Released on March 8, 1994 on nothing records and Interscope Records, The Downward Spiral (halo 8) is the second full-length studio release from Nine Inch Nails that would mark the act in their commercial and critical peak as well as bringing industrial music/industrial rock into the mainstream for better and for worse. Songs written, produced, and performed by Trent Reznor with production by Mark “Flood” Ellis on several tracks. The album would mark Reznor’s first collaboration with mixing engineer Alan Moulder who was known then for his work with My Bloody Valentine and Curve. The album would also feature contributions from then/future members of the NIN live band in drummer/programmer Chris Vrenna, keyboardist/programmer Charlie Clouser, and multi-instrumentalist Danny Lohner as well as other contributions from Jane’s Addiction/Porno for Pyros drummer Stephen Perkins, King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, and Reznor’s old Exotic Birds bandmate Andy Kubiszewski.
The album would be the first of several concept albums Reznor would make for his career as he would explore the ideas of self-destruction, anger, and self-loathing on this record as these are themes he would venture into for much of his career. Musically, the album would mark a major evolution of NIN where the pop elements of Pretty Hate Machine and the abrasive industrial metal of Broken would mesh into something far more intricate sonically as well in its atmosphere. The result would be one of the finest albums of the 1990s as well as a definitive recording in the history of popular music.
The album opener Mr. Self Destruct opens with sounds of a beating sampled from George Lucas’ THX 1138 as the beats continue that is followed by these eerie layers of noisy and chugging beats as Reznor sings quietly until he snarls through the chorus with lyrics that are filled with an element of nihilism and darkness. The song, through its intense production by Reznor and Flood, would also include a quiet section that include these swirling guitar textures by Adrian Belew that would later build up. The mid-tempo jazz-inspired Piggy is led by this slow yet steady rhythm as Reznor with its smooth bass line, noisy synthesizer backgrounds, a swooning organ, and Reznor’s soft yet crooning vocals as he sings these lyrics of indifference and disappointment as it would get a little intense though maintaining its steady rhythm that includes a warbling drum solo by Reznor. Heresy is this beat-heavy track filled with driving synthesizers, pounding beats, and Reznor’s distorted vocals as he sings about the fallacy of revolution with a rocking chorus with the words “God is dead and no one cares. If there is a hell, I’ll see your there” as it include some guitars and droning synthesizers.
The album’s first single March of the Pigs is a fast-paced song with pummeling beats mixed with live drums, melodic synthesizer drones, and a driving guitar to Reznor’s snarling vocals as he sings these lyrics that are confrontational as it has this unique structure where it is this song that would rock and then go into a soft-mode by its droning synthesizers and a melodic piano riff as Reznor sings the song in a normal tone. The album’s second single Closer is definitely one of the most famous songs by NIN due to its explicit lyrics of sex and alienation as well as its offbeat presentation with a heartbeat rhythm sampled partially from the Iggy Pop song Nightclubbing. The song’s production by Flood and Reznor with Alan Moulder’s intricate mixing would include these layers of synthesizers that are melodic to eerie during the second verse as it would later include snarling guitars towards its coda as Reznor sings in a distorted manner as it is one of the finest songs of the 20th Century.
Ruiner is a multi-layered track with rhythmic beats, scratchy electronic textures and swirling synthesizers that would become aggressive through Reznor’s snarling vocals in part of its verse and then go into something grand for its chorus that is filled with lyrics of existence and searching for answers to questions that are complex. It’s a song with a unique structure in its tempo and tonal changes as it includes a middle part with Reznor playing a fuzz-based guitar solo that is accompanied by windy keyboards. The Becoming is a mid-tempo track led by a dissonant piano riff with scratchy synthesizer textures, hammering beats, sampled noises from the film Robot Joxx as Reznor sings in a calm manner through these lyrics of loss and de-humanization as it would include a mixture of acoustic and electric guitars from Adrian Belew as it is one of the album’s standout cuts. I Do Not Want This is a mid-tempo track that is led by looped drum fills by Stephen Perkins through Reznor and Flood’s treatment and Moulder’s distorted mixing as Reznor sings calmly in the song as he plays a few piano chords with noisy synthesizers in the background. Reznor would sing these calm yet unsettling lyrics of loss and anger as it would include these bridges as he sings in a distorted mix that add to the darkness and then return to something calm only to snarl through its chorus with driving guitars. Big Man with a Gun opens with screams by Tommy Lee as it is followed by pummeling beats, driving synthesizers, thrashing guitars from Danny Lohner, and Reznor’s vocals as he sings darkly-comical lyrics of violence and madness as it is one of the album’s controversial songs but in an offbeat way. The instrumental A Warm Place is this haunting yet beautiful cut that is led largely by its swooning synthesizers with its rich production by Flood and Reznor as it has these ambient elements and melodic synthesizers that is really one of the album’s best cuts.
Eraser starts off with scratchy noises and eerie humming as it then followed by these steady yet hammering mid-tempo beats which is later followed by droning synthesizer melodies. The sounds of synthesizers and its production would intensify with sounds of dissonant guitar melodies appearing and then would soften up with Reznor singing these haunting lyrics of despair as it then goes into full-blown rock with its angrier sound with Reznor screaming for death. Reptile is a mid-tempo track that starts off in quiet tone with sounds of industrial machines sampled from the 1989 film Leviathan and bleeping synthesizer melodies before becoming this menacing and broad song filled with powerful beats, droning synthesizers, and Reznor’s haunting vocals as he sings these rich yet dark imagery into the lyrics that add to this growing air of loss and inhumanity as the song later include snarling guitars in another of the great cuts on the album.
The album’s title track starts off quietly with its haunting sounds of flies and droning noise textures as it would followed by a melodic acoustic guitar and it would slowly build up into something menacing and unsettling into something intense in a low mix by Moulder through sounds of screams, driving guitars, Andy Kubiszewski’s warbling drums, and Reznor quietly singing lyrics of a man committing suicide in graphic detail. The album closer in Hurt is definitely one of the most famous songs by NIN as this haunting ballad that is led by sounds of winds, a distorted acoustic guitar, and Reznor’s calm vocals to lyrics of despair and loss that would include this chorus that is accompanied by Chris Vrenna’s steady drumming. It is a powerful song that do play into this sense of loss but also acceptance as it is another of the finest songs of the 20th Century that would later be covered famously by country music legend Johnny Cash.
On November 23, 2004, the album was re-released and reissued for its 10th anniversary in two different formats with the first being a dual-disc version (halo 8-DVD-A) which presents the album in a new remastered (not the Godfather of Soul with the same name) for both CD and DVD with the DVD portion featuring the album its 5.1 Surround Sound mix by Reznor and James Brown (not the Godfather of Soul of the same name) plus music videos for March of the Pigs, Closer, and Hurt as well as a photo gallery of the album’s artwork by Russell Mills and its discography at that time. The deluxe edition of the album (halo 8 DE) features the original album with its 5.1. Surround Sound mix by Reznor and Brown as well as a second disc of material from that period including two non-album tracks from film soundtracks, remixes from singles and the Further Down the Spiral remix album and three unreleased demos.
The two non-LP cuts from film soundtracks that NIN has contributed with the first being a cover of Joy Division’s Dead Souls for the 1994 film The Crow by Alex Proyas which was also a bonus track for the Japanese edition of The Downward Spiral. Slowing the original song’s tempo a bit for a smooth mid-tempo tone, Reznor would play much of the instruments with a steady bass line, driving guitars, throbbing beats from Chris Vrenna, and Reznor’s calm vocals as he sings Ian Curtis’ dark and moody lyrics. From the soundtrack to Natural Born Killers that Reznor produced is the song Burn which is mainly a mid-tempo track with trash-can like beats, layers of synthesizer textures from melodic bleeps and droning sounds, and Reznor’s angry vocals that play into its dark lyrics as it would include a section of the song that is intense and fierce with its guitars and live drums from Chris Vrenna.
From the March of the Pigs single is the instrumental B-side A Violet Fluid with its bubbling synthesizers and noise loops and the extended remix of the song in All the Pigs, All Lined Up with sounds of crowd noises, pig snouts and additional instruments in that remix. From the Closer to God remix EP are two remixes of the song Closer and a B-side cover of Soft Cell’s Memorabilia. The Precursor remix of Closer by the industrial group Coil with Danny Hyde is an atmospheric remix filled with warbling layers of synthesizers, distorted vocals, and smooth bass grooves on the remix while Closer to God is a re-working of Closer with new arrangements on the instrumentation by Reznor, Sean Beavan, and Brian Pollock as well as re-worked lyrics by Reznor who also sings the song. The cover of Soft Cell’s Memorabilia by Reznor, Vrenna, Beaven, Pollock, Robin Finck, and John Van Eaten along with samples of a prank phone sex call is an offbeat cover with thumping, distorted beats as well as scratchy synthesizers, soft guitar wails, and Reznor’s calm vocals as he sings Marc Almond’s salacious lyrics.
From the 1995 Further Down the Spiral remix album are three remixes from that album as the first a remix of Piggy called (Nothing Can Stop Me Now) that is produced by Rick Rubin as it starts off as a soft remix with creaking sounds of noise-loops with its chorus featuring pulsating drum beats by famed session musician Kim Bullard and driving guitars by Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. The remix for The Downward Spiral known as The Bottom by members of the group Coil with Danny Hyde starts off as this haunting mix with layers of noise loops of the song with warbling whistles as it is then followed by a scream and is largely filled by this sound of sprinkling synthesizer melodies with warbling beats and wailing guitars appearing. The (quiet) remix of Hurt by Reznor is a cleaner mix of the song with a more clear sound on the guitar and a less dramatic climax with some of its distorted sounds from the original album.
Exclusive to the deluxe edition of the album are its three demos which were previously unreleased with two of its demos for Ruiner and Reptile with the latter called Liar were produced by Reznor and Flood while the demo for Heresy is produced by Reznor. The demo for Ruiner doesn’t feature the hammering beats in the final version for its verses until it reaches its bridge while it has portions of the song that doesn’t have Reznor singing parts of the song during its grander moments. Liar is a demo that is nearly realized in its final version though Reznor’s vocals sounds more like a draft of what he wanted to do vocally though it didn’t have the proper mix that would be provided by Alan Moulder. The demo for Heresy is presented in a slower tempo in its beats with Reznor whispering on the vocals for the song’s verse as the chorus include a droning bass line.
Released on March 22, 1990, the single for Head Like a Hole (halo 3) is the second single from Nine Inch Nails from its debut album Pretty Hate Machine. The U.S. maxi-single features five remixes of the song plus two remixes of Terrible Lie, two remixes of Down In It along with its demo. Many of the remixes are by Trent Reznor and Mark “Flood” Ellis as well as contributions from Keith LeBlanc as it play into the song’s presentation of industrial thrash and engaging lyrics.
The first of five remixes for Head Like a Hole opens with the remix entitled (slate) is a more dance-driven song with its warbling layers of synthesizers and emphasis on higher pitches in the synthesizers, bass, and guitar spurts. The (clay) remix by Keith LeBlanc is essentially a single-edit version of the song with vocal layers in the song’s chorus to open the song as it’s the most famous version of the song that would accompany its music video. The (copper) remix is an extension of the (slate) remix but with more warbling beats and pulsating synthesizers in the background as it would feature a coda of Queen’s Body Language repeated in a playful way. The fourth remix entitled You Know Who You Are by Reznor and Flood is an instrumental remix of the track with more emphasis on the pulsating synthesizers and atmospheric textures of the song. The fifth and final remix of the song in (soil) is a more rhythmic take on the song with its emphasis on its beats as well as a warbled mix on the synthesizers.
The first remix of Terrible Lie entitled (sympathetic mix) by Trent Reznor and Flood doesn’t do much with the song as it removes some of the synthesizers in the song as well as create something different for its intro as a single mix for the song. The (empathetic mix) features a much different intro with its beats and emphasis on expanding the song into a six-minute, eleven-second track with different takes on the backing vocals in the chorus and in some of the synthesizers on the track. The two remixes of Down In It in (shred) and (singe) appear on the single as additional tracks with the latter being extended by eighteen seconds. The demo version of that song appears as what one would expect in a demo with hollowed drum machine beats, melodic synthesizer spurts, a guitar spurt, and Reznor singing. The closer for the single is an unlisted track that is essentially an audio snippet of Heather “Princess” Day praising NIN during their infamous appearance on Dance Party U.S.A.
Released on October 20, 1989 by TVT Records, Pretty Hate Machine (halo 2) is the first full-length studio album release from Nine Inch Nails with all songs produced, arranged, performed, and programmed by its mastermind Trent Reznor. Along with production contributions from Mark “Flood” Ellis, John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, and Adrian Sherwood as well as contributions from NIN cohorts in Chris Vrenna and Richard Patrick. The album is a collection of songs that would showcase Reznor’s approach to the sound of industrial music that had become an underground sensation through acts like Ministry, Einsturzende Neubauten, and Skinny Puppy but with a more sonic approach to the production as well as elements of pop craftsmanship in songwriting. The result is one of the finest debut albums of the 1980s.
The album’s opening track is the second single Head Like a Hole as it opens with this array of flourishing keyboard sounds that is followed by pulsating beats that help sets up the song into this intense and upbeat song with its bass-heavy synthesizers and steady rhythm. The lyrics of the song is filled with a lot of angst and power in its act of defiance as it is surrounded by tribal chants in the background courtesy of the layered production by Reznor and Flood. The song’s chorus with its driving guitars is definitely an example of great pop craftsmanship as it rocks and easy to sing-a-long to. Terrible Lie is a more mid-tempo song with its heavy beats, melodic synthesizers, thrashing guitars, and Reznor’s snarling vocals as he sings lyrics filled with disdain towards the idea of faith as it has element of direct anger towards God.
The album’s first single Down In It is a mid-tempo song with drum machine beats that would pulsate amidst its layers of synthesizers with some melodic keyboards and guitar spurts courtesy of the song’s production from Reznor, Adrian Sherwood, and Keith LeBlanc. The song also feature Reznor singing in a rap-like tone with its lyrics that are filled with a lot of despair about one’s self. The mid-tempo ballad of sorts in Sanctified is led by a melodic bass line as well as soft beats and lush yet heavy synthesizers. The song’s lyrics that are sung calmly by Reznor through its atmosphere production from Reznor and John Fryer show that air of imagery into what Reznor is singing as it include some droning guitars from Richard Patrick who was then the live guitarist of NIN before co-founding Filter in the mid-1990s.
The ballad Something I Can Never Have is one of the album’s standouts in large part to its atmospheric and layered production from Reznor and Fryer with melodic piano parts, soothing yet brooding synthesizers, and Reznor’s calm vocals as he sings haunting yet somber lyrics to play into a sense of loss. The song would also feature atmosphere beats and textures during the song’s chorus as it add to its eerie tone. Kinda I Want To is an upbeat track with bopping rhythms, guitar spurts, scratchy synthesizer textures, and Reznor’s growling vocals as he sings lyrics of yearning and lust. The song opens with this warbling yet atmospheric synthesizers as it would lead into the bulk of the song as it includes a bridge from Down In It with driving guitars and warbling synthesizers. The album’s third and final single Sin is a synth-heavy song led by pulsating yet rhythmic beats that is energetic enough to dance to along as the layers of synthesizers in its production by Reznor and Fryer along with Keith LeBlanc’s re-mixing give the song so much to digest. Even in the song’s lyrics where Reznor would be calm as well as snarl a bit as he sings about the ideas of sin as it include some driving guitars and a collage of hisses and such.
The mid-tempo ballad That’s What I Get is one of the album’s standouts in terms of its layer of warbling synthesizer melodies that is accompanied by melodic blurbs of another synthesizer before it becomes this somber yet ambient tone as Reznor sings the song. The song’s lyrics of longing and despair matches up with Reznor’s calm vocal as it is carried by this incredible production from Fryer who blend the two elements of calm and ferocity. The Only Time is another mid-tempo track that is largely carried by a funky bassline with a steady beat and soft synthesizer blurts for the verse while it becomes a more bopping rhythm for its chorus. Reznor’s snarling vocals play into the song’s humorous lyrics as it play into the joys of fucking as the song also includes a live drum performance late in the song to play into its offbeat tone. The album closer Ringfinger is a melodic yet chilling song due to its mid-tempo presentation with a bopping beat and melodic synthesizers. The song’s lyrics are definitely with entrancing and eerie imagery as it include these layered vocal in the chorus as well as scratchy keyboards and sampled guitars from Jane’s Addiction’s Had a Dad to help drive the song.
The 2010 remastered edition of the album (halo 02R) that is mastered by Tom Baker does broaden the album a bit while getting rid of a few samples from the original album due to licensing reasons yet the changes are just extremely minor. The added track in the remastered edition is a cover of Queen’s Get Down, Make Love that was a B-side to the Sin single that was produced by Al Jourgensen of Ministry under the Hypo Luxa alias. The song with its sample of sexual moans from a Japanese porno film, melodic synthesizers, hammering mid-tempo drums during the chorus, driving guitars, and Reznor’s snarling vocals as he sings Freddie Mercury’s playful lyrics. The song is definitely one of the finest covers that Reznor has done as it include a sample of We Will Rock You by Queen.
