Reviews (page 8 of 13)
Great listen overall—an experimental mix of electronic sounds, guitar, and edgy vocals. I was ready to give it 4 stars, but the track Closer really put me off. I don’t mind edgy vocals or provocative lyrics, but this one pushed it a bit too far. It started to feel reminiscent of those 2009 bowl-cut kids, and not in a good way. Still, a solid 7.5/10.
2.5/5 - Oisin luullu, et oisin tykänny täst enemmän. En ollu ennen kuullu mitää tält bändilt, kuullu vaan nimen, enkä kyl oottanu mitää tällast. Kun aloitin kuuntelee tätä, tein sen oppitunnilla sillee et mul oli vaan yks kuuloke, mikä ei kyl oikeuttanu tätä levyy yhtää. Täl levyl on tosi monii tasoja ja paljon erilaisia ääniä, mitkä kyl ansaitsee molemmat kuulokkeet. Tää on just sellane levy, mille pitää kiinnittää täysi huomio todella tarkas mielentilassa, että sitä pystyy arvostaa ja et sitä levyy jaksaa ees kuunnella. Mun mielestä tuntu et tää albumi oli enemmän joku tarina kuin pelkkää musiikkia, mikä oli ihailtavaa ja tosi siistiä. Tää kuitenki johti siihen et biisit oli välillä vähän korvia raastavia, varsinkin ne kohdat missä vaan legit karjuttiin. Myös tän albumin sellane 'metalli' (ei se genre vaan legit niiku tehtäis jotai metallist, hitsataan yms) soundi ei natsannu, vaikka arvostanki sitä. Tosi hienosti suunniteltu ja toteutettu levy, mut it wasn't for me.
Equal parts horny and angsty Favourite track: Mr. Self Destruct
Listened at my desk at work; industrial with moments of quiet vocals, definitely impactful but not an easy listen.
It's noisy and edgy but the sound is like contained in a chaotic atmosphere set to a rhythmic beat (3.5)
It was ok - lots of electronica. Lyrics were basic but had a darker meaning.
I think there is a period of one's life where Nine Inch Nails speaks to you, and I might have aged out of it. What I once thought was pop genius processing metal, industrial, sci-fi into a zeitgeist cyborg sounds a little pedestrian now, but perhaps we have finally caught up to Trent Reznor's dystopia leanings. Were I 17 just hearing this, I might blast it from my battle tank, but in my golden years, it didn't grab me from my Honda Civic.
I’ve never really known what to make of Trent Reznor and his whole tortured, angry persona. What’s he gotten so worked up about? He’s a talented arranger of electronic soundscapes, no question. But as a guy singing about wanting to penetrate and violate you, on an album about some guy’s toxic-masculine mental breakdown, yeah I dunno. It seems carefully curated for shock value (or alternately, the inspiration to would-be mass shooters). In the end, I guess he just wants to fuck everyone in the world, he wants to do something that matters. Who doesn’t?
Too long, but the singles hold up. NIN proved that you didnt have to be German (or European) to make it big in industrial music.
Top Songs: Heresy March of the Pigs Closer
Ok. Best so gar
I can't really explain why I found this album interesting. I do like the anger and the sound of it. In the end, it's an interesting listen, which is way more than some of the albums here.
I don't dislike industrial music but a whole album of it is maybe too much for me. However when a song or part of a song hits right it goes HARD.
The sound of tattoos and piercings for the 90s. Trent reznor was an original and this ‘industrial’ sound enraptured david Bowie who asked him to tour with him. ‘Hurt’ was immortalised by Johnny cash’s swansong acoustic cover version. A bit dismal but not boring.
Instrumentals and production is dope. Lyrics not so much.
Fine but not for me
I was really surprised how much I liked this recording. I liked the second cut a lot.
I fully recognize from an artistic standpoint what makes this a great album. It just doesn't really do anything for me. I'm quite sure 99% of that is having grown up in a world that came after this album, I've heard this kind of thing a million times and it's worn out. The shock value is gone. What once surely felt raw and real now feels cliche and overdone. Frankly, I think too many edgelords took cultural artifacts like this album and made it their whole personality and just ruined it. 3 stars to try and be fair.
Nice - was not a fan when I was younger, they have clearly grown on me
Thought I was gonna really like this album but it was a meh for me. Some good stand out tracks but don’t think I’d revisit. 5/10
I'm never sure how to feel about Nine Inch Nails. Maybe if I'd discovered them a few years prior to when I did I would have some kind of nostalgia for their music and enjoy it more. Now, however, it's just a bit too "aggressive" for me. I appreciate their art. I think the musicianship is great, and I liked the vocals a decent amount. This was just a miss for me today.
I've never really listened to NIN despite them being in the genre of music and generation I listen to. This album was my first real introduction to them despite having heard "Closer" several times. The cold industrial sound is amazing, so unique and creatively done while also being rock at the same time. Dare I say it's like a prototype Sleep Token, or perhaps Sleep Token pulled inspiration for their sound from NIN? It's definitely an album that I need to be in a specific mood for, but it is good. 7/10
Very interesting industrial sound, but not something I'm interested in
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
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.
Fun anger. It sounded less dated than I thought it might, and a lot of it still holds up well.
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
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.
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.
A lot more noise-rock than I was expecting. Had some good hits as well. Will listen to select songs again
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
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
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.
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.
Bättre än väntat
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.
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.
gud shi
Must have been pretty groundbreaking at the time. The industrial beats get a little grating.
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
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.
Aught
Interesting sounds not what i had expected from them.
I loved Pretty Hate Machine, I admire Trent Reznor. This is just not my kind of music.
Didn't hate it, probably need to listen to it again to decide if it's something i'd listen to regularly
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
Embarrassing to listen to “I want to fuck you like an animal” on the first day back to work
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
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.
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
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
Not my thing but the production was great!
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.
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
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.
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
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
Favs: Piggy, Eraser, Closer
Better than I thought it would be.
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.
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.
It was okay - not massively my thing but some bangers in there.
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.
- koko levyn mitalta nin on ollut ittelle aina ehkä vähän liian raskas pala purtavaksi, mutta kyllähän tällä paikkansa on musiikin kaanonissa
Standouts Piggy Closer Hurt
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
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
Interesting listen I do like closer. Hurt is also good 3 out of 5
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.
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.
Alright, not really my cup of tea but I can see the appeal.
*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.
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.
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
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
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.
Not bad but I wasn’t into NIN in the 90s-2000s for a reason.
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.
Closer
3 stars
I really liked this back in the day, and I do still think it's a big step forward from pretty hate machine in a lot of ways, but it's just so dark, angry, and jagged that I have trouble sticking with it now. There are a couple true masterpieces on here but overall I just don't see myself coming back to this very much.
En general los albumes que trato de escuchar 3 veces y no puedo me los salto (este challenge no esta para sufrir) pero por la fama de este le puse un poco mas de onda y let me say: Este album es para un mood y gusto muy especifico, por mas que me puede llegar a gustar el rock industrial y me encantan los albumes conceptuales este no es mi cup of tea. De igual manera, yo tengo una visión objetiva con la musica porque se que mis gustos no son los mas abiertos del mundo, asi que reconozco que es un buen album y cumple con lo que se propone. Se me hizo eterno y un poco repetitivo, por lo que se lleva mi 3.5. Mi única fav son Closer y la intro (soy una normie de mierda ya se)
At the very least this album was interesting. Very angry but in a well-produced kinda way. I don’t think I will seek this out again but I can appreciate it.
This is a good album but I wish it had a little more variety. Ruiner, Closer, Hurt and A Warm Place are such standouts that I would've liked to see more of that stuff. This album is a lot of Trent Reznor screaming over heavy distortion, and while he is the only one I could take seriously while doing that, this album is hard on my mind and body.
This was raw and hard to listen to. I found myself unable to accept a lot of it? Like, if I did, I was embracing nihilistic tendencies. But something about the first song "I drag you down I use you up" reminded me of alcohol/person addiction. Like, it's easy to get hooked on drugs/alcohol/people when they are not really the best for us. I found it uncomfortable, but also appreciated that it made me feel that way? It's confusing, but interesting. I'm glad I listened, but I would not listen again. I found it raw and sharped edged, like a badly honed knife.
Overall enjoyable. It reminded me of the band Refused (who I'm now sure were inspired by NIN). I sometimes get a bit bored with metal, but this album had enough interesting melodies and instrumentation to keep me interested. Overall; not my thing, but I can definitely appreciate the album and see why people like it. 3/5 (but I could see that rating improving on relistens)
música de jovem deprimido raivoso noventista. eh até que bem agressivo, né. umas pegada de synthpop e pa. algumas músicas até envelheceram ok, mas outras não... bem percursor dum metal industrial, hein. bacaninha, mas não curto mto industrial não. pelo menos eh bem produzido e barulhento. e tem aquela música que só é famosa por conta do johnny cash
I don't really get industrial music. It sounds cool sometimes, but it feels emotionally flat. I had so many friends try to get me into Nine Inch Nails from middle school through college, I'm pretty familiar with this album. And I still find it to be "meh"
Nine Inch Nails have been creating their particular brand of music for over 35 years But I have always preferred listening to individual tracks rather than a whole album at one time Same with this collection Tasty, but best in small bites!
It was certainly different. There’s some cool elements to this but it just didn’t click with me. It’s probably a bit longer than I’d have liked as well. The original version of hurt is an interesting listen after being so familiar with Johnny Cash’s version. They’re both great in their own unique ways
Häftig ljuddesign, ok platta
Inte min stil men har definitivt något.
good exercise album has a nice beat
I love this album, the weird time signatures, the distorted electronics and guitars. It’s chaotic, poetic and intense, but some parts still manage to feel surprisingly gentle, capturing Trent's inner torment and self-destruction in a really powerful way Trent Reznor is just a unique figure in music. His work stands completely on its own, you can’t compare it to anything else, because nothing else is like it.
This one is to be commended for making me think. What makes a good musical capture of depression and hopelessness? I still don't think I can answer that. The arrangement and sound I'd sum up as artistically and intentionally ugly. Noises collide with distorted guitar, drum machines pounding away and samples of people in agony. The lyrics are at times too sexually violent to connect to personally. I just can't shake the connection to Inceldom: nihilism, the desire for violence, the only motivation an insatiable and directionless libido, the sheer anger of it expressed at anyone in range. A malignant moan. Normally I am a sucker for vintage sad but this is a darkness that surpasses what I can allow myself to seriously indulge in. If you come across those who ascribe to this philosophy: offer help, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. Anger is often sadness transformed by lack of release. With the mixed feelings comes a mixed rating.
This album has some great songs, notably Closer and Hurt, but overall it's just not my taste
Zwischen Korn und Manson. Irgendwie passiert aber zu wenig
Solide, aber wird nicht hängen bleiben
J'ai trouvé l'album très quali, avec des orchestrations intéressantes, et de belles textures vocales sur les passages murmurées / chantées. Piggy m'a vraiment plu rythmiquement, et sur l'accord entre la partition de batterie et la voix qui était posée doucement. J'ai retrouvé ça aussi sur Closer, avec des rifs de guitare qui m'ont bien plu, et une belle atmosphère, même si les sonorités m'ont sensoriellement un peu moins parlé (tout comme la fin qui s'étire bcp en longueur). Impressionnée par la variété stylistique et les recherches instrumentales, et l'originalité de certaines mélodies qui me plaisent bien, mais l'ensemble est un peu trop saturé à mon goût (l'esthétique hard core me parle ici pas trop, que ce soit dans les tons hurlés aussi bien que dans les tons rock-suaves, comme dans Ruiner qui fait alterner les deux). Un album qui me renverse pas mais qui retient techniquement mon attention et où je prends plaisir à cherry pick quelques sons.
I like NIN. They remind me of the low hum I would hear coming out of my sisters red and black bedroom when I was young. This album was ok, but too long. I think I like the more classical stuff they do. I could only really stomach a listen once.
If the Saw franchise was an album
Ehh, I liked some songs, but heavily disliked others, still the bangers slightly outweigh the ones I didn’t like, that saved it from a 2-star rating
Powerful. Kind of screamy but it was ok. 2.5 outta 5
Interesting! Never listen to that kinda music but closer was banging
A staple of industrial rock. Aggressive, loud, and dark. Not really a genre that I seek out, but I respect the sonic artistry on display here.
ça envoie, c'est plutôt mon style mais l'album est un peu trop long à mon gout, il arrive un moment ou je m'ennuie un peu malheureusement
2 hits and a bunch of filler. Not too shabby in the grand scheme.
I am hot and cold on NIN, and this was way too industrial for me. Like I was strapped to a cold, metal table with fluorescent lights in my eyes and a probe down my ear canal with white noise.
This album came out when I was in high school and listening to its nihilistic (albeit amateur) lyricism, I can't imagine a record like this being released in this current age of the male loneliness epidemic. It's angry, and violent evil and hopeless. So let's set that aside, and listen to the music which is...okay. Aside from 'Closer' which continues do be an absolute badass track 30 years later, the last 3 tracks make up for what's a pretty not-so-great record overall. Interestingly enough, Trent Reznor's current foray into movie scores is the more interesting version of him, in my opinion.
Cyberpunk 1994
Good. Would probably rate it higher if I gave it another listen
Thought it started quite weak, but it grew on me.
You have to be in a certain mood… I do like it though. I just rarely listen to it
Uncomfortable. A record that drags you through filth and fury, sometimes brilliant, often unbearable.
Alright but not our cup of tea.
didn't get through it, never listened to it in its time. respect for it still.
better than i thought it would be.
i expected to like this album more than i did - i had high hopes with the industrial/alternative rock genre but it didn't really end up being my speed. there were some decent moments though - i liked the emotion in the tracks, not just from the vocals but from the instrumentation too. i want to able to say that i like NIN but unfortunately i can't see myself coming back to this album.
More like a 6/10 than a 3/5. :-P
2.5
I tend to gravitate towards the softer side of Trent Reznor. But when the heavier stuff hits, it hits well.
The Downward Spiral is a strong album. Its main shortcoming is that it doesn’t quite capture the same raw, chaotic aggression of Pretty Hate Machine, but it still delivers an experience I can appreciate and enjoy.
It is really interesting music and kept me hooked throughout. Struggled to connect with a lot of the lyrics and themes though.
Bardzo ciekawy ale ciężki do słuchania po kilka razy
Better than I excepted, but still too edgy for my taste. Loved and was surprised by the dynamics on this album. I finally understood why a lot of people love this one, but still a hard listen for me
Best- closer
Decent, I have never been a big fan of NIN but I always respect his originality and actual love of music.
This album is definately creative and mixed excellently. From the beggining you know where you getting into. Piggy its autobiographical probably,March of the pings is starting super noisy then it has a dancable bridge and ends up in piano!Heresy is my thing from the album but i can see some Kurt Cobain in some breakdowns. DDD=Dark,Distorted & Disturbing(in a good creative way). 3/5 for me cause some tracks were really difficult for me to listen.
I really wanted to like this more than I did. Some good songs on here, particularly 'closer'. The industrial sound might take some getting used to and the album felt like it dragged a bit. Hurt doesn't hold a candle to the cover by Johnny cash.
im split somewhere between omg this is so cool and what the hell
Is this something I will put on in my free time? Probably not. But god damn it is a cool album and the production is pretty mind blowing. All of the industrial drum shit that has seeped its way into modern music, I’m thinking about mkgee and Dijon, totally stands on the shoulders of this. Also OG hurt is very interesting to hear it’s def the best track imo.
An okay album, I liked Heresy and Hurt the most.
It's angry, but in a way that makes you want to tell someone to get over it.
crazy that closer is the most popular single. loved the synth vibes, was meh on the yelliness but I guess it would be a vibe if I was angry
Some hits, some misses. Probably won't return, but a bit of a mad listen. 3*69 stars, rounded down
Reznor good. Noise bad.
Better than expected
O álbum tem alguns momentos que se destacam. Mas no geral é um álbum ok. TRN Medusa.
Second half banged but wasn't feeling the first half
Great listen overall—an experimental mix of electronic sounds, guitar, and edgy vocals. I was ready to give it 4 stars, but the track Closer really put me off. I don’t mind edgy vocals or provocative lyrics, but this one pushed it a bit too far. It started to feel reminiscent of those 2009 bowl-cut kids, and not in a good way. Still, a solid 7.5/10.
Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Later half of the album was slower and I think better aside from the singles.
It’s good but never did as much for me as other people
Thier soundtrack work (Challengers, The social network, etc) has opened me up to appreciating NIN more than I would have previously
First few songs to scare away the hoes before they do the good stuff
Would have preferred Pretty Hate Machine, unlike Trent who called it "immature" before this sophomore album's release. Never been a fan of NIN but Trent has composed numerous of my favorite movie soundtracks. He is the GOAT of contemporary film scoring but has yet to top his first feature OST for the Social Network. I was quite hyped to hear some similarities between that masterpiece and this album like the synth melody at the end of "Piggy". As suggested by the album’s wiki page, I don't hear the similarities to my favorite album, Low, but I get the art-rock vibes and sorta appreciate them. Similarities unlocked around "A Warm Place" and into "Eraser" which are two great tracks. Looking forward to hearing "Hurt" for the first time in over a decade and trying to divorce it from the obviously superior Johnny Cash cover. Christ almighty I hated that music video for "Closer". Kinda defines what I always expected to dislike from NIN's music right from the jump with the pumping heart to the sounds of the "music." Industrial just ain't my vibe. I think all my favorite parts of the extended album cut were my favorites in the song.
Románticamente caótico
Förutom Hurt har jag knappt hört Nine Inch Nails tidigare. Jag rätt svårt för Trent Reznors sång. I flera låtar funkar det inte alls. Bäst låter han i The Becoming och i Hurt. Jag tycker att skivan växer på mig. Jag gissar att Bowie inspirerades till viss del av detta inför Eartling. Särskilt de sista åtta spår tycker jag är bra. Det är en rå desperat ångest som går rakt igenom högtalarna. Men när jag summerar allt så är det inte riktigt min typ av musik. Klart godkänt.
I’ve never heard a full NIN album because I never liked their biggest songs. I definitely should have been trying a full album.
jako sam se nekoliko puta u životu potrudila oko nin-a, al ne ide
Oh man, this one takes me back. Music to drunkenly fuck to. Music to nihilist to. Music for dirty teenagers with no empathy. Every 90s kid's sex album. It's objectively not good musically. I guess three stars because it was truly innovative for its time and place in the Western canon and made a gigantic ripple in the zeitgeist, but I fully acknowledge that three of these stars could be coming from me associating Closer to past orgasms.
I don't think I was in the right frame of mind (or weather) for this angry, aggro, moody and dissonant album. Some flashes of brilliance and obviously a few straight bangers, but this didn't blow me away like I expected. I will have to revisit someday.
Wasn't a big fan of the parts that were angry and loud, was a fan of the parts that were angry and not as loud
Whereas I can appreciate where this took music and kind of like the sonic aspect, I was not when it came out or ever since been nihilistic enough in anyway to gain any real enjoyment from listening to it. It sonically expresses all the emotion it set out to successfully in my book, and has more musical scope to do so, that say the teen fanboy cartoon anger that I get from thrash metal. So a difficult 1 to score, it is a good album but personally as said appreciate what it does musically, it has strong songwriting, great production and sound and is where hard rock developed into the 21st century but as I don’t relate to the sentiment in any way to really connect its not for me, so 3 Star, but can accept some find will see it as a 5 and some a 1.
This album has its moments and creates some interesting soundscapes rather than songs. It it is definitely a grower but I suspect as I prefer the Cash version of Hurt this is never going to be a classic for me.
pre-listen: Familiar with this album, I recall listening to this in high-school, but can't remember anything specific aside from hurt that stuck with me so I'm looking forward to diving back in to this. Listened: There were not as many memorable tracks for me on this one, closer and hurt of course. Reptile was cool, but nothing really stuck with me. This was a good album to have on at the gym, and definitely benefited from having headphones on. It does feel like a decent entry point into NIN for a new comer, as their later stuff refines on this sound but maybe not the strongest of their albums that I recall. Overall I enjoy NIN songs but maybe not an entire album in one sitting NOTE: Changing my internal ratings to include all stars now. 3 is now what I was considering a 4.
not really my jam, but discovered that Hurt was not from Johnny Cash
A decent album for when you're in an angsty mood.
I saw NiN in 1991 at the first Lollapalooza. I really liked Pretty Hate Machine and Broken, but I stopped listening to them shortly afterwards. This album is fine but it’s not my style anymore.
Surprised me. Not bad.
I've heard of Nine Inch Nails, and I've heard of this album. But I've never listened to a single song by them. Honestly, I did not expect electronic-esque music. I always thought Nine Inch Nails was some sort of edgy pop punk band or something of that nature. Colour me surprised when I heard Closer and was pleasantly surprised. One note about a song is that Piggy sounds like Halo 2 intermission music, like right before a massive battle. In fact, a lot of the songs on this sounded like video game music. Which is pretty impressive for a 1994 record, considering what video game music sounded like back then. 1 hour of industrial rock really did take a toll. I was a bit over it by about the half way mark. Anyways, this was definitely a listenable album, but I don't really 'get' it. It just sounds like industrial music that edgy teenagers in the late 90's and early 00's would listen to on their iPods (or whatever was around back then) to sound like they're in a game of Quake rather than walking around the Logan Hyperdome shopping centre with their mum. Hurt was a very good song though. I still prefer my boy JC's version - but props to NIN for writing it.
Instrumentally interesting but falling off in variety as the album drags on. I do not care for Trent Reznor as a vocalist whatsoever. Evocative of autoerotic asphyxiation while crying.
Some of these tracks sound like the shit I made on my laoptop when I was 13 lol. But I actually enjoyed this album in a strange sort of way. It certainly was an interesting listen! Of course a lot of it I found to be corny in that way when Americans try to be edgy and go all anti-christ and sing about explicit stuff like all things sexual and whatnot. Also the "noise" parts I found a bit too much sometimes. But otherwise there were a lot of parts on the album I found myself enjoying more than I expected.
Wanted to like it more
Somewhat enjoyed but nothing memorable for me
I can’t believe this came out in 1994! I strongly associate this with my high school years although I’m not sure why. Tbh this is kind of a gross-feeling album, both lyrics and production, but he commits to it and has a clear artistic vision. To put it another way, he really Nine Inch Nailed the assignment.
I was there for Trent Reznor's initial fame. I saw NIN at the first Lollapalooza (when it was a 1-stage tour). I know this music, but it's never really clicked with me. I give it all sorts of credit for exemplifying the industrial electronic sound that had been developing from the late 80s (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy, etc.) to the 90's (like Rob Zombie et al). Reznor made it a household sound and thus inspired lots of people to develop that genre further. But as much as I loved RevCo, Skinny Puppy, and Foetus, NIN never really did it for me. I was kinda over it all by the time NIN came along.
Not their best, felt a bit of a slog at times
Noisy
I really liked Mr. Self Destruct and Heresy. I already knew Closer. A Warm Place is a good ambiant song. Overall really like the beats but sometimes the vocals are too much for my taste.
Some songs weren’t too bad but there was a little too much of that thrash’s, discordant sound in others.
Nah. It’s ok but I think NIN did better. I guess it shows that not every major band release is worth hearing a lot.
Ooh nihilistic. Still ok but the abrasiveness is less interesting as I get older.
The album has a great reptation, as have Nine Inch Nals....but. When I actually got down to listening to it....it's just Mid. Compared to Depeche Mod, Throbbing Gristle, and suchlike...its all posture and show, No real substance or threat. 3.5 stars from me.
2.5/5 - rounded up for a re-listen
Man. This is just. Not for me. I can appreciate that this is incredibly influential while also saying pass. There are a couple of songs that I end up liking. Although, one of them is mostly instrumental lol. It's fine. Not my cup of tea. The concept is a great idea, and I'm glad this exists, even if I don't really care for it all that much. Favorite Song(s): A Warm Place, Hurt
Eh
Very good.
This is an interesting combination of heavy metal and electronic music. The components come together into something that is more interesting to listen to than it is enjoyable, but it does a good job of conveying emotion. I'm looking forward to the Tron soundtrack, hopefully it's good!
Not really my thing, but it wasn't terrible.
Complicado de escuchar en algunas canciones, rescato hurt y a warm place
I can see the concept and understand that it's important to the genre, just not my thing.
Ok, ikkje så inspirerande
an interesting soundscape, intricately constructed. pretty much the model for industrial rock. that said. its too "noisy" for me. i can recognize that it's good, but i wouldn't listen again.
I don't know if it was because I was not in the mood for it or what but apart from a few songs there were good I didn't enjoy much of it. Hurt and Closer are classics though. I feel like they belong on a better project.
Classic album but too heavy for me.
Cool
I'll get it out of the way early. I didn't get this as much as I thought I would. I went in thinking I'd really enjoy it. I prefer the original of 'Hurt'. It's ominous and downright creepy and Trent Reznor sounds angry and in pain. So I was hoping the rest of the album would follow suit. I like heavy music but it's too abrasive for me at times. I don't know how people criticised the lyrics when it first released because half the time the vocals are so fuzzy, static, and drowned out by the loud music that it's unintelligible anyway. (Yes, I know that's probably the point). It's not enjoyable to listen to for a full hour. Every so often there's a really cool riff that I like but unfortunately the songs aren't built around them. 'Heresy' has a really cool groove and 'March Of The Pigs' could easily have been a speed metal song from the 80's. A hit and miss album overall, although I did like it more on the second listen, so could very well rise higher with more listens in the future. For now it's a three.
Pigs, reptiles, and animals fucking? Where am I, the darn zoo?!
Interesting soundscapes, but rough lyrically.
This really isn’t my thing, far too industrial and I’m not a fan of any of the shouty, screaming American acts of this era. That said, there is a merit to the darkness and I’m sure some will really relate to its narrative so far that I’ll upgrade from a 2 to a 3 star review
Solid album, ends on a classic
See at as a start to the neu metal wave about to happen but maybe not as polished as later albums in the genre.
There are a lot of people that love this and I appreciate why. To me it is OK and talented songwriting, but kinda like the Eminem album last week, never something I chose to listen to. Something about the industrial sound doesn’t click for me. I feel like I am the naysayer in this group the last two days with Neal Young (good music/songwriting but can’t get past the vocals) and NIN (similar but more about the music/vocal combo).
So I have to admit I never got past the first five tracks listening to this album back in the day. By the time I got done with the first five tracks I was kind of like. Yeah, I wanted to listen to something else. So this was a new experience for me listening to this album all the way through. And I have to admit it was a little darker than I realized. I generally think it's a cool concept, an album about suicide and I like Andrew's thought about the last song being the note left behind. When I was done with it I listened to the Johnny Cash version of her which I actually like better. Overall, this album was a little bit of a disappointment to me knowing that I love those first five songs. The March of pigs might be one of my favorite hard rock songs of all time.
I used to love this in High School. However, since then it seems like my musical palate has changed and quite substantially and it is not what I had remembered. It wasn't bad but it certainly wasn't great, which is probably why NIN has not been in my regular rotation in a long while now. All that said, I can see how this album/artist was very influential, especially for people like me who were rocking out to it in High School.
Very interesting sound, themes were more explicit than I like. Worth listening too, probably won't seek out again though
hard to rate this one as it evokes specific feelings and basically defined the 90s. there's some things I like and some things I don't. if a partner put this album on while we were alone, I would consider it a red flag
I've been meaning to give this a listen for like, three years now lmao I like the grittiness and distortion of it, the concept is really dark and the lyrics do it justice. Some parts I liked, but then others just seemed really underwhelming in comparison.
if you didn't know that mr reznor would go on to make one of the arguably best movie scores ever... would this be considered that good? I don't know. personally, it was very ok but you can see glimpses of the brilliant career he would go on to have in this work.
This one didn’t Hurt as bad as I thought it would. It wasn’t necessarily A Warm Place but it was close.
6.5/10 That wasn’t as industrial as I expected, but it was as dark and angry. A lot of production but that worked pretty well. A wall of blackness, could have been slightly shorter. Liked the songs with programmed beats. The original Hurt is better than the Cash version I think. Best: Closer
Aight
Listened to this a few months ago after raiding my folks' CD collection. Not bad.
hurt is great
Dumbledore asked calmly
Of course, I've heard "Closer" and whatever song Johnny Cash covered. I like NIN, mostly Pretty Hate Machine, which is a pretty good album -- I like Terrible Lie and Sin and lots of the songs off there. I think this album's supposed to be more acclaimed, so I'm excited. Mr. Self Destruct is VERY loud, VERY harsh but I really like it. It's very cool and action-packed. I can't tell how much I like his voice, and his efforts at edginess are obvious and a little cringe-worthy but it's still good music. Closer is a good one. Very cringey but also very good. Which is very much this album. I'll give it a 3.7 bc it's good but not as good as pretty hate machine i think. not THAT good but good
Love the sound and intensity, but it's all just a bit too much to be listening to in one sitting.
When I was a child (sometime in the early 90s) my mom asked me if I liked Nine Inch Nails. I had never heard of them, but they must have been massively popular because my mom had read a newspaper article about them. You couldn't listen to alternative rock radio without hearing Closer or Head Like A Hole. Down The Spiral has always seemed like prerequisite course material for 90s rock 101, much like Nirvana's Nevermind. However, unlike Kurt Cobain's effortlessly cool persona, Trent Reznor sounds like he's straining himself to be edgy. This album lead me to listening to some of Reznors influences: Skinny Puppy and Ministry. You immediately hear them in his music, almost as if NIN is covering those bands. I'm not exactly a huge fan of industrial, but those early artists take me to a strange dark world that feels foreign. It's always exciting when music can put you into a different head space. Down the Spiral just sounds like Reznor is trying to hard. I listened to this album for the first time on higher quality audio equipment and it helped me appreciate some of the complexity in the arrangements. Tracks 1-5 were interesting, but this album fell off quickly for me. There's too much filler. I'm going to give this album a 3 out of 5, mainly for it's cultural importance. It brought harsh industrial music onto pop radio. Perhaps it inspired some people to go buy records by many of Trents influences.
It's like an old movie, I know I should watch it more often I just already know how it ends and it's not that exciting of a story anymore.
This album transported me back to 1995. Im riding bikes with my buddy. He is trying to explain to me there is a song that they say "I want to fuck you like an animal." We go back to his house and impatiently watch MTV post midnight when all the naughty songs and videos are on just to catch the music video that was crazier than the song. I have a soft spot for this album but listening 30 years later the lyrics aren't nearly as edgy as they are attention seeking. Still groundbreaking sound in 1994.
Take a chill pill, Trent
Meh. Can recognize that they are good in their genre, just not my style.
Liked a few of the songs but overall too hard for me
Unique interesting sound, but it’s a bit too gritty for me. Vocals are difficult to hear
"The Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails is a journey into the exploration of despair and self-destruction. The album features ambient industrial rock, showcasing a wide range of sounds from intense rage distortion to somber melancholy. The standout track is undoubtedly "Hurt," especially considering the later interpretation by the collaboration of Johnny Cash and Rick Rubin, which elevated it to classic status. Other notable songs include "Closer," "Piggy," "Heresy," and "March of the Pigs," though the remaining tracks are hit and miss. It has been several years since I last listened to this album. While I hold respect Trent Reznor as an artist, revisiting it evoked feelings of claustrophobia, isolation, and disconnection - emotions reminiscent of anxieties I experienced during the COVID lockdown. This album, once intriguing, has lost some of its appeal to me as I have grown older and my understanding of my place in the world has changed. Worth a listen.
This was overstimulating but also interesting
Quite theatrical, but a bit too noisy for me
This was good. NIN can get a bit repetitive for me, but this was a very interesting album.
Nicht meine Musik - hab auch nicht gecheckt, dass es ein Konzeptalbum ist
3.5
Hurt was great; reminded me of Johnny Cash's excellent version.
Up until Closer... Banger of an album. Then... noise, until a decent song in Hurt, turned into a triumph by Johnny Cash.
Es como la white girl music de los 2000
Sometimes Good but messy
Surprisingly rough music that goes outside the lines. Nice, but you have to be in the mood
Трент Резнор - гений?
Interesting
Like a lot of these (and one of the reasons I started the project) I have never listened to a full NIN album. I knew and liked a few of the songs and still enjoyed them listening to them this time. I found listening to an hour of it a bit strong. I had never actually heard the original I hurt myself today, having only heard and very much enjoyed J. Cash's cover. I still contend the cover is better but it was interesting to hear the original.
I like the style, with it's heavy-handed electronic rock, aggressive scraping and banging, whispery and screamy vocals. Though at times it does border on unbearable for me. Closer made me gag. Hurt is a classic. New ones for me that I enjoyed "piggy", "heresy" and "a warm place".
I should love this. Incredibly discordant, dark, and brooding. I just also find it fairly boring.
Correcto
Absolutely not what I needed on a Monday morning! Obviously Hurt is a classic, whether this version or the Johnny Cash one honestly, the rest did not do much for me.
A little too teenage angsty for my tastes but I respect the hell out of it. I’ve figured out that “Closer” is a more fucked up version of George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex”. This is definitely the most receptive I’ve ever been listening to NIN though so I could see me coming around fully in a couple years or so.
Long repetitive sections get old - Boring and slow does nothing to really move the song (Piggy). Sonically can get brutal, unable to understand some lyrics without reading. Obviously very angsty, but intriguing with the general tone of the album. Spaces where they have drawn out instrumentals to build tension is a good element. Great concept for an album, feels very personal. Reznor is an interesting character that definitely bleeds through on this album, great imagery and vulnerability in the lyrics, although not much my speed in terms of tone/feel for a suicidal narrative until the end.
good rock album but a bit too angry for my liking. i did still enjoy the hearsy song because it's so cliche grunge
Gonna have to listen to this again but I think I thought it was ok?
Not their best, takes a little while to get going.
lowkey did.not fuck w </3 first song was p good and then all went downhill from there
Noch nie gehört, als Hintergrundmusik ganz gut, aktiv zuzuhören ist schwierig, sehr trashig teilweise
I’m just not a huge fan of the industrial pop genre that dominates the release. “Closer” may be played out at this point, but it’s still a banger.
This album makes me toe uneasy to genuinely like it.
I loved this when it first came out and listened the heck out of it! But…now it feels kind of juvenile? I was a teenager at the time. I guess I’ve just kind of outgrown it. I’m still giving it three stars though.
Die Hits hitten, die Misses missen hart. Im Schnitt drei Sterne
As someone who isn't on a downward spiral, this album didn't personally relate. However, it is pretty neat.
really good
I have listened to this before! Twice actually! I always disliked it. Maybe not disliked....but it didn't really speak to me. The vocalist sounded whiny, and the industrial elements weren't..."raw" enough, it felt dumbed down to me. But alas, as we say in Poland - do trzech razy sztuka...or, I believe in english it would be "thrid times the charm" - because this time around, I really did like it! Granted I wouldn't say it's one of my favourite industrial albums now or something (as of writing, "20 Jazz Funk Greats), but I can appreciate the vision and sound more. The non-vocal tracks at the end were a highlight for me. I still don't really vibe with the lyricism, but I feel like all in all, this album works well for what it's trying to be. Fun stuff.
This album is like being out late and graffiti tags. There is a lot of anger and angst, but the voice is cool. There are some scream-y songs, but mostly just singing the lyrics through gritted teeth. The instrumental aspect is amazing, it is so interesting and funky. The guitar is peak.
My feelings toward this are complicated. Could I be in the mood for this? Sure, but not often. And not when I listened to it. It's a lot.
Not really my vibe, not sure why so many people bum them it’s nowt special
I was excited to revisit this album, but it’s not as good as I remember. I mean it is good, interesting sonically, fairly unique for the time it was released. I definitely think it would be cathartic to write/play this style of music. I don’t know, maybe I’m just not as sad and/or angry as I once was, but I fully expected to give this 4 or 5 stars. I think I’ll finally settle for a 3, maybe 3.5 rounded up to 4. Hurt is of course a classic and an amazing song, but crazy how after Johnny Cash covered it the original just doesn’t quite feel the same… it’s still great, but Johnny definitely made it his own.
I became aware of Reznor (& Ross) through his soundtrack work, which I admiteddly like and love much more than the personal/NIN releases that I’ve heard. But while I’ve listened to this once or twice before, albeit not so carefully, I’m suprised that I didn’t previously realize just how much of a precursor this is to his scores in terms of the techno-y sound. That’s unfortunately not enough of a strength to love this, as much of the edgy lyrics and emo singing is just the type of music that’s bound to fall flat for me. Between the opening and closing tracks only two songs stoos out to me, and one of them is the completely instrumental A Warm Place.
More a concept album about being an angry. Very much captures the time but also sounds dated for it. Some of the slower jams are pretty good. "Closer" is probably the most well known song that you can’t play on the radio. "Hurt" is obviously fantastic but skip to the Johnny Cash version. 3⭐️
Ehkä joskus teinimpänä olisin välittänyt tästä enemmän, mutta nyt kolmoseksi jää.
Some tracks sound great, and I can see why this was so impactful when released, but this just isn't my genre
👍🏼
decent
Bit noisy innit? It was decent, but not enough for me to be honest! Dude has a cool as fuck name though.
I have a weird relationship with NiN. They're a band I should like but often they don't quite hit for whatever reason. I think some of the lyrics are just straight up cringeworthy. That said this album has a couple of really great tunes on it. Closer is terrific.
didnt grab my attention. a couple good songs but mostly forgettable
the music, including the very welcome instrumentals and interludes, is a 4. the vocals and lyrics are a 2.
i am of the age for this to have been a real eye opener and it stands the test of time really well
Nin was never a top band for me, but I do respect what Trent Reznor was able to create with this album. I did not listen to it much when it came out, but did give it a spin or three years after it's release. There are iconic songs on it and I feel like it says something when you are not in the immediate orbit of this album/music, yet you are familiar with snippets of lyrics and music from it. The guitar sound on some of these songs has a hissy almost corrosive feel that just isn't really my thing, but I get it in the context and darker feel of the album and the context of the industrial genre. Ultimately this album is innovative for it's time.
For some reason I never listened to this album when it came out, just the hits that came off of it. Doesn't really seem like I was missing anything. I'll give him credit for his musical inventiveness but I don't see any reason to listen to this again.
Nine Inch Nails is one of those bands that's impossible to avoid at least hearing about if you are at all into metal and such. And yet I've never really heard anything of theirs other than 'Closer' and 'Hurt'. I don't think I've ever really realized that they had such an industrial sound before now and I'm not sure it's entirely my cup of tea. I flip back and forth a lot on whether I think it's pretty cool or just noise. At the moment I think I'm leaning towards "pretty cool". Maybe it will clear up if I listen to it more, but I don't know if I'll find the time anytime soon... Standouts Closer Reptile Hurt 4/5
I assumed that I would have liked industrial sound more. Not. I assumed this album would have been greater joy for me. Nope. Is this album good? Yes but after two full album listening I know there won't be third.
Industrial rock but not nearly as sucky as The Prodigy. Not sure why this is better. I still don’t like it very much. Hurt is great. Why are they looping screaming crowds? Not cool. Not for me. Hopefully I get out of the 90s soon.
I never got this album. Everyone praises it so much, but i just never got the appeal. Its not bad, its just not for me, which is strange, beacause i love all of the components its supposed to have
I had a good time cleaning my house to this album
I can appreciate the music but this album is just to loud for me
I think what makes this project a little difficult is context. This was a pretty amazing album at the time it came out but going back to it 30 years later it doesn't have the same affect as it did when I originally heard it. Still great though
"Closer" and "Hurt" are great. The rest is too harsh and murky for my taste.
-NIN on 1001 album challenge… here we go… I listened to Pretty Hate Machine a few months ago and it was alright. I think I like this more. even if it’s not all really my kind of music it had some awesome songs that hit really hard -the vocal affects and lyrics are really really fun, shits tough -Favorites are Heresy, Closer, and Reptile
The main thing I have learnt about metal music is that it's a lot quieter than I think it is. Which probably makes it better music
i really wish i liked this album more. i’ve tried listening to it a few times before this, but it just doesn’t really speak to me. i still hold Trent Reznor in high regard though, so i give it a 3. also because Closer fucking rules.
Not as good as I remember when it came out. A little too heavy in places for my current tastes