The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails (1994)
ideated from: 1994 being the best year in music history
This is one of those records that I don’t always hear when I listen. Instead, I hear 21 year old me letting this destroy me, so I’ll never have an objective opinion about Trent Reznor, or this album in particular. But man, what an album. We all find records that express what we’re feeling at a certain moment; I suspect that’s why they become our favorites, even after we don’t feel that way anymore. This definitely was that for me.
While–sure–it does border on unintentional self-parody with the angry and grandiose lyrics in places, the frustration with the current state of things is real and tangible. You feel it, not just in the vocals, but in the stifling distortion and whiplash pacing. This record is a beast in a cage looking for something lash out at. There are a few genuinely pretty passages, but it’s just setting you up for the jump scare.
Tracks I Liked
Piggy - a slight update on the weird funkiness of older industrial music with an extra dose of menace.
March Of The Pigs - the other porcine-themed track; a great one to test a set of speakers
The Becoming - David Lynch meets the Beatles, i guess?
