this does feel like a novel album. To have the range and end with a song like Hurt end the album is pretty impressive. That being said, not totally my style. Respect though.

Sounds gritty and dark and I enjoyed it

Heard it

There’s a lot of noises happening at me. Oh it’s quiet… never mind. Became a piggy then March brought it together. It feels better to be closer.

Maybe I was in the right headspace for this today.

Great album if you like metal. I like NIN, but I must confess I had not listened to an entire album.

100% not my thing man, whole lotta stuff im into, and even more stuff im not

So ahead of its time. So sexy, so scary! Just like a '90s horror movie. 8/10

Never dabbled with NIN before but I get it now, I'm sold. A strong start that it somewhat struggles to maintain, but excellent album overall.

I was a teen in the 90s into rock/metal/alternative/grunge and NIN were on my radar, liked quite a few of their songs but could never get into the albums as a whole. Listening to this again after a long time hit differently. It's a solid 3 from start to finish but songs like March of the Pigs, Hurt, Ruiner, Piggy and of course Closer push this to a 4 star for me. 7.5/10

Great art rock! Very intense. Excellent recording

Pretty solid album, but I prefer Cash's cover of Hurt.

honestly? hot

Yuh

Some bangers, a little slow near the end then ends with Hurt, a masterpiece

Fistfuck. Better than I remember, meandering at points. Feels like filling time on the CD. Hurt still is a masterpiece

Spirals into something

14/04/2025 It was creative and i have heard of a few of these songs before.

Pained, raw, and jarringly truthful. People are afraid of saying the kind of stuff talked about in these lyrics, even within music. Life sucks, and howling into the void about depression, sex, politics, and suicide is a perfect way of expressing that. Especially with the industrial rock genre, which historically hasn't exactly popped on the charts, but works so, so well with the lyrical content here. And yet Reznor and Ross churn out this excitingly gritty anger-anthology for the world to relate to so much it hurts. As another reviewer accurately wrote: "Raw, powerful, visceral, animalistic. Sexy. Twisted. Demented. I want Trent Reznor to whisper the word "piggy" to my ears over and over again." All that being said, it's still industrial rock. A genre I can't bring myself to love, no matter how hard I try. Although the vocals are near-flawless on every track, the other instruments veer in and out of being appealing – most obviously in the songs March Of The Pigs and The Becoming. (Which is certainly the point. Nine Inch Nails absolutely know what they're doing, musically.) The music is just too abrasive too often to place this album amidst the top tier, even if it does give most other music from the era a run for its money. NIN have created something really special here and I completely understand why others dub it the greatest record of all time. (Maybe a couple of relistens will do it... I'll keep you all posted.) 4/5 Key tracks: Heresy, March Of The Pigs, Closer, Hurt

When this came put it was something so diferent and innovative. Amazing and dark and hard and out there. In context back in the day they killed it with this production. After them tons more came to play like this and it got kind of sarurated but they were the mainstream pioneers so big credit. Listening to it today it was not as great as I remembered it when I heard it the first time. Its still awesome but maybe I grew out of this genere.

I haven't listened to this in a long time. So freaking intense. I don't think my old ears can take regular repeat listens but it deserves four stars.

Dope

Good, will need to listed to it again

an extremely chill and relaxing vibe for my drive home 🧘‍♀️🧘‍♀️🧘‍♀️

I like 4 of the songs: "Piggy", "March of the Pigs", "Closer", "Hurt". Especially March of the Pigs - what a great song. The rest of the album is OK, but still I give NIN credit for kind of owning/defining industrial music for this era.

Classic, forgot how good this was.

Stellar album! Dark and moody, but also extremely intense and visceral. It really does make the listener feel the anguish and desperation the album's character is going through, with the very stark and oppressive production filled with all kinds of distorted instrumentation. Still, at its very core, it manages to keep a foot firmly placed in standard rock song structures. And all the better for it, otherwise it could probably end up too alienating to maintain the emotional resonance it obviously strives for. Key tracks: Mr. Self Destruct March of the Pigs Closer Hurt

like lowkey 3.5 stars but 4 will have to do

Edgerlord masterpiece

Great album but I just don't find myself going back to it particularly often anymore

i've listened to this before but not in full, only the hit tracks Mr. Self Destruct - 5/5 Piggy - 5/5 Heresy - 5/5 March Of The Pigs - 4/5 Closer - 5/5 (obviously) Ruiner - 4/5 The Becoming - 5/5 I Do Not Want This - 2/5 (not good, skipped halfway) Big Man With A Gun - 3/5 (short) A Warm Place - 4/5 Eraser - 4/5 Reptile - 5/5 The Downward Spiral - 2/5 (zzzzzz) Hurt - 5/5 (obviously) Total score: 4.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nonsense screeching rock that I used to love in the 90s. I was a big Marilyn Manson fan by the late 90s and I got this CD on sale. I was always curious to find out where the antichrist superstar sound came from. I loved it at that time. I remember all the times I cried while listening to "Hurt". I didn't hear the Johnny Cash version until several years later. Today I didn't like it so much, it's over compressed, a lot of noise, screaming and distortion. But I give it 4 stars because it was an important album while I was a teenager.

I have a new appreciation for NIN after seeing them last month on their Peel It Back tour. They were not on my radar until this past year, and it took a few listens to get used to their music, but I'm a fan. The lyrics are as intense as the music. Some of these songs were so incredible live that I like this album so much more than when I first heard it before the show. (+1 on the post-show edit)