Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Un poco intenso todo esto, ¿no? Qué ganas de sonar como una radial, joder... Creo que las canciones no están mal, pero este sonido me satura al segundo. Con todo, me parecen sinceros, hay algo más auténtico aquí que en toda la mierda actual.
That was not an easy listen. I'm not angry enough to properly appreciate it. I do find it amazing how well emotions are conveyed through songs that are often more noise than music. It's impressive, but not anything I'd want to return to, I think, other than Hurt, which is a great song (even if Johnny Cash ended up doing it better). 3.5
Not my cup of tea but.. I was productive while listening to it.. maybe people are on to something… but probably not.
A couple songs were just barely listenable, but skipped a lot. The discordance was too much to bear.
UMMMM no.
Genuinely difficult and unpleasant listen
What a fucking great album, and a wonderful excuse to spin the vinyl.
The first sound of the album is either a boxer hitting a bag, gunshots, or some sort of workers marching? Pretty intense. I never got into NIN, and whats weird is I always thought of them as a sort of anachronistic, forgotten 90s rage band for Woodstock 99 attendees, only to discover in the late 2000s that Trent Reznor is celebrated in music circles as some sort of canonical genius like Kurt Cobain. His talent and vision are undeniable, it has cool moments, but overall as a listening experience, its pretty abrasive and unenjoyable....not a lot of melody, more like a moody sound collage, which is not my thing....and I think the mix is kind of odd. Vocals are too soft, and as much as I appreciate dynamic range in music, the loud parts feel TOO loud and the quiet parts feel TOO quiet. Also to be honest I find Trent Reznor a pretty grating singer, not very charismatic or dynamic; I dont mind the yelling but he kind of has like a karaoke voice or something, and a better singer (like his big influence and collaborator David Bowie) might be able to elevate such aggressive music to a more interesting place. Also, while I'm out here hatin', I'm just gonna say it: "Hurt" is an overrated song. To the contrary, "Piggy" is a cool song with a cool splashy snare sound. I'm going 2.5 rounded down because it mostly held my attention and has some cool moments, but I cant exactly picture throwing it on in the car.
Una obra maestra para gente enferma (yo)
Not my cup of tea.
Wow that hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve only listened to this once before and it's crazy to me that I didn't care for it the first time. The texture is amazing and still sounds so fresh. This goes up there with Loveless for me in that regard. It is full throttle to start, it gets me as amped up as the Holy Bible. I was surprised how well the slow songs worked as well. A couple maybe I wasn't crazy about on the back half but I'm sure I'll grow to appreciate them. The ending is great too, even if Hurt has been improved upon. So many cool effects, interesting backstory, I get the fanaticism now. Rating: 4.9
I guess I came of age to this one; I still have the CD. I found most of it to be easier to listen to than I expected, but... It's all so "on the nose" as they say. My favorites, as always, are the prettier ones. I'd give 4 stars to three or four of these songs, but as a 65 minute album (blame it on the times--they put too much music on CDs) it just doesn't hold up very well for me.
Hey I know this one
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.
Fun anger. It sounded less dated than I thought it might, and a lot of it still holds up well.
Kjent band som jeg sjekker ut for første gang. Industrielle og elektroniske elementer møtes i en kraftpakke av et rock/metal. Et konseptalbum om en mann som virkelig sliter mentalt, og til slutt møter sin skaper. Jeg liker nok konseptet (med tekstene som står til) bedre enn lydene som strømmer inn i øregangene mine. Lite som fester seg til hippocampusen av auditive inntrykk. Følelsene er derimot til å ta og føle på. Trenger flere lytt for å forme et fullverdig inntrykk, men akkurat nå holder det dessverre ikke til mer enn to stjerner. Top 3: Heresy, Closer, March Of The Pigs
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.
This being my only real reference of industrial rock, it’s fantastic. I can’t say this is my cup of tea but it certainly rocks. Closer and hurt are def their best songs off this album (and any album?) 3.2
I can assure you this will be a 5. I’m glad it’s inundating us with 1994 albums. So experimental, so fun, scary in the way that like stranger things is scary: not really but it’s interestingly spooky. The mind of Trent reznor is so cool I want to sit down with him and just talk about stuff. March of pigs and piggy best songs other than the hits, personal shout out to the title track ambience, but the whole thing slaps hard. Obviously hurt is a stand out amazing achievement of music; the Johnny cash version as well. I don’t mind the length when the whole thing is this interesting. Just a masterclass in sound design that makes the experimental noise music side of me so happy and inspired. This is probably top ten of everything we’ve rolled so far for me.
I mean, the 90s me is loving this.
I started this generator to expand my musical education. I was already familiar with Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral before embarking on listening again. I first listened to it in the '90s when I was an angry teenager. This album fed my soul, it fed my anger. I became defined by it. I was ANGRY at everything. I knew the chorus to Closer wasn't about sex, it was about violence. Violence I wanted to commit on everyone else. Violence I always just kept to myself. Listening to this album in the dark of my room. Eventually I grew up. Decades later, I revisit this album. With fresh eyes, and the internet to read up on the album. I learn it's about a " misanthropic man who rebels against humanity, and kills God before attempting suicide." To borrow from High Fidelity, "Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?" I may never know.
I did not listen to much of the album because the lyrics of the songs I did hear made me feel anxious.
Never really explored Nine Inch Nails before. Was aware of them(him? Is it just Trent Reznor?) and probably know some of the well known songs, but otherwise not really so this will be an interesting listen. This isn’t my favorite sound. Maybe 12 year old me in 2001 would’ve found this more interesting? It sounds like the music playing at a seedy club where bad guys are about to get shot by the anti hero in a 90s action movie. I don’t think I’m personally angry enough right now to even remotely enjoy this. It’s giving me anxiety. When I got to Closer I realized hey I know this one. So far it’s the only thing I’ve somewhat enjoyed on the album. But still, this guy jeez he’s angry. I listen to my albums in the morning and this is too much. Taking a break. Everytime I get to something that sounds interesting and I think I’m going to like, I just end up not liking what comes next. This is probably going to be a 1, unless something near the end changes my mind. I got to the song title I Do Not Want This and I couldn’t agree more. Overall, I understand some of the talent involved and he’s clearly great at putting together this sound by himself, but it’s not for me. It’s angst and stuck in a specific time that I’m mentally now where near right now. There’s nothing here I would choose to listen to on my own again. Maybe there’s a few songs that are okay, but still it’s overall just not for me and a drag to listen to for me. Overall a 1/5, but I’m sure there’s people who love this.
Nine Inch Nails have never really done anything for me. 1 star seems harsh as Closer is decent and Hurt is really good but other than that, pretty poor.
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
Going from Steely Dan to this was interesting. Assuredly grufty & up front. Beautifully unpleasant. Bit long. Coulda got rid of a couple I wouldnt eat your poached on toast with it. Give you indigestion.
Was gonna give this album a very low rating. At first was just noise and shouting but thought I was being a bit harsh. So went back gave it a 2nd listen and got to say I enjoyed it more. Maybe this albums a grower Some of his vocals reminded me of Kurt Cobain a bit
Quite difficult to rate this one. Enjoyed the more electronic parts, but the some of the lyrics were quite embarrassing.
exceeded my expectations. raw and real
No thank you
Trent Reznor is an artist, no doubt. This album as a concept makes sense. Old murder home studio, dark twisted story of demise, music dark enough to make you feel twisted; the art is there. Problem is, this isn't exactly the art I look to.
This thing is brilliant. Overwhelming and brilliant.
Step right up.
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.
Just no
Niet mijn ding, kan me voorstellen dat dit heel veel influenceert, maar zou dan liever naar Tool of andere rock luisteren
Amazing from beginning to end, with my favorite banger that never took off, I Do Not Want This. But half the other songs got radio play and deserved it. Ugh today was a good day for this.
i hated absolutely this album, its too rocky for my taste, i now have a migrane and my ears are belleding. Like these may be good musicionas but not for me
4.5 (75:46, 14 tracks, 2nd album, 1994) American Industrial A concept album detailing the self-destruction of a man from the beginning of his misanthropic "downward spiral" to his suicidal breaking point. The album was a commercial success with its sound being widely imitated, and the band receiving media attention and multiple honors. Trent Reznor, the band's sole member, bought and lived at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, the 1969 site of the murder of actress Sharon Tate by The Manson Family. He transformed it into a studio (he named “Le Pig” after the message that was scrawled on the front door with Tate's blood) for recording the Broken EP (1992) and subsequently The Downward Spiral. The site was demolished shortly after the recording of the album, Reznor met Sharon’s sister and felt remorse using the house. The album features elements of industrial rock, techno, metal and ambient soundscapes, in contrast to the band's synth-pop-influenced debut album Pretty Hate Machine (1989). The Downward Spiral was praised for its abrasive, eclectic nature and dark themes, and it has since been regarded by music critics and audiences as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time, although it was sensationalized by social conservatives for some of its lyrics. The album spawned two lead singles, "March of the Pigs" and "Closer", in addition to the promotional singles "Piggy" and "Hurt". The concept, focusing on the life and death of a misanthropic man who rebels against humanity, and kills God before attempting suicide. Reznor frequently struggled with drug addiction and depression, and the themes of the album gradually allegorized his living situation. Reznor collaborated with the Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros drummer Stephen Perkins, the progressive rock guitarist Adrian Belew, and the Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna. Numerous layers of metaphors are present throughout The Downward Spiral, leaving it open to wide interpretation. The album relays nihilism and is defined by a prominent theme of self-abuse and self-control. It is a semi-autobiographical concept album, in which the overarching plot follows the protagonist's descent into madness in his own inner solipsistic world through a metaphorical "downward spiral", dealing with religion, dehumanization, violence, disease, society, drugs, sex, and finally, suicide. Reznor described the concept as consisting of "someone who sheds everything around them to a potential nothingness, but through career, religion, relationship, belief and so on." "Mr. Self Destruct", a song about a powerful person, follows a build-up sampled from the 1971 film THX 1138 with an "industrial roar" and is accompanied by an audio loop of a pinion rotating. "The Becoming" expresses the state of being dead and the protagonist's transformation into a non-human organism. "Closer" concludes with a chromatic piano motif. The melody is introduced during the second verse of "Piggy" on organ, then reappears in power chords at drop D tuning throughout the chorus of "Heresy", and recurs for the final time on "The Downward Spiral". "March of the Pigs" and "Closer" were released as singles; two other songs, "Hurt" and "Piggy", were issued to radio without a commercial single release. "March of the Pigs" has an unusual meter, alternating three bars of 7/8 time with one of 8/8. The song's music video was directed by Peter Christopherson and was shot twice; the first version scrapped due to Reznor's involvement, and the released second version being a live performance. "Closer" features a heavily modified bass drum sample from the Iggy Pop song "Nightclubbing" from his album The Idiot. Lyrically, it is a meditation on self-hatred and obsession, but to Reznor's dismay, the song was widely misinterpreted as a lust anthem due to its chorus, which included the line "I wanna fuck you like an animal". Reznor later stated: "It’s super negative and super hateful. It’s 'I am a piece of shit and I am declaring that and if you think you want me, here I am.' I didn't think it would become a frat-party anthem or a titty-dancer anthem." The music video for "Closer" was directed by Mark Romanek and received frequent rotation on MTV, though the network heavily censored the original version, which they perceived to be too graphic. The video shows events in a laboratory dealing with religion, sexuality, animal cruelty, politics, and terror; controversial imagery included a nude bald woman with a crucifix mask, a monkey tied to a cross, a pig's head spinning on a machine, a diagram of a vulva, Reznor wearing an S&M mask while swinging in shackles, and of him wearing a ball gag. The video has since been made part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. "Piggy" uses "nothing can stop me now", a line that recurs in "Ruiner" and "Big Man with a Gun". The frantic drumming on the song's outro is Reznor's only attempt at performing drums on the record, and one of the few "live" drum performances on the album. He had stated that the recording was from him testing the microphone setup in studio, but he liked the sound too much not to include it. "Hurt", final track of The Downward Spiral song, includes references to self-harm and heroin addiction; while other people claims that it describes the difficult process of finding a reason to live in spite of depression and pain and does not have much to do with the storyline of The Downward Spiral. Also famously covered by Johnny Cash. Nine Inch Nails embarked on the Self Destruct tour in support of The Downward Spiral. Chris Vrenna and James Woolley performed drums and keyboards respectively, Robin Finck replaced Richard Patrick on guitar, and bassist Danny Lohner was added to the line-up. The stage set-up consisted of dirty curtains which would be pulled down and up for visuals shown during songs such as "Hurt". The back of the stage was littered with darker and standing lights, along with very few actual ones. The tour debuted the band's grungy and messy image in which they would come out in ragged clothes slathered in corn starch. The concerts were violent and chaotic, with band members often injuring themselves. They would frequently destroy their instruments at the end of concerts, attack each other, and stage-dive into the crowd. The tour included a set at Woodstock '94 broadcast on pay-per-view and seen in as many as 24 million homes. Contrary to the widely held belief that it was an attention-grabbing ploy, the band said that being covered in mud was a result of pre-concert backstage play. However, in 2024, backstage home video emerged on YouTube showing Reznor asking the stage manager to give them "5 minutes for mud" when discussing show timings for getting to the stage and debating whether to find a mud pit or bring some into the dressing room in a bucket. The mud made it difficult for Reznor to navigate the stage and saw mud from his hair entering his eyes while performing. Nine Inch Nails were widely proclaimed to have "stolen the show" from their popular contemporaries, mostly classic rock bands, and their fan base expanded. The main leg of the tour featured Marilyn Manson as the supporting act, who featured the bassist Jeordie White (then playing under the pseudonym "Twiggy Ramirez"); White later played bass with Nine Inch Nails from 2005 to 2007. After another tour leg supporting the remix album Further Down the Spiral, Nine Inch Nails contributed to the Alternative Nation Festival in Australia and subsequently embarked on the Dissonance Tour, which included 26 separate performances with co-headliner David Bowie on his Outside Tour. Nine Inch Nails was the opening act for the tour, and its set transitioned into Bowie's set with joint performances of both bands' songs. However, the crowds reportedly did not respond positively to the pairing due to their creative differences. Despite this, in a 2012 Rolling Stone readers' poll, the tour (pairing Nine Inch Nails with Bowie) was named one of the top 10 opening acts in rock history. The tour concluded with "Nights of Nothing", a three-night showcase of performances from Nothing Records bands Marilyn Manson, Prick, Meat Beat Manifesto, and Pop Will Eat Itself, which ended with an 80-minute set from Nine Inch Nails. Kerrang! described the Nine Inch Nails set during the Nights of Nothing showcase as "tight, brash and dramatic", but was disappointed at the lack of new material. On the second of the three nights, Richard Patrick was briefly reunited with the band and contributed guitar to a performance of "Head Like a Hole". After the Self Destruct tour, Chris Vrenna, who had been a member of the live band since 1988 and frequent contributor to Nine Inch Nails studio recordings, left the act permanently to pursue a career in producing and to form Tweaker. The Downward Spiral's release date was delayed at various times to slow down Reznor's intended pace of the album's recording. The first delay caused the process of setting up Le Pig to take longer than he expected, and its release was postponed again as he was educating himself different ways to write songs that did not resemble those on Broken and Pretty Hate Machine. He considered delivering the album to Interscope in early 1993, only to experience a writer's block as he was unable to produce any satisfactory material. Interscope grew impatient and concerned with this progress, but Reznor was not forced by their demands of expediency despite crediting the label for giving him creative freedom. He told the producer Rick Rubin that his motivation for creating the album was to get it finished, thus Rubin responded that Reznor might not do so until he makes music that is allowed to be heard. Reznor realized that he was in the most fortunate situation he imagined when the album was recorded with a normal budget, "cool" equipment, and a studio to work at. The Downward Spiral debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling nearly 119,000 copies in its first week, eventually certified the album quadruple platinum, The album has since sold over four million copies worldwide. "It's all about rage, frustration, fucked-up sexuality, guilt, control, lack of control, things everyone has experienced at one point or another, things Reznor takes to the Nth power, things that make you want to stuff your fingers in your ears so you don't have to hear. But instead you keep going back because of that sick human thing that makes carnage fascinating." In 2003, the album was ranked number 200 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time; It moved up to 122 on the magazine's revised list in 2020. The album was placed 10th on Spin's 125 Best Albums of the Past 25 Years list; the Spin staff quoted Ann Powers' review that appreciated its bleak, aggressive style. After the release of The Downward Spiral, many bands such as Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward, Filter, and Mötley Crüe made albums that imitated the sound of Nine Inch Nails. Reznor interpreted The Downward Spiral as an extension of himself that "became the truth fulfilling itself," as he experienced personal and social issues presented in the album after its release. He had already struggled with social anxiety disorder and depression and started his abuse of narcotics including cocaine while he went on an alcohol binge. Richard Patrick, who was Nine Inch Nails' guitarist until partway through The Downward Spiral sessions, has stated in interviews that "Piggy" was his nickname and that he believed the song was aimed at him. He clarified that the songs "Piggy" and "March of the Pigs" were written before his involvement with that location and were not about that tragedy: "I had the song 'Piggy' written long before it was ever known that I would be in that house... 'March of the Pigs' has nothing to do with the Tate murders…". Some critics and fans see the song's themes —betrayal, isolation, defiance ("nothing can stop me now")— as rooted in personal relationships, not broader cultural references. One commentary suggests the lyrics could be about a breakup before Reznor moved to LA, or reflect personal discord rather than the dramatic backdrop of the studio's history. The Downward Spiral's emphasis on transgressive themes drew criticism from American social conservatives. Senator Bob Dole, then the head of the Republican Party, sharply denounced Time Warner, the former owner of Interscope's former parent company Warner Music Group, after a meeting between Michael J. Fuchs (head of WMG), William Bennett, and C. Delores Tucker. During the meeting, Tucker and Bennett demanded that Fuchs recite lyrics from "Big Man with a Gun". Interscope had previously been blamed for releasing gangsta rap albums by rappers such as Dr. Dre, 2Pac and Snoop Dogg that were deemed objectionable. Reznor called Tucker (who erroneously referred to Nine Inch Nails as a gangsta rap act) "such a fucking idiot", and claimed that the song was actually a satire of the gangsta rap genre as a whole and was originally about madness. Reznor conceded The Downward Spiral could be "harmful, through implying and subliminally suggesting things", whereas hardcore hip hop could be "cartoonish". Dylan Klebold (Columbine High School massacre) perpetrator referenced lyrics multiple times in his journal. Klebold heavily identified with the protagonist of The Downward Spiral as a symbol of his own depression. All tracks are written by Trent Reznor. 1. "Mr. Self Destruct" 4:31 2. "Piggy" 4:24 3. "Heresy" 3:54 4. "March of the Pigs" 2:59 5. "Closer" 6:14 6. "Ruiner" 4:58 7. "The Becoming" 5:31 8. "I Do Not Want This" 5:41 9. "Big Man with a Gun" 1:36 10. "A Warm Place" 3:22 11. "Eraser" 4:53 12. "Reptile" 6:52 13. "The Downward Spiral" 3:58 14. "Hurt" 6:16 Total length: 65:02 The opening sounds of "Mr. Self Destruct" are a sample from the film THX 1138 in which a man is being beaten by a prison guard. The drum-beat on "Closer" was sampled from Iggy Pop's song "Nightclubbing". The song also contains a sample from Roxy Music's song "Take a Chance with Me", although it is sped-up and reversed. The sample of screams that plays throughout "The Becoming" is from the film Robot Jox, when a giant robot falls on a crowd of spectators. The sample at the beginning of "Big Man with a Gun" comes from a studio-altered recording of a porn star having an orgasm. According to the album booklet, this "sample" is titled "Steakhouse" and is credited to Tommy Lee. Japanese pressings of the album contain a cover of Joy Division's song "Dead Souls", originally included on the soundtrack to the film The Crow. The track is placed in between "Big Man with a Gun" and "A Warm Place". The break in "Reptile" contains an audio sample (starting at 5:06) of a woman falling down a hill from the 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Additionally, the mechanical sounds of the opening (starting at 0:58) are from the cargo loader exosuit from the 1986 film Aliens.
Meh
A lot more noise-rock than I was expecting. Had some good hits as well. Will listen to select songs again
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
A bit to experimental for me except for those 2 songs Song I like: Piggy, Hurt
This is a perfect album. It’s been a minute since I listened to it in its entirety, so listening to how purposeful the track listing is that builds you up, brings you down, and embeds the overall theme of the album throughout rather than just a random mix of tones and one off songs is artistry at its finest. I prefer hearing these songs live when you can feel the raw power of the music, but I will be coming back to this one more in any form.
Dude "closer" is such a banger (before even listening because I know this one) it was pretty good honestly closer is still the best song on the album , but it was enjoyable
Very not my kind of music, I found it hard to get over that hurdle, and hard to see any sort of appeal to be honest.
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.
Before I start, I just want to mention that I found funny that this album got recommended right after Johnny Cash's "American IV", the album including the cover of "Hurt". Talk about coincidence. Either way, here's the review: My first experience with Nine Inch Nails was listening to "With Teeth" back in January of 2020 and I loved at first glance. Back then, it was the only material that I liked from the band, as I remember not being able to handle their other stuff. This brings me to the point that, despite the fact "The Downward Spiral" is considered to be Trent Reznor's Magnum Opus, I think it is one of his less accessible albums, unless the person discovering it has already some experience with industrial music or is in a very particular state of mind. I only started listening to this album in 2022, when university was taking the best of me and it started resonating with me. How I rediscover the group was through a version of the meme "Mr. Incredibly becoming uncanny", that consisted in showing more and more disturbing songs from the band as the video progressed, ending with "Leaving Hope". Out of curiosity, I decided to check it out and I end up loving it. Around that time, I used to listen to music through the Youtube Mix playlist, so when it noticed I was listening to "Leaving Hope", it introduced the song with more material from the band to it, and does how I started to like the songs from "The Downward Spiral". The first one I can say I liked was "Reptile". I loved how striking and explicit the lyrics were and how well worked the pleasant voice over the incredibly intense industrial beats. The next song I felt in love with was "March of the Pigs", and I think it might be my favourite. It is the most angry and energetic track of the whole album. It starts with a blood pumping and loud drum which leads to a very explosive entry of screams and super distorted guitars that are super furious. This track is perfect for a person who is incredible anxious, stressed and that has a personal hatred towards some people. I was so obsessed with it that I used to blast it constantly on my headphones (thankfully, I don't do it anymore and I take a lot of care of my ears). With the past of time, I was discovering more songs and slowly developing a deep connection with the whole album, which is one of the main appeals of the record. It is incredibly relatable for people dealing with very difficult times, as it sounds very angry, dark and claustrophobic; with the lyrics narrating the concept of a protagonist who is at their lowest point in their life and dealing with violence, sexual abuse, religion, drugs and suicide; some themes that a lot of people can associate with. On top of the emotional value, this albums happens to also be impeccably produced. The sound quality and details are insane and mind-blowing. In terms of musical styles, this is mainly industrial with some touches of metal, rock, synth pop and even some atmospheric cuts. So while the record comes out in general as very aggressive, it also has some moments were it shows a more catchy and peaceful side. My only real complain about this are the harsh transitions between "I Do Not Want This", "Big Man with a Gun" and "A Warm Place", but these details don't stop the album from being an absolute masterpiece.
Uhhhh dat eerste lied 😭😭😭 Herrie much…. Ohhh alleen closer ken ik wel van TikTok lol maar idk of het echt een goed lied is….. beetje toxic maar wel een goede beat opzich. Nee niet mn ding dit hele album, 2 sterren is nog aardig
I woke up with this recommendation today and my first feelings were of apprehension - a fear of having to experience this record again. Short of the fact that I can confidently say that Closer is the song I have heard the most times in my entire life, my first listening experience of The Downward Spiral was overwhelming. This unrelenting buzz saw of a record recounts the torture of drug addiction and the horrors of mental decline, culminating in the desperate attempts of the protagonist to end their suffering. There is technical wizardry here - Reznor’s skillful brilliance in creating a suffocating listening experience shines in the transition from The Beginning as a soft acoustic guitar fades out of the left channel while the torturous mechanical din of I Do Not Want This oozes it’s way into the right channel with the grace of a dumpster being dropped over and over in your right ear. Sonically, each track is enough to rattle your soul, begging someone to release you. A Warm Place is the short-lived atmospheric reprieve you’ve earned after 40 minutes of suffering - that’s until the flies of Eraser begin and you’re suddenly headed back down into Hell. The real terror and sadness is that this record is someone’s lived experience. To pull it apart into singles or tracks is not appropriate and denies the sufferer the dignity of their suffering. While it’s not nice and it’s not graceful and it’s not pretty, the Downward Spiral is beautiful. Not in a classical, aesthetic way - it’s a masterpiece of hopelessness that must be listened to in its entirety to fully appreciate - because, if nothing else, it’s real.
Have heard a couple of songs off this album before and like them (Hurt, Closer, March of the Pigs, Piggy) Some of the heavier stuff isn't for me but I can see why this would be considered a great album. Feels like it was using a lot of sounds and effects that very few albums and bands of it's time were. NOT GOOD for trying to study lol
Powerful!
Quite a varied selection (not just relentless hardcore) in a fairly structured set of songs. I can see why this was considered breaking new ground and a must listen. That doesn’t equate into a must like for me
I think that we've entering a period of time where if you didn't live during it, or get inspired by it this albums relevancy is starting to slip away. Before Reznor and the Nu Metal era, industrial music remained underground. This album and the era infused it into popular rock music. This album and NiN are inconic and deeply influential. But, the subgenres and music they gave birth to would go on to be what inspired my generation of musicians and music fans. This album lost a bit of its appeal to me. My ears are not tuned for tinny, panning of electronic feedback combined with a dull migraine vocal melody. Which is why I say the relevancy is tapering off for now. NiN and Trent get there dues for changing the soundscapes of metal, rock, alternative and pop music. This version of Hurt is incredible.
Who cares?
Brooding digital meditation of yearning
I prefer Johnny Cash.
Album was fine for what it was. I didn’t love all of it but some songs like Hurt and Closet were good. I liked that some felt like it blended together but other parts of the album felt like just noise
No existe estado de ánimo posible durante el cual escuchar este álbum sea una experiencia agradable. Podemos estar de acuerdo en que Trent Reznor es el Pope del rock industrial moderno, pero no me vais a convencer de que tragarse un disco entero de NIN no se parezca a una bajada a los infiernos. Sí, el álbum contiene la espléndida “Hurt” y la notable “Closer”, pero fuera de ahí se me atraganta fulminantemente.
I did not expect to feel this way after listening to this album. When I saw “nine inch nails”, I initially wrote it off as screamy music in my head. This is felt like a redefinition of an album. You don’t experience this album as individual slices (except for Hurt, maybe), it has to be consumed as a collective experience. It felt like a movie, and I felt moved. The techno-y drills, the atmosphere- I felt sci-fi, dystopian, apocalyptic, introspective, blah bleh bloh. I do not love any of the songs, I didn’t even necessarily enjoy them, but they weighed down on me. I would buy this piece of art. I would never play a song on this album for my friend. I would sit down and listen to this album through. That’s the only way to really do it.
190126 17:28 4.5
Bättre än väntat
Might be my favorite album all time. If not top 3
Noisy and repetitive. The music grates on your ears and the vocals are annoying. Moving on. Best song: Closer
This one did not pass the three songs smell test. Annoying production, screamy vocals.
meh one star for hurt - johnny cash
I can appreciate the production but I might have enjoyed this more as a teenager. Other than Hurt, the only tracks I enjoyed were the mellow ones like A Warm Place.
pas ma tasse de thé 😬😬
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.
some nice soft ones that i enjoyed more because the intense ones are just not very me rn but maybe me as a teen
Some very good songs on this but it's far too long and with too much filler
A bit aggressive, good if you are angry or mad.
The nostalgia had me convinced this album would be a four or maybe even a five. Reality is it’s a 3. So much rage though, gotta appreciate it.
Late 90’s sound but holds up
3/5 - This shit was all over the place, and I kinda dig it? This album reminds me SO much of Bjork. Eccentric, rhythmically challenged, yet inadvertently cool. Making dog shit sound like gold is an art form I can appreciate. Took 2 listens and I am still not 100% there, but I want to return to this one because I feel like I need more time with it.
ikke noe for meg dessverre
I don’t know if Trent was the first to do it but he’s one of the best to.
Highlight so far is “Heresy”, sound wise at the beginning at least, I don’t necessarily like the lyrics as much “March of the Pigs” has a nice intro, but I don’t like the screaming that comes next “closer” has my favorite singing so far “Reptile” is both good singing wise and music wise
harrowing listen - breathtaking in its destruction
gud shi
Loved a couple of the songs, really disliked the others. Too abrasive for my tastes.
NINE INCH NAILS IS THE FUCKING BEST 🗣️ top listened artist on my spotify wrapped of 2025. where do i even start w this album? it's so amazing. my favorite song on it is either memorabilia or eraser. i love u trent n atticus 🖤
Must have been pretty groundbreaking at the time. The industrial beats get a little grating.
Fuck this rapist midget and every scumbag who enabled him.
favorites: track five: closer
Loved this one, more alike to what I usually listen to. I think that this album is not about vocal, but about sound effects themselves
I understand that Trent Reznor is a musical genius but I just cannot get into NIN. This album especially is just too abrasive and experimental. I know it’s the theme and the point of the album but I still don't get why you would want to intentionally make something sound so grating to the ears. Some songs are good but there is too much shit. Whatever 'industrial music' is I do not like it. I have heard that it takes a few listens to really get into but I dont want to put myself through that, maybe some songs could be for the gym. Fav songs: Hurt and Mr. Self Destruct I agree but to a lesser extent. I don’t think it was grating, it just wasn’t for me. I can see why people do like this band tho! I liked Hurt and Big Man With A Gun
Belter. Loved every minute of it. Dark, edgy, moving, intriguing. Some truly amazing lyrics.
Dosyć surowe ale i kosmiczne wydzieranie się. Nie do końca wiem o co chodzi i czy to mi się podoba. To takie trochę zanurzanie się w szaleństwie ale wolę zwykła wersję od deluxe
8/10. Really enjoyed this one, much to my surprise!
This is an amazing album that must be listened to from start to finish to fully enjoy. I probably listened to it dozens of times as a teenager but haven’t revisited it in years. Trent Reznor is a musical genius and this is a peak album of the industrial electronic rock genre. Heavy, loud, often violent, but is able to create a feeling of emptiness, self-loathing, and even desolation. Not a bad track on the album.
Recording an album at the Manson murder house is proper Trent Reznor insanity. This is an extremely industrial album and fits into that mega 90s corner of music with The Prodigy, Marilyn Manson, etc. I don't know how much replay this has for me, I don't really vibe with industrial music that much but I can imagine the tour was incredible. Neat, but not really my style. I'll give it a 3/5 based on that.
An iconic album for its era. It has a lot going for it: a really memorable "industrial alternative" sound (innovative probably?); some really high highs ("Closer" and "Hurt"); I really like Reznor's vocals on it; and it's had a big cultural and artistic impact (including the eventual Cash cover). Had a real struggle trying to decide between a 4 or a 5 here, and I think it's just the bleakness that I'm getting hung up on a little. We'll give it the 5. It's cool that Reznor is still pretty relevant today, 30 years later, mainly now for his film and TV score work (I really enjoyed the "Life on Mars" cover from his Watchmen score a while back).
Aught
Interesting sounds not what i had expected from them.
cant listen to this it sounds like a factory where all the machines needs to be greased and everyone needs a pay rise
very powerful and strong, but the songs give me anxiety
I loved Pretty Hate Machine, I admire Trent Reznor. This is just not my kind of music.
Utter ear noise, not my cup of tea. I understand there's a listener for this type of music but it isn't me.
:/ helt ok
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
didn't love
I was not angry enough to listen to this today
FK
classic.
Not for me. 2/10
This was not for me
Didn't hate it, probably need to listen to it again to decide if it's something i'd listen to regularly
Not my style but they definitely rocked!
Really Bad
My personal preference is not for albums that are this loud and edgy. :(
I Wanna Hug You Like An Animal 1001 Albums Generator 199 (1/6/2025) The Downward Spiral is an album that I probably should like a lot more than I do. I love big conceptual rock albums, metal in general, and some industrial music, AND I tend to enjoy albums that come as highly acclaimed as this one. However, I just found that a large portion of the tracklist, particularly in the second half, fell flat for me. However, with that negativity out of the way, the first half of this album is pretty inspired. Mr. Self Destruct, featuring King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew, is one of the noisiest and most metallic songs on the tracklist, and provides a great bit of character building for the antagonist of The Downward Spiral before the song is consumed by noise. Piggies is our first instance of this album's softer side (which is really exemplified in the ambience of A Warm Place and the obviously beautiful closer Hurt). Heresy is good instrumentally, but this is a song where I feel like the line is really blurred between Trent Reznor and his character. Like it sounds like the misinterpretation of Nietzsche is just the character's nihilism, but then Reznor says stuff that implies that these are his thoughts about religion as well. I don't know. March Of The Pigs and Closer are two songs I had heard before, and I think that March Of The Pigs is amazing, while I have always found Closer a little cringe, but it's a classic nonetheless. Now we start to reach the part of the album where I start to lose interest, and it really becomes clear that this is a long fuckin album. I Do Not Want This and Big Man With A Gun feel pretty unnecessary, but I do enjoy the softness of A Warm Place as a break from the aggressiveness of the rest of the album. Eraser is very well produced and interesting, and Hurt is a perfect closer to the album. We just had Johnny Cash's cover of this song like a week ago, and the comparison of the two is so interesting. The same lyrics can mean completely different things in different contexts. It's a beautiful song. So, overall, The Downward Spiral is a bloated album with strong theming and some real classic tunes, but I don't see myself coming back to relisten to the whole thing anytime soon. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Mr. Self Destruct March Of The Pigs Hurt Least Fav: I Do Not Want This
I think Trent Reznor is a fascinating person. His film scores are incredible. I just...can't do NIN
10/10
Embarrassing to listen to “I want to fuck you like an animal” on the first day back to work
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.
no es mi estilo per sé, me gustaron algunos ritmos y las letras me resultaron interesantes. es todo muy crudo y transmite esa desesperación/enojo closer tiene buen ritmo más que nada hacia el final, me hace acordar un poco a gorillaz ?? ok Damon la letra de ruiner es increíble y el solo de guitarra desp de los 4 minutos > me costó terminarlo porque las melodías no son mi onda pero las letras me gustaron mucho i guess
Moments of brilliance. But also (too many) moments of Trent Reznor singing about his dick.
:/
Wasn't for me. Too dissonant
No
I liked the first 1/2 much better than the second
kinda disappointing? didn’t enjoy as much as beastie boys, only added 2 songs to playlist.
enjoyed this a lot more than i thought i would lmfao
an album of slightly grating noise which didn't feel particularly musical to me. Not my genre whatsoever
* 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.
Way too metal for me
I felt like an old man wanting to say to turn that noise off.
not my thing
One of my favorite album’s on the planet.
Essential 90s alternative rock album.
Weird that I wasn’t into NIN as a teenager, I would have loved them
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
I never got into this when it was released all those years ago. Now however it resonates with me. Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" outshines the original
Too metal for me but I did really like piggy, didn’t realize they were very evil. I really do like the singers voice tho
Used to listen to this album when I was in junior high. I haven't listened to it in years amd forgot how much I liked some of the songs. Maybe not the entire album, but definitely some worth adding to a Playlist here.
I’ve been waiting for this… Full disclosure: I am a HUGE NIN fan, and have been since 1989. The second full length album from Trent Reznor - who wrote and performed the album with a supporting cast of session musicians, recorded (infamously) at Cielo Drive, the site of the Manson Family murders of Sharon Tate and her friends, came out at a time when music was changing once more - Cobain was dead, grunge along with it, and my-metal wasn’t yet a thing. Coming off the back of the breakout hit of Pretty Hate Machine, and a Grammy win for Wish (off the Broken EP), expectations were high from both fans and the music industry. And Reznor didn’t disappoint. From the opening whip cracks of Mr Self Destruct (sampled from THX1138) and its pounding backbeat, Reznor set the tone. The lyrics were uncompromising, nihilistic and bleak, Mr Self Destruct’s theme of internal loathing giving way to the sleaze rock of Piggy, with refrain of ‘hey pig’ evoking the murders literally, ending with ‘nothing can stop me now’ growled threateningly and with conviction. Heresy picks up the beat, declaring the death of religion over a club beat mixed with a military march, , atheism was never so danceable, flowing into the relentless drumbeat of March of the Pigs, the staccato beat just off centre, unbalancing the listener as they can’t help but move to the beat. Then there’s Closer. Ah, the NIN track most non-fans would know, thanks to it becoming a rock club dancefloor stable, the backbeat taken from Iggy Pop’s Nightclubbing slowed to a heartbeat, mixed with a sexually charged groove and lyrics, the refrain ‘I want to fuck you like an animal’ becomes its own form of religious mantra, the poetry whispered by Reznor over the electronic squarks and warbles seduces the listener into a delirious bliss. Ruiner builds on this, reaching a crescendo during the chorus of strings and fanfares, pushing the emotions to the limits, repeating the ‘nothing can stop me now’ refrain, only this time from an confidence born of arrogance rather than a threat. The Becoming evokes a sense of helplessness, of loss of self as the cogs and fears grind down the self into nothing more than a drone, helpless and alone, just another piece in the puzzle. This sense of helplessness deepens in I Do Not Want This, a sense of drowning and loss coming to the front, foreshadowing the second half of the album, giving way to anger and passion, as the song builds to the screams of ‘I want to fuck everyone in the world, I want to do something that matters’, the the serotonin hit at its highest, pushing into Big Man With A Gun, evoking feelings of stardom and excess at its worst, with no regard for anyone but the narrator, until… oblivion. A Warm Place, the lead track to the second half of the album is by contrast, peaceful, a gentle caress, an oasis of calm, the eye of the storm around which the maelstrom uproots and destroys everything around it, until… the disconcerting, menacing ticking and humming begins, heralding the start of Eraser. It starts gentle enough, ‘need you, dream you’ sings Reznor, but that doesn’t last, darkening into feelings of lust and violence ‘fuck you, use you, scar you, break you’ flipping into self hatred and loathing ‘lose me, hate me, smash me, erase me, kill me’, the sense of loss deepening even further. Reptile offers, at first, a sense of relief - here the Madonna as the whore, the object of his desire, yet he knows that to be with her spells his doom. The Downward Spiral lays that doom out - ‘so much blood for such a tiny little hole’, the inevitable happens, oblivion beckons, his thoughts bleed away, the blackness calls to him. Hurt. Ah, beautiful, melancholy Hurt. The paean to heroin, ‘my beautiful friend’, that final respite from the pain he feels, his voice cracking as he cries out ‘if I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find a way’, knowing that he has truly lost himself. I don’t overstate it when I say I truly think that without TDS, we would never have had the rock music of the late 90’s and early 2000’s, and come to it, the music of Lady Gaga, Halsey, and countless EDM acts, all of whom drank from the well, with TDS becoming part of their musical DNA. It’s a perfect album in so many aspects, and truly deserves it’s place on the list.
Good record. I haven’t listened to anything other than Closer or Hurt in years. I’m glad I had to today.
Different and loud but most songs werent for me but i do appreciate the uniqueness
I knew the band name but was surprised to hear the music to go with it - I really didn’t expect this. 100% did not like!
Not much of a NIN fan, but this album seemed so unique compared with the music coming out around that time.
Never a huge fan, only know the radio hits. Damn that was a struggle to get through.
Hey, it's my favorite album from when I was 16. I don't carry the angst that I did back then and subsequently have moved on from identifying with the nihilism and despair on display here. It has ben a very long time since I gave this a spin, but the album still lives within me deep down. The themes don't resonate for me, but the album has power and style that can't be denied.
Peak NIN
Was previously my favourite album of all time and is still up there. Perfect concept. Perfect production. Perfect song-writing. A perfect album in every sense of the matter. Favourite Track - The Becoming 10/10
classic one🤌
Tirando o excesso de ruido e barulho, tem momentos interessantes.
Need to come back to
Seminal 90's album, hugely popular at the time. Industrial noise, hard rock, anger, pissed off guitars, all blended together for an experience that's not for everyone. This ushered in a new sound that was often copied but never quite duplicated. Impressive listener counts with "Closer" leading the way with 372M listens, but no track has fewer than 5.6M. "Closer" is just a great song, and you can still hear it on the radio regularly today. "Piggy" (15M) is another song you heard a lot in 1994. "March Of The Pigs" (42M) & "Hurt" (114M, Johnny Cash covered it and made it an even bigger hit. Listen to the 'Quiet' version on the Spiral Deluxe album too) rounds out the radio hits. Songs like "Mr. Self Destruct", "Heresy" and "The Becoming" are a bit much for me, too much rage, repetitive sounds and relentlessness for me to really enjoy. It can be a barrage on your ears at times, a wall of sound that drips with anger. On the flip side I enjoyed "Ruiner" and "Reptile" which I hadn't heard in years. Too much of this album was un-enjoyable for me to rate it any higher than 3 stars. Part of that is for influence and impact on music (then and now).
Favorite Song: Piggy Least Favorite Song: Mr. Self Destruct Closer’s impact on the anime editing community needs to be studied.
Lots of variation between songs. Piggy!!!
Album got rolling after a couple of songs. Actually tried to listen to this one before but really enjoyed it this time.
top 3 greatest albums of all time I've been listening to it almost every fortnight since I was 13 and I'm still finding new things in it. The ambition and layers of melodies, riffs and noises is something I miss dearly in the blockbuster rock album.
Trent Reznor is a genius at creating menacing soundscapes. Even though this album was released in 1994, it sounds like music for a new frightening century. It's no wonder he's become the go-to guy for a certain kind of movie soundtrack. The problem I have is his lyrics. They speak perfectly to the rage of a 13-year-old boy. But I'm listening to this record now, and I'm no longer 13. "Your God is dead and no one cares...Don't you tell me how I feel...He couldn't believe how easy it was, he put the gun in his face..." The discrepancy between the wideness of the sonic palate and the narrowness of the lyrical one is just a bummer (for me). I don't mind dark, but there's so little contrast here that he makes Johnny Rotten sound like an unrepentant hedonist. The best song is, of course, "Hurt," made even more famous by the Johnny Cash cover. But hearing it in this context makes it even clearer that like a great old actor, Cash (and his producer Rick Rubin) gave the material a gravitas that the original recording just doesn't have. Also, I'm afraid Reznor is not a very expressive vocalist, which drops the record a star for me. I'd be interested to hear if he has other things to see now that he's getting closer to Johnny Cash's age.
Not that great. Too much rock and gave me anxiety
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.
Not for me
Perfect
nothing special except the name of the band
It's dark. It's moody. It's brooding. The percussion often sounds like trash cans and power tools, and I'm kind of into it, but it gets a bit samey. Going in, I knew I liked the singles (Closer and Hurt). I can't say I remember any of the other songs (for good or bad reasons). Strong 3.
holy shit. i haven't listened to this in YEARS. almost every song is liked but honorable mention for eraser. the transition from warm place, the moaning, the build up, OMG.
Not my thing but the production was great!
I discovered Nine Inch Nails through the soundtrack to Quake. I've been a fan ever since. This album represents a milestone in the history of NIN and Trent Reznor. Unfortunately, I can't enjoy it in all its glory today. But A Warm Place and Hurt are always good. Nevertheless, this album is one of my favorites. 5/5
172/1001 Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ I appreciate what this album is doing sonically and it taps into the 90s angst. Hurt is an exceptional track. However, it probably wasn't the right time to listen to this for the first time and probably impacts my rating.
A few tracks (The Becoming, Hurt, Reptile) pulled this from a 1 to a 2 for me, but overall it's just a little too noisy. The first track made me think my headphones might be on the fritz, but the rest of the album got a little more cohesive.
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.
nah
The bias that you might assume comes with being a NIN fan just isn't doing anything here - I never really got this album and was far more into With Teeth through Ghosts I - IV - but for some reason, this time, I get it. Fantastic stuff. 5*
This is an iconic album with notable storytelling. It's just simply not my sound. Really interesting, but not enjoyable. Somehow I do see myself revisiting this album. Favorite track: I Do Not Want This Least favorite track: Eraser
I will never really understand the appeal of this album as much of it just sounds like noise to me. Best song: "A Warm Place" as it was noticeably different than the rest of the album and I also liked, "Hurt", but the rest of the album was something I won't choose to listen to again. Worst songs: the rest of the album excluding the two songs mentioned previously.
Not for me
If I could give this negative stars I would
No thanks
Nope
This is sub Depeche mode stuff and even that was not of the highest order. Woe is me plinky plinky gubbins. Even their best songs hurt is performed better elsewhere.
6.5/10 Best songs: Heresy, I Do Not Want This, Piggy, Mr. Self Destruct The kind of album you'd want from this project - so clearly experimental and creative that it transcends time. That being said, it isn't as good as some of Reznor's later albums, and it's lyrically a bit dull/obvious (at least by modern ears). Starts great but fades in strength by the end. It's very much an album for a very specific type of person, and at some points I find that I am that person. On that note, the lyric "I wanna know everything I wanna be everywhere I wanna fuck everyone in the world I wanna do something that matters" speaks to me (sigh). And, for the record, the original version of Hurt is superior to Johnny Cash's version. Sorry.
It’s okay.
Loved this since I was a teenager
It was different but i didnt find the instrumentals to be that unique or nice and the vocals werent crazy or even appeared often. 1.8/5
Sent me in a downward spiral
Кращий альбом NIN, класика (хоч декілька пісень тут провисають в серединці)
Som great songs here
3.0 / 5 Ngl the first song is anything but good, no matter what you consider to be 'good music'. What comes after isn't all too bad, but you can hear that this album is stuck in the industrial niche of the 90s. I bet it had a lot of fans back then, but now it sounds dated. To be more precise, it sounds like a soundtrack for Blade or Triple X movies. Musically, there's obv. a lot to uncover if you're open to this style of Rock music. The band sounds like they went all out with their creativity to form something pretty special. But I still have to say that if we stay in this genre, I'd rather listen to Rammstein, Marylin Manson or Static-X. And this goes for the entire album. Yes, there's different vibes mixed into it, e.g. "Ruiner" sounds very well thought out. Overall 3 / 5 is fair ig, simply because you can't deny the influence this album had, but neither that there's way better Industrial albums out there.
omg sooooo loud. but sometimes when it wasn’t i was like this is a serve
couldn't finish
not my style
I listened to Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt so much that I forgot how haunting the original NIN version was.
Only listened to NIN in earnest like three years ago & I’m equally bummed I didn’t listen sooner as I am thrilled to have found a new favorite band in my 30s when you tend to just listen to the same things over and over. So now I listen to NIN over and over.
There’s moments where I almost connected with this album.
The concept of the album is fascinating, following the downward spiral of presumably the writer. I very rarely listen to metal, so this was a bit heavy to taste.
Objectively good, but not for me
Interesting
good production, but didn't really hook me
This album made me feel on edge and dark…not my cup of tea, but grateful for this app making me listen to albums id never choose myself. I do see what they’re trying to do and they definitely create the emotions they’re intending for the listener to feel
Another classic
Últimas semanas de diciembre y después de un par de idas y vueltas, retomamos el reto con éste discazo. Álbum crudísimo en comparación al debut de Trent Reznor y que venía a anticipar su forma de hacer música: un catalizador del odio y de la mierda cotidiana. Oscuro, sexi, violento y de a momentos, bailable. Muchas gracias y hasta mañana.
Classic album they never really matched.
Favs: Piggy, Eraser, Closer
Fantastic album.
incredible album what more can I say...
Great industrial
Better than I thought it would be.
meh
not my jam
I keep giving albums five stars but it’s because the generator keeps giving me iconic shit. I mean it’s THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL. Trent famously apologized for the album when he sent it in but the things that were inside him now seem so necessary for the understanding of our world. For scratching that particular itch, this album beats Nirvana or Pumpkins or even Radiohead. Even if it might not rank as high as those folks’ records on favorite lists, I’d argue its sound and style may be even more influential. And it remains so when you hear it today. Weirdly I think the only part of the album that feels dated now is “Hurt” … because as Trent recognized, it’s Johnny Cash’s song now. But that just shows how much it mattered that folks who were still listening to it, still thinking about, still interpreting it.
I bought Pretty Hate Machine when it came out but never listened to this album until today. It's fantastic for what it is, and obviously goes deeper than PHM. I’m just not sure what I - in 2025 - get from this. Not sure if I’d ever even return to it. It’s not NIN, it’s me.
i don't rememebr, so giving 2
Rad. Pure 90’s industrial action.
Best Song: Closer. Musically compelling, lyrically interesting. A sexy industrial song if I've ever heard one. Worst Song: The Downward Spiral. Starts with what sounds like a cloud of mosquitoes buzzing and ends in a forced, edgy skit. Overall: An album that is equal parts noisy in a fun way and noisy in an unfun way. Sometimes they hit on a great groove that agitates and scratches that noise rock itch, but other times it feels emotionless: a flat wall of mechanical noise without any heart or purpose. Maybe that's what they're going for, but it's not for me.
This is much better than i remember. I find this kind of music monotonous but this is more varied than i remembered and "Hurt" is a fantastic song.
I didn’t love the album but I really love the song Hurt.
Genius
It was okay - not massively my thing but some bangers in there.
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
What an out the gate album. Abrasive, jarring, fucking creepy record. Teenage me would’ve loved this album. There’s a strange energy to this record which reminds me of the museum of death in Los Angeles. There’s this culture I’ve experienced, and I’ve felt it mostly during my times in LA- that seems to almost glorify or be morbidly fascinated with the violent, dark, degrading side of humanity and turns it into a cultural aesthetic. This album feels like that to me. This focus on the darkest and scariest side of a human. Philosophically I can get down with that. But overindulging in that space, for me, puts me in a weird frame of mind and isn’t a place I like to visit often. That being said, there’s value in confronting the uncomfortably morbid parts of yourself and life, it’s why people get obsessed with serial killers. This record seems to indulge in, and is inspired by those aspects of humanity/culture. Using it to create edge. Because of that spiel, I find it hard to rate this album. As a piece of art, or a one off experience I find it confronting, uncomfortable, cathartic, creative in its production and sound, but it’s certainly not pleasant. In terms of relistenability, I likely wouldn’t touch it for enjoyment, more maybe for fascination, craft or technique, kinda like how one can appreciate Francis bacons paintings but wouldn’t hang it in the living room. That’s how I feel about this record. I can hear this records influence onwards in many later records. But yeah a viscerally uncomfortable, unsettling and morbid album- that has creative innovation and depth, but who’s lense focuses in on the dark. There’s a feeling of morbid mystique to this record. A cult like, cult album. But not something I’d chuck on whilst I’m at the beach. Hurt is probably one of my favourite songs of all time. Gorgeous song. So gets some extra points for that.
The smack-addled offspring of Pretty Hate Machine and Broken, this record feels like the moment Trent Reznor finally stopped trying to make “songs” and instead made a world—claustrophobic, grimy, and relentlessly interior. It’s a genuinely unsettling listen that lands harder as a front-to-back descent than as a playlist of individual tracks. Hearing it now, it’s no surprise Reznor eventually drifted into film scoring; the album is basically a psychological thriller disguised as industrial rock. “Piggy” slithers in with an almost jazz-like looseness, its drums and bass setting an ominous pulse instead of a groove. “March of the Pigs” reminds you Reznor could’ve crushed it in advertising—those sugary little breaks in the chaos are practically accidental jingles. And “Hurt” remains one of the most distilled transmissions of depression and self-loathing ever put to tape. Then there’s “Closer,” the unlikely hit. Whether Reznor was actually angling for crossover success with that now-infamous chorus is debatable—but he got it anyway. The shock, the sleaze, the hook: irresistible. The whole album, though, is the real statement, a blueprint for the shadowy labyrinth Reznor would keep mapping for decades.
girl. 10/10 of course. Listened to this doing errands, on my way to my cousin's, showering, lazing around, working out, running, cruising around the city at odd hours, thinking about people, people watching, and just about anything. I sincerely love this album and everything in it. Could never get enough. It's hard hitting and intense and even overwhelming, I just find myself lost in it.
This band scared the crap out of me as a little kid, but that's kind of the point, right? This album was so interesting to listen to. Spooky sounds, layered effects, differing time signatures. the delay effect on Hurt blew my mind.
- koko levyn mitalta nin on ollut ittelle aina ehkä vähän liian raskas pala purtavaksi, mutta kyllähän tällä paikkansa on musiikin kaanonissa
It took me a few years to take appreciate this album fully, the surround mix on SACD takes it to another level.
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!
Weird
I never understood why people like NIN, and I still don’t get it
Not my kind of music
Standouts Piggy Closer Hurt
Pretty mid. Closer
Not angry enough for this album while sitting in the lobby at Jiffy Lube. Closer and Reptile were good.
I don't think I have ever been angry enough to relate to this. Hurt is a great song and saved the score even if Johnny did it better
Front to back banger.
I had listened to Hurt before. The rest I did not enjoy very much. Did not listen a second time.
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
I have no problem with heavier music, but as someone who likes emo, this music stressed me tf out. Emo is cathartic, this made me panic a little bit
51/1001 This thing is a monster. This album and all the following remixes were my life at the time. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before. The production on this is a beast too if you can hear it on something other than a phone speaker. 10/10
Haven't listened to a ton of nine inch nails, i had a perception they were something they are really not. I enjoyed this.
Sånn ræva gothisk sex elektronika rock, som typ Marilyn Manson, digger null
Interesting listen I do like closer. Hurt is also good 3 out of 5
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.
This album is so great, it’s such a singular work of art. It’s an album about a downward spiral of self destruction, self hate and loathing. It’s withdrawing from society into a world of hate. The music tells the tale with walls of feedback, punishing beats and distorted vocals. This is as good as art gets. You don’t have to like or enjoy it but it’s impossible not to be in awe of the artistic achievement. Anyway I love it and NIN’s original version of hate is so powerful, so dissonant so painful. I remember seeing it live, it was over a decade ago but the memory is still so vivid. Five star album if there ever was one.
Industrial is definitely not my kind of music. Hurt stands out, especially because I only knew Johnny Cash's cover version, not realizing that the original was by NIN.
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 music is made up of a bunch of components that I’d theoretically like…but somehow I can’t get along with Nine Inch Nails.
I'd never heard of Industrial Rock before and I won't be disappointed if I don't hear of it again. I'm not sure of how it's defined unless it's just making as much distorted noise as possible. A Warm Place was the only refuge, but that take a lot of listening to noise to reach it.
This album knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s a dirty, grungy mass of industrial sound that imposes and is unrelenting. And it’s amazing. It all works so well and creates a memorable style of music that is so cohesive and conveys the exact feelings you are supposed to feel. I had a great time with this album and would listen again.
Clang! Industrial, reminds me of Tool with a punk flair.
Hmm, just missing a little. And actually I think that little is a bit more guitar and a little less synth. I really admire the effort to create something super-dense and harsh without relying on thrashy guitars, but it might have gone a bit far from my perspective. One thing I will say though is that NIN have a very cool logo, and not a lot of bands ever really nail that.
I respect the fact they have their own sound throughout this album, I just don’t like the fact it only works for 2 songs max
“Alternative”… try screaming in your face the entire time
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.
Alright, not really my cup of tea but I can see the appeal.
Masterpiece. Perfect album. In the top 5 albums of the 90s for sure.
Incredible
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.
*Don't love industrial music but it's interesting to listen to. I just would never choose to listen to this on my own. Not bad, just not for me.
Overrated and a bit boring. Overall, however, it's acceptable.
I love NIN but I really have to be in the mood for them otherwise they're quite irritating. Closer is incredible though.. 3.5 stars.
Legendary, still not enough bangers for me, used to love them from later releases
Awful too noisy and angry, depressing
Not for me
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.
A perfect album.
I somehow missed this band growing up. Later on I have listened to a few songs but none from this album. Its very interesting music with layering and lyrics that certainly fit the bands style through and through. Most of the songs have to much noise for me to really get in to them though, what ever it is they are doing with the guitars in those parts of the songs it would make me click next as soon as could If I heard it in another context.
Have listened to most of this before, but not all the way through. The Becoming and Reptile stood out. Not a huge fan of this industrial music, but it had it's moments. 3/5
Sounds like an industrial orgy, full metal and oil all around. Hard power to your ears, gets you pumped for a race. 6,5/10
WHAT A FUCKING BANGER WTF
Nah I fucking hated this. I genuinely wouldn’t wish this listening experience on my worst enemy
hearing closer takes me back to being 7 or 8 in my dads car, stale camel blue cigarette smoke smell lining the seats, after market stereo with flashing blue lights playing a burned CD, beautiful wretched nostalgia rest of the album is pretty good though
I recognize it's super influential and famous, but it's not so much my vibe.
Laadne Industrial Rock pole päris minu teema. Aga põnev kuulamine on ta ikka. Palju originaalseid mõtteid ja minu jaoks täitsa uut kõla. Terve plaat on suht hedonistlik ja kirglik. "Closer" on kuidagi eriti isiklik. Ma saan tunnistada, et plaat on uskumatu kunstiteos ja lähedane eneseväljendus, aga saan sama lausega ka öelda, et mulle see muusika väga peale ei lähe. 3/5
Very experimental noisy listen. ‘Closer’ was of course a stand out. Always a banger. But nothing I would revisit
Chef kiss!
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.
This is like a kid on his first day of secondary school. He’s walking around at lunchtime, trying to figure out which group of friends suits him best. He sees a group of boys sitting on the edge of the field, sneakily smoking cigarettes while scribbling in notebooks. “Might give those guys a miss”, he thinks to himself.
Its an interesting collection of songs. Hard to hear and not make a.comparrison to the Cash version. Ruined was a good tracks. But some others were just noise for noise.
It’s been a minute since I listened to this back to front. I had a suspicion it would still be an easy five-stars and I was right. Boy does this beast hold up. Bleak, abrasive, and brutally honest. An archive of suffering that you can mosh to.
Not bad but I wasn’t into NIN in the 90s-2000s for a reason.
Ye it's cool
A little heavy metal for me, fav song on the album is probably a lot of people’s fav; Hurt. Don’t know if I’d listen to this through again.
Man's a genius in a fucked up kind of way
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.)
I didn’t like it. Too much dissonance and too long.
It’s the second best NINA ALBUM
Overplayed
Really good.
This is such an awesome album. There is no other artist that combines anger and sensitivity with incredible musicality like Trent Reznor. I have always loved this album. When my friend Craig introduced me to it, it changed my listening life! It sounds like every nightmare I have ever had. It's tough to listen to, but well worth the effort! I vividly remember popping a girlfriends cherry to this album!!
Well thanks Trent, now I’m all angry and sad and horny! Which tbf is pretty much how I always feel, and probably why I love this album so much! 😅 This really is a masterpiece - It scratches my brain in all the good ways
While I can't listen to this all day every day, this album came out right as I was starting to understand what my own tastes in music were versus what my parents listened to around me. The edginess of young teens listening to listen in the culture of public schools at the time added to the appeal. I didn't even realize or understand how musically complex it was, how innovative Trent Reznor is, nor the influence it had on hard rock and electronic music. People older than about 30 at the time this album came out probably just thought this was annoying noise with dirty lyrics, but anyone younger than that can see this album (and what NIN was doing in general) was moving the needle in completely new directions for musical creativity.
äÄÄh
Honestly this made me appreciate how good Ross Bryant’s impression of Nine Inch Nails was. Very raw and painful but for every track I enjoyed there was one that was overindulgent.
One of the best noise/alt rock albums ever cut
A little too intense for me.
Banger after oppressive banger.
Not a nine inch nails fan. Didn’t click with me.
There were some songs i could get down with but a lot just felt too edgy for me to enjoy
It felt so close to being good, but ultimately I was effectively just sitting inside of a washing machine for most of the album.