the roots of Industrial go back a long way and it gets much harsher and more noisy and less musical than this, but NIN really brought Industrial to the mainstream and combined it with rock and pop influences; so many bands are influenced by them now
It's a concept album of a man succumbing to addiction and depression. Along with Prince's Purple Rain and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, I think this one of those albums that are perfect.
Looks like great concept albums often come from a single person involved in almost every lyrical and musical elements. "Histoires de Melody Nelson" by Serge Gainsbourg is in the same vein, and you can feel it even more if you understand the French lyrics.
Thank goodness Trent took accountability and went to rehab and is still making great music to this day. I would really recommend the album 'With Teeth'.
A massive part in understanding his album is understanding that most of the time when he's talking about a woman, it's a metaphor for his relationship with heroin. In Closer it's all good like "oh man I'm so fucked up rn ha ha", then in Reptile it's like "oh shit i'm really fucked up, this isn't fun anymore". Also, when he'll often talk about a part of himself in the 3rd person, so the "Ruiner" is actually himself making stupid decisions and ruining everything. There's a lot of duality and sincerity in this album, a lot of people might see it as exaggerated shock factor, but really it's just very honest and portrays depression and self loathing very accurately.
One of the friends who helped Trent come out of this darkness, who toured with them during this album as well was none other than David Bowie. Funny thing is that A Warm Place is an accidental copy of David Bowie's "Crystal Japan" (a song for an ad for gin in Japan)... They've talked about it in interviews back in the day :)
And "Tanz Der China Dolls" by the Legendary Pink Dots. Its been speculated it wasn't that accidental. Trent was the biggest Bowie fan. He likely heard it at some point. Then did A Warm Place unconsciously or even a bit consciously. His explanation that he was thinking that it was from somewhere, but found out only after the album was released was a bit suspect. He even admitted that it's the same. On that part though he is partly wrong. The notes could be considered different enough. Either way, Bowie is now given a writer's credit on it. So that ends any debates. Also interesting is that the Downward Spiral theme that recurrs throughout the album (like the piano in Closer) is also similar to another Bowie song, but backwards. So Bowie might have just inspired the main theme in the NIN album and so really the backbone of the musical concept.
I was obsessed with this album in 2016; it was my first conscious full album experience where I saw such a cohesive work of music, and with such devastating power.
@@deadlyredly1i feel like A Warm Place could also represent a psychological thing called "pink clouds" which usually happens right after recovering from addiction for the first time when patients are filled with optimism, taking everything easy right before they get slammed down and relapse again usually leading into self-h4rm and a svicide attempt. So it makes sense to be right before The Eraser
@@lasernikixcex perfect explanation! Always the way I saw it, but couldn't have put into words. Also often suicidal people seem to "perk up" and it's due to the fact they have made the decision - and are genuinely happy to feel like they suddenly have control over something. So sad, but also so amazing that this album puts it in such a perfect package.
This album can definitely be a tough listen, both in sound and subject matter. However it's really become one of my all time favorites, there's always something new for me to discover in it and it's such a powerful album. And yes, Trent is doing much better now! He was able to get clean and even has a family now. He's a really big inspiration to me. NIN has so much to choose from, The Fragile is great, albeit very long. Not The Actual Events is another amazing one that I find very underrated. I also hope you find the time for some more Elliott Smith as well! I'm glad you're always willing to listen to anything! I had a great time watching this :)
Its like so freaking terrifing like this is scarier then any horror movie soundtrack i ever heard even coil cant get this creppy they came close with backwards although honestly its just as terrifing for me no more no less
I want to add some context to the album. Basically first few tracks are setting up the exposition for the protagonist: his self-destructive tendencies, his loneliness, his nihilism and hatred for rеligion and sосiety as a whole. Closer is where we're starting the next chapter. It shоws the protagonist sеаrсhing for sехual validation as a сорing meсhаnism for his dерressiоn. In a wау using thаt other реrsоn аs a wау to make himself look more important than he actually is. It also shows protagonists mеssеd uр viеw of rеIigion as he sееs having control over someone as a way to get himself "closer to god". That theme of him putting "=" betwееn sех аnd godhood continues into Ruinеr as he contracts himself as he spews pure hаtrеd towards the idea of god, while also being jealous in a way, as he sees god as sort of the ultimate manliness "big strong hard and long". To create a stronger connection between gеnitаIs and religion it brings into the song the subject of men's circumcisions being a fuсked uр religious ritual of mutilating bаby boys' gеnitals, which apparently Americans still proudly practice to this day "What you gave to me? My perfect ring of scars" The song ends with protagonist slowly embracing the godhood, and saying "nothing can stop me now" as he rides this high of being invulnerable and unstoppable. Unfortunately for him the next chapter starts, which shows what's actually happening. It's not him gaining control but him losing it, turning his ideological crusade into a simple automated mechanical process of him going towards the end, and him trying to fight against it. In a way I see it as a cautionary tale about Hedonism and, in a way, Nihilism making a person lose their free will to their primal animalistic urges, but maybe I'm digging too deep into it. "I do not want this" is the last bit of the protagonist's struggle to maintain his sanity. It shows how he wants to get help but then violently pushes away anyone that tries to get closer to him and help "Don't you tell me how I feel. You don't know just how I feel" The song ends with the protagonist throwing away all his hatred towards his "idea of gоd" аs he himself wants to become an almighty omnipotent being just to find any meaning in his life. "Вig mаn with a gun" is a short glimрse into what happens аftеrwаrds, аs he triеs to hurt and аbusе еvеryone around him as a way to make up for his own issues. How he does it, is up for interpretation. The song abruptly ends and leads into a "warm place", as protagonist finally reflects on his actions and where they had lead him. What happens afterwards is that he understands that he can't go on like this anymore. "Eraser" shows exactly that as the protagonist starts begging to еnd his suffеring and save him from this living nightmare he trapped himself in. It took me some time to understand the place of "Reptile" on the album but eventually I realized that it's basically how the protagonist's perception of "Closer". What was once his only way to feel better, his only method of escapism now seems gross and repulsive to him. There's nothing that can make him feel better anymore, so there's only one thing he can do. "The Downward Spiral" Is pretty straight forward as the finale of The Downward Spiral. There's nothing in this world except for sadness, so he shооts himsеlf in a head while his Self-destructive tendencies aka Mr. Self-destruct are celebrating. "Hurt" is an epilogue and a 4th wall break in a way as both Protagonist and Trent Reznor through the protagonist reflect on the events of the album. "My sweetest friend" in this instance is the listener who was the only person following the protagonist on his journey. This is a warning to not make the same mistakes as him. He's just a character in an album. His fate is set in stone. You, on the other hand, can change. There's always a way and if you lose it, you may listen to an album again, as "I am still right here". At least that's the way I want to see it, as I went through most of what is being talked about on the album myself. The song ends with a sudden loud noise that slowly dissolves into an absolute nothingness, symbolising reality of a gunshоt
Prolly *the* seminal industrial rock album, and also a soundtrack for Trent Reznor’s own Downward Spiral. It’s crazy to think that an album so noisy, aggresive and sexual became as mainstream as it became. If you’d want to go down into the industrial rabbit hole a couple good albums to start with could be: Suicide - Suicide (a cold and mechanic synth punk classic) Throbbing Gristle - 20 Jazz Funk Greats (arguably the start of industrial with some haunting minimal synth tracks) Coil - Horse Rotorvator (fun, interesting and experimental industrial songs) Swans - Filth (probably the heaviest and nastiest album of the bunch) Big Black - Atomizer (more like filth than the rest, but a bit more digestible)
All great suggestions. It's personal preference, but I'd probably add some early SPK (first two albums), Einstuerzende Neubauten, Godflesh (heavily influenced by Swans) and maybe Skinny Puppy (Too Dark Park)
Don't sleep on Joanna Newsom's Ys! And Trent Reznor, who is NIN, co-scored the Disney film Soul a few years ago. He's doing fine. This album is from the point of view of a character, an exaggeration of where Trent was at at the time-an addict, depressed, sex-obsessed, etc.
I recommend "with Teeth" and "Pretty Hate Machine" as they're MUCH more accessible albums by comparison. TDS is definitely a better album if you're in that personal headspace. Found TDS a week after my mom passed. Needless to say its fit me ever since. Spiral is also meant to be a story piece listened in full. Glad you experienced the masterpiece as it was intended.
one of my favorite album experiences of all time. i also love how genuine the reaction is and how they’re not played up for views. highly highly recommend his next album, the fragile. i’m my opinion, i think it’s the better of the two. however both of them are interchangeable w a lot of people
You should react to "Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern" by Lil Ugly Mane. BRO I'm sure you would love this, really underrated album blending hip-hop, psychedelia, trip hop etc should be right up your alley!!
There's a reason that "Closer" is considered one of Trent's masterpieces. It's still crazy to think about the fact that "Closer" was played on the radio FREQUENTLY in the 90's, and only one word was censored. Reptile is probably my favorite from this album. Trent is a musical genius. Even if the lyrics are strange, the production is always immaculate. NIN is like Radiohead in the sense the they have aged like fine wine. Some artist lose their touch a bit as they get older, but both bands just keep getting better. If you like the song A Warm Place, you should definitely check out The Fragile, and With Teeth. There are some really beautiful songs on beautiful songs on both albums.
Glad you got around to doing this one. As a troubled teen this album was on heavy rotation and scared the shit out of my parents lol. This is personally my favorite of his music although he went on to do a lot more stuff. Glad to see that recommending things over and over again pay off eventually! Sick as fuck in bed with Covid and this really lifted my spirits! Recommendations Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation Lil Ugly Mane - Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern David Bowie - Blackstar
My favorite album. You get used to the darkness the more you listen (for better or worse). You should definitely check out his album, 'The Fragile' for some of the best production ever put to tape.
dude! this album is one of my top 10. love the production, the songwriting, the lyrics, everything about it is perfection to me. you dropped this in a very bad day for me, so watching you have a similar experience to my first time listening to it was like therapy, ty bro. love yr reactions, been here since the first videos. kudos from brazil, mate ✨️
Masterpiece. The A Warm Place/Eraser/Reptile trio is so particularly fucking good. Great reaction, man. I hope you react to The Fragile at some point. Really long, but even better (and probably more palatable if this was a bit much for you, overall), in my opinion. My favorite album of all time from my favorite artist of all time.
The Broken EP from the same era is similar in tone. The follow up album to this called The Fragile turns the atmosphere up with soundscapes and instrumentals. Well worth checking out. I think someone else mentioned it but their set at Woodstock 94 is one of the greatest concerts of the 90s. Would love to see a reaction to that too
I think this album is NIN's masterpiece, but an argument can be made for the follow-up album The Fragile, although that is a double-album and some consider it a bit bloated. I definitely recommend it if you want more of this kind of NIN, alternatively if you want some NIN that sounds very different then I'd recommend their debut album Pretty Hate Machine (80s, bit more pop-friendly and danceable) or Year Zero (difficult to describe, honestly).
I'm personally not big on NIN but I can appreciate what they did with this record - another noise rock record you should 1000% check out is You're Living All Over Me by Dinosaur Jr if you haven't already heard it
I saw another comment mention it, but Year Zero would be a great second album to check out from NIN. It came out about 15 years after The Downward Spiral, after Trent got clean. It's another concept album, but it will offer a different experience both musically and thematically. Leading up to the album's release, there was a whole Alternate Reality Game where NIN would leave hidden thumb drives for people to find with audio from the album, play secret shows, mysterious websites, etc. They built a whole narrative, and the concept for the album almost became a show on HBO but the talks never got off the ground. A non-NIN album that you should absolutely check out, also mentioned in another comment, is Blackstar from David Bowie. It was his final album, released days before he died. It felt planned, but it wasn't really. Still, a perfect exit for one of the best artists of the 20th century.
I had gotten sober in july of 93 from booze and dope.(still sober today) My old running buddy Johnny F. got sober around the same time I did. We saw the 94 show in Mountain View then in 95 saw them and Bowie in 1995 in San Jose. That was a surreal concert with Bowie and Trent. (Bowie is one of my absolutely favorite artists of all time) The last time I saw NIN was in Boise Id. He said there had been a snowstorm in which some of the elements of his light show/production was stranded. In his words "We're really sorry for the lack of a stage show we'll just play more songs". I'll take that over stage lights any day of the week. In short, NIN saved my f*cking sanity as I could relate to This album and Trents angst, in various,multiple ways. (I was dealing with some pretty serious mental health issues at that time) Also, an interesting note, the mention of a blue in the song The Downward Spiral. "Everything's blue Everything's blue in this world The deepest shade of mushroom blue" To me is reminiscent of Bowie's reference to a blue room for the song Sound and Vision. P.s. My absolute favorite song is Reptile. It reminded me of a couple of ex's. Anyways, good to see someone react to this album. Thanks for the vid.
Never could get into NIN but I love what Trent did on the show Watchmen on HBO…dude kills the soundtrack. Really looking forward to the Strawberry Jam review if it happens…I don’t say this lightly, SJ changed the trajectory of my life in the best of ways. Good stuff bro 🍻
Closer is about sex addiction. Each verse is describing the hell the person in question is going through ending with the chorus of just wanting to fuck to feel better for a moment, only for the emptiness creeps back in after.
2 songs in and I'm loving your ear for the music, even if it's not in your wheelhouse. Keep it up, I'm subbed to see more from ya, I appreciate reactors who take the time to sit down and digest a whole album in one sitting
This album is a masterpiece. You discover more and more layers with each listen. The story on this concept album is bleak and dark, but has beautiful moments. Just a master craft in music and production.
I recommend listening to “The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads” by Lift To Experience. Severely underrated band and the album is just beautiful. the ironic album cover makes it better
Best reaction and review of this album I’ve seen so far. I would recommend some tracks from The Fragile or With Teeth, like "The Wretched", "Only", "The Hand That Feeds" or "Into The Void", to see how he progressed since ‘94. Also their first album Pretty Hate Machine to see where he began
This is an unbelievably good album and one of my all time favorites. If you want another nin album to check out I would check out the fragile. It came out after this one but that was like 6 years of time if I remember right in between the albums and they are very different albums but the fragile is epic in its own right and probably my favorite overall nin album if I had to choose one. Thanks man
Nice headphone taste. I used to have a pair of those. Great sound quality for the price. I'm glad you liked ruiner. Might be my favorite in this one, or maybe eraser or reptile. But ruiner really has it all. Thanks for the reaction!
This isn’t an album I go back to often but it is a must listen as it’s one of the most vital and hugely influential albums in music history. Definitely need to be in the mood to listen to this one.
I just discovered your channel man, I’m so so so sorry that your first exposure to industrial metal was the downward spiral, that’s like throwing a baby off a diving board
Awesome man! I reallyyyy hope you also listen and react to NIN's The Fragile album to me it's Trent Reznor's best work with NIN, sound and lyric wise it's a great culmination of The Downward Spiral along with the more evolved sound he merged into later.
Mostly at Nine Inch Nails concerts we cry and/or hurt ourselves. And those of us who know better hope those off the ground if they’re too fucked up or hurt, though people rarely get crazy this decade or the last.
I could see Reptile being a track about a woman but to me it always felt more like Trent’s song about Heroin. Talking about how she leaves a trail of honey (dead bodies from trafficking and overdosing), how she has been with everyone, how she is beautiful to him but lies about how he truly feels, and how he himself is diseased and impure. I know that Trent came up with this album as an overall idea of a man spiraling into depression, disassociation, isolation, and subjects like drug use, sex abuse, and other topics to cope but also knowing what Trent was going through at the time leads me to believe he was dealing with all of this himself as well. The whole album is a beautiful piece of art and if you haven’t checked it out yet I would highly recommend checking out the album that came after this Fragile, also an amazing piece of work and I would personally put them on the same scale for quality.
I grew up listening to NIN. It’s nice to see current reaction videos. Excellent band! I am glad they have been inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame 2019. Trent’s music is timeless and has pushed music to the extremes. This record was recorded in the house in Los Angeles on Cielo drive….
I think the character in the song Hurt kills themselves at the end. The combination of the lyrics "Start again (start over) ... a million miles away (a different place than the one the character is in) ... I would find a way" along with the loud, distorted sound and this song being the ending of the album makes me believe that's the intended meaning.
yooo the people want more Ween 🙏🙏 and if you dont want to, you should definitely check Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun literally listened to it like 2 days ago and its a neo soul masterpiece dude
Have you heard much industrial music before? NIN are generally considered to be the poster-boys for that genre. And yea if you wanna get more into the meaning, basically the whole album is a linear story about a guy going mad and then shooting himself.
You should really check out his first album Pretty Hate Machine. It's my favourite of his honestly. SImilar vibes and production ideas at times but with a distinct 80's hardware tinge to it
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile would make for a fascinating reaction. Take the layers and sounds of The Downward Spiral and multiply them times 10. Add more experimentation, more melody, more variety, and more pop. Not necessarily a better album or complete work, but an amazing album.
you should definitely check out Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson. Trent, the guy who produced downward spiral and head of NIN, produced Antichrist Superstar as well.
NIN can be a bit much. You should try their first album, Pretty Hate Machine, it's not as aggressive in your face, more palatable. I saw them play at a small bar in Kansas City in 1990 shortly after Pretty Hate Machine was released and it was ka-ra-zy (good)! The entire bar turned into a mosh pit, I saw several guys come out of their with torn clothes and covered in footprints from head to toe, literally footprints across their face. It was very memorable to say the least. PHM is still my favorite album of theirs. Also, NIN's lead singer, Trent Reznor, is quite a character. He inadvertently faked his own death for quite some time, it's pretty interesting. It's worth a google search if you are bored. I love your reactions, they are so honestly and unfiltered combined with your charming personality is a winning combo. Keep up the great work.
“nah these lyrics are weird idk why i like this” yeah real also thank you nine inch nails vocalist Trent Reznor for both the gay awakening and goth awakening
Not sure if you know or not but the reason Trent talks about pigs so much is that he and Marilyn Manson stayed in Sharon Tate's house during the recording of some of the songs on the album. It's pretty ironic bringing a manson to the manson murder house but the two left after Sharon's sister told Trent she found the act disrespectful, there's no beef between Trent or her. He's got a lot of humanity in him since he cried that night out of shame after meeting her and left immediately.
NIN (Trent Reznor) with the album "Pretty Hate Machine" was the first to bring popular commercially viable industrial music to the relative masses. It is a classic album you will totally love from start to finish. First time I saw NIN they were opening for Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus) shortly after PHM started getting airplay, and IMHO they totally ruled the night. The venue brough NIN back to open for another band about a month later and I bought tickets specifically to see them again. Don't even remember who had the top billing that night.
If you liked this, I really feel like you'd be into A Perfect Circles "Thirteenth Step" Another concept album steeped with deep meaning and intense thematic imagery, plus it's got Maynard James Keenan on vocal duties, and he delivers a suitably bombastic performancen
This is a very aggressive set of music. What an intro to NIN and into this genera of industrial music. Trent's later work has less of a lyric shock value and vocal rage to it as his career progresses. I think that was his point, shock and explore the extreme state frame of mind and blast it from all sides without a filter. I strongly advise you to explore his other recordings. There is an evolution as the years pass.
You should react to I Robot by the Alan Parsons Project. It's made by Alan Parsons, the guy who did the engineering of The Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd. I Robot makes heavy up front use of synths, which was very unusual and innovative for the 70s due to computerized sound not being very advanced, giving the album a very futuristic sound, though in the more stereotypical way.
"The Downward Spiral" is a pretty apt name for this record. Would it surprise you to know that they lived in and recorded the album in a house where an infamous murder took place?
loved seeing your take on this album Nine Inch Nails is my all time favorite and this album in particular was my introduction to them i would love to see you react to his albums "Hesitation Marks" and "The Fragile" both of those are fantastic albums the fragile especially is interesting because to my understanding while downward spiral was a sort of exaggerated story of a made up man going through mental and emotional hell trent later personally lived through his own version of that hell as he toured the album making downward spiral almost a self fulfilling prophecy the fragile is a more personal and grounded take on that hell just this time from trent's personal experience because of that its a bit more subtle than downward spiral in most of its songs but also a lot more personal and genuine sounding
Lol, Trent Reznor is definitely doing just fine after this album. He's gone on to win Academy Awards for his composing work. I think to really appreciate this music you had to live in the time it came out in a way. For people that grew up in the 80s and 90s he's a legend and musical genius.
Have you ever listened to the musician 'Lone' (Matt Cutler)? He's one of my favourites; I found out about Boards of Canada my favourite band/duo of all time through him. BoC had a significant influence on Lone's earlier music but he isn't a musician I would consider a clone or child of BoC. This wouldn't be a bad thing for me because I follow and like such musicians but Lone is distinct enough to stand out on his own. He has produced a combination of house, techno, hiphop and ambient sounding music. If someone was to only check out one album by him, I'd highly recommend 'Galaxy Garden'.
unbelievably good album i love how you just listen to anything you don't discriminate huge respect for doing that
No problem!
Based Karkat pfp
Not unbeleavable,just NIN!😉🤘
"I feel like this whole album is taking place in a factory, like some kind of industrial setting" ... 💯 and thats why its called "industrial" music 😀
the roots of Industrial go back a long way and it gets much harsher and more noisy and less musical than this, but NIN really brought Industrial to the mainstream and combined it with rock and pop influences; so many bands are influenced by them now
Just don't tell Trent it's industrial 😅
Can you give me an example of an old school industrial song? @@MadailinBurnhope
The sample at the beginning of Reptile is from the movie "Leviathan" which is set in an underwater mining platform.
@@anthonyfernandez82 Skinny puppy Dig it
It's a concept album of a man succumbing to addiction and depression. Along with Prince's Purple Rain and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, I think this one of those albums that are perfect.
Songs in the Key of Life is a great recommendation!
Looks like great concept albums often come from a single person involved in almost every lyrical and musical elements. "Histoires de Melody Nelson" by Serge Gainsbourg is in the same vein, and you can feel it even more if you understand the French lyrics.
I thought this album was about self hatred and lust which lead through to suicidal, murder, and depression thoughts.
Thank goodness Trent took accountability and went to rehab and is still making great music to this day. I would really recommend the album 'With Teeth'.
Fragile is better than With Teeth
A massive part in understanding his album is understanding that most of the time when he's talking about a woman, it's a metaphor for his relationship with heroin. In Closer it's all good like "oh man I'm so fucked up rn ha ha", then in Reptile it's like "oh shit i'm really fucked up, this isn't fun anymore". Also, when he'll often talk about a part of himself in the 3rd person, so the "Ruiner" is actually himself making stupid decisions and ruining everything. There's a lot of duality and sincerity in this album, a lot of people might see it as exaggerated shock factor, but really it's just very honest and portrays depression and self loathing very accurately.
One of the friends who helped Trent come out of this darkness, who toured with them during this album as well was none other than David Bowie. Funny thing is that A Warm Place is an accidental copy of David Bowie's "Crystal Japan" (a song for an ad for gin in Japan)... They've talked about it in interviews back in the day :)
And "Tanz Der China Dolls" by the Legendary Pink Dots. Its been speculated it wasn't that accidental. Trent was the biggest Bowie fan. He likely heard it at some point. Then did A Warm Place unconsciously or even a bit consciously. His explanation that he was thinking that it was from somewhere, but found out only after the album was released was a bit suspect. He even admitted that it's the same. On that part though he is partly wrong. The notes could be considered different enough. Either way, Bowie is now given a writer's credit on it. So that ends any debates.
Also interesting is that the Downward Spiral theme that recurrs throughout the album (like the piano in Closer) is also similar to another Bowie song, but backwards. So Bowie might have just inspired the main theme in the NIN album and so really the backbone of the musical concept.
I was obsessed with this album in 2016; it was my first conscious full album experience where I saw such a cohesive work of music, and with such devastating power.
It is a masterpiece. A chaotic, depressing, lust filled masterpiece. Glad you did the whole album in one sitting - as that is how it should be!
"A warm place" is exactly the breather the album needed. A moment to reflect before the shit comes back to roost
@@deadlyredly1i feel like A Warm Place could also represent a psychological thing called "pink clouds" which usually happens right after recovering from addiction for the first time when patients are filled with optimism, taking everything easy right before they get slammed down and relapse again usually leading into self-h4rm and a svicide attempt. So it makes sense to be right before The Eraser
@@lasernikixcex perfect explanation! Always the way I saw it, but couldn't have put into words. Also often suicidal people seem to "perk up" and it's due to the fact they have made the decision - and are genuinely happy to feel like they suddenly have control over something. So sad, but also so amazing that this album puts it in such a perfect package.
This album can definitely be a tough listen, both in sound and subject matter. However it's really become one of my all time favorites, there's always something new for me to discover in it and it's such a powerful album.
And yes, Trent is doing much better now! He was able to get clean and even has a family now. He's a really big inspiration to me.
NIN has so much to choose from, The Fragile is great, albeit very long. Not The Actual Events is another amazing one that I find very underrated. I also hope you find the time for some more Elliott Smith as well!
I'm glad you're always willing to listen to anything! I had a great time watching this :)
Its like so freaking terrifing like this is scarier then any horror movie soundtrack i ever heard even coil cant get this creppy they came close with backwards although honestly its just as terrifing for me no more no less
A Warm Place is perfectly palced beacause he's accepted where things are going and there's no going back.
I want to add some context to the album.
Basically first few tracks are setting up the exposition for the protagonist: his self-destructive tendencies, his loneliness, his nihilism and hatred for rеligion and sосiety as a whole.
Closer is where we're starting the next chapter.
It shоws the protagonist sеаrсhing for sехual validation as a сорing meсhаnism for his dерressiоn. In a wау using thаt other реrsоn аs a wау to make himself look more important than he actually is. It also shows protagonists mеssеd uр viеw of rеIigion as he sееs having control over someone as a way to get himself "closer to god". That theme of him putting "=" betwееn sех аnd godhood continues into Ruinеr as he contracts himself as he spews pure hаtrеd towards the idea of god, while also being jealous in a way, as he sees god as sort of the ultimate manliness "big strong hard and long". To create a stronger connection between gеnitаIs and religion it brings into the song the subject of men's circumcisions being a fuсked uр religious ritual of mutilating bаby boys' gеnitals, which apparently Americans still proudly practice to this day "What you gave to me? My perfect ring of scars"
The song ends with protagonist slowly embracing the godhood, and saying "nothing can stop me now" as he rides this high of being invulnerable and unstoppable.
Unfortunately for him the next chapter starts, which shows what's actually happening. It's not him gaining control but him losing it, turning his ideological crusade into a simple automated mechanical process of him going towards the end, and him trying to fight against it. In a way I see it as a cautionary tale about Hedonism and, in a way, Nihilism making a person lose their free will to their primal animalistic urges, but maybe I'm digging too deep into it.
"I do not want this" is the last bit of the protagonist's struggle to maintain his sanity. It shows how he wants to get help but then violently pushes away anyone that tries to get closer to him and help "Don't you tell me how I feel. You don't know just how I feel"
The song ends with the protagonist throwing away all his hatred towards his "idea of gоd" аs he himself wants to become an almighty omnipotent being just to find any meaning in his life.
"Вig mаn with a gun" is a short glimрse into what happens аftеrwаrds, аs he triеs to hurt and аbusе еvеryone around him as a way to make up for his own issues. How he does it, is up for interpretation.
The song abruptly ends and leads into a "warm place", as protagonist finally reflects on his actions and where they had lead him. What happens afterwards is that he understands that he can't go on like this anymore.
"Eraser" shows exactly that as the protagonist starts begging to еnd his suffеring and save him from this living nightmare he trapped himself in.
It took me some time to understand the place of "Reptile" on the album but eventually I realized that it's basically how the protagonist's perception of "Closer".
What was once his only way to feel better, his only method of escapism now seems gross and repulsive to him. There's nothing that can make him feel better anymore, so there's only one thing he can do.
"The Downward Spiral" Is pretty straight forward as the finale of The Downward Spiral.
There's nothing in this world except for sadness, so he shооts himsеlf in a head while his Self-destructive tendencies aka Mr. Self-destruct are celebrating.
"Hurt" is an epilogue and a 4th wall break in a way as both Protagonist and Trent Reznor through the protagonist reflect on the events of the album. "My sweetest friend" in this instance is the listener who was the only person following the protagonist on his journey. This is a warning to not make the same mistakes as him. He's just a character in an album. His fate is set in stone. You, on the other hand, can change. There's always a way and if you lose it, you may listen to an album again, as "I am still right here". At least that's the way I want to see it, as I went through most of what is being talked about on the album myself.
The song ends with a sudden loud noise that slowly dissolves into an absolute nothingness, symbolising reality of a gunshоt
Prolly *the* seminal industrial rock album, and also a soundtrack for Trent Reznor’s own Downward Spiral.
It’s crazy to think that an album so noisy, aggresive and sexual became as mainstream as it became.
If you’d want to go down into the industrial rabbit hole a couple good albums to start with could be:
Suicide - Suicide (a cold and mechanic synth punk classic)
Throbbing Gristle - 20 Jazz Funk Greats (arguably the start of industrial with some haunting minimal synth tracks)
Coil - Horse Rotorvator (fun, interesting and experimental industrial songs)
Swans - Filth (probably the heaviest and nastiest album of the bunch)
Big Black - Atomizer (more like filth than the rest, but a bit more digestible)
BIG agree on filth
Big black is amazing but i think it falls more into noise rock than industrial
All great suggestions. It's personal preference, but I'd probably add some early SPK (first two albums), Einstuerzende Neubauten, Godflesh (heavily influenced by Swans) and maybe Skinny Puppy (Too Dark Park)
The 90s was so much more open
Horse rotoravator isn't really industrial more of a psychedelic rock and experimental rock alblum
Don't sleep on Joanna Newsom's Ys! And Trent Reznor, who is NIN, co-scored the Disney film Soul a few years ago. He's doing fine. This album is from the point of view of a character, an exaggeration of where Trent was at at the time-an addict, depressed, sex-obsessed, etc.
reviewing the downward spiral yet we only going up 🔥🔥🔥
Yessir
I recommend "with Teeth" and "Pretty Hate Machine" as they're MUCH more accessible albums by comparison. TDS is definitely a better album if you're in that personal headspace. Found TDS a week after my mom passed. Needless to say its fit me ever since. Spiral is also meant to be a story piece listened in full. Glad you experienced the masterpiece as it was intended.
one of my favorite album experiences of all time. i also love how genuine the reaction is and how they’re not played up for views. highly highly recommend his next album, the fragile. i’m my opinion, i think it’s the better of the two. however both of them are interchangeable w a lot of people
So glad you really enjoyed this album from them. I’d say there are 3 more mandatory listens from them [Pretty Hate Machine, Broken EP & The Fragile]
A Warm Place is actually my favorite song on this album. Beautiful song. Could listen to it on repeat all day
I honestly think that the fragile would be a perfect album from nine inch nails for you to listen to
I love seeing people's reactions to the vocal change in March of the Pigs, lol. Great video. This is easily a top 5 favorite album for me right now.
You should react to "Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern" by Lil Ugly Mane. BRO I'm sure you would love this, really underrated album blending hip-hop, psychedelia, trip hop etc should be right up your alley!!
I did forget how industrial sounding this album was 😂 really lives up to the genre
There's a reason that "Closer" is considered one of Trent's masterpieces. It's still crazy to think about the fact that "Closer" was played on the radio FREQUENTLY in the 90's, and only one word was censored. Reptile is probably my favorite from this album. Trent is a musical genius. Even if the lyrics are strange, the production is always immaculate. NIN is like Radiohead in the sense the they have aged like fine wine. Some artist lose their touch a bit as they get older, but both bands just keep getting better. If you like the song A Warm Place, you should definitely check out The Fragile, and With Teeth. There are some really beautiful songs on beautiful songs on both albums.
Glad you got around to doing this one. As a troubled teen this album was on heavy rotation and scared the shit out of my parents lol. This is personally my favorite of his music although he went on to do a lot more stuff. Glad to see that recommending things over and over again pay off eventually! Sick as fuck in bed with Covid and this really lifted my spirits!
Recommendations
Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Lil Ugly Mane - Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern
David Bowie - Blackstar
Oh man, Blackstar is a must ❤️
For me as a teenager was this album my life. My mom didn't understand that😂
My favorite album. You get used to the darkness the more you listen (for better or worse). You should definitely check out his album, 'The Fragile' for some of the best production ever put to tape.
Yesss I love NIN, I was honestly hoping you'd listen to this album ! Great videos man, can't wait for more !
Thank You!
The Fragile next!
@@smags1082
I stay forgetting just how tough a listen this record is lmao
The issue is, everyone who's heard it before is in tune with the album and on first listen isn't prepared for what bad vibes the album gives off.
@@mr.froglegs its still hard since its honestly the scariest alblum i ever heard
Hurt is a certified Depresed Homie classic. You should listen to White Pony by Deftones, AMAZING album!
dude! this album is one of my top 10. love the production, the songwriting, the lyrics, everything about it is perfection to me. you dropped this in a very bad day for me, so watching you have a similar experience to my first time listening to it was like therapy, ty bro. love yr reactions, been here since the first videos. kudos from brazil, mate ✨️
Thank You bro !
Masterpiece. The A Warm Place/Eraser/Reptile trio is so particularly fucking good. Great reaction, man. I hope you react to The Fragile at some point. Really long, but even better (and probably more palatable if this was a bit much for you, overall), in my opinion. My favorite album of all time from my favorite artist of all time.
Good video (you should listen to a Can album soon)
A Frank Zappa, Daniel Johnston, and Tom Waits album would be cool too
Swordfish trombones!
Which one
@@smags1082Ege Bamyasi
@@mr.froglegs agree
The Broken EP from the same era is similar in tone. The follow up album to this called The Fragile turns the atmosphere up with soundscapes and instrumentals. Well worth checking out. I think someone else mentioned it but their set at Woodstock 94 is one of the greatest concerts of the 90s. Would love to see a reaction to that too
Hum - You’d Prefer an Astronaut
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
I think this album is NIN's masterpiece, but an argument can be made for the follow-up album The Fragile, although that is a double-album and some consider it a bit bloated. I definitely recommend it if you want more of this kind of NIN, alternatively if you want some NIN that sounds very different then I'd recommend their debut album Pretty Hate Machine (80s, bit more pop-friendly and danceable) or Year Zero (difficult to describe, honestly).
I consider Year Zero to be NIN's most underrated album. Another great concept album with some wonderful glitchy synth work from Atticus.
@@BrianKoppe Year Zero is criminally underrated.
an album that got me through some of the darkest times in my life. thanks for reviewing!
I wish I could listen to this album for the first time again. Happy birthday to this album today!
My new favorite reaction channel, thanks for this!
I'm personally not big on NIN but I can appreciate what they did with this record - another noise rock record you should 1000% check out is You're Living All Over Me by Dinosaur Jr if you haven't already heard it
Great reaction! Please listen to songs for the deaf by queens of the stone age!
I saw another comment mention it, but Year Zero would be a great second album to check out from NIN. It came out about 15 years after The Downward Spiral, after Trent got clean. It's another concept album, but it will offer a different experience both musically and thematically. Leading up to the album's release, there was a whole Alternate Reality Game where NIN would leave hidden thumb drives for people to find with audio from the album, play secret shows, mysterious websites, etc. They built a whole narrative, and the concept for the album almost became a show on HBO but the talks never got off the ground.
A non-NIN album that you should absolutely check out, also mentioned in another comment, is Blackstar from David Bowie. It was his final album, released days before he died. It felt planned, but it wasn't really. Still, a perfect exit for one of the best artists of the 20th century.
I had gotten sober in july of 93 from booze and dope.(still sober today)
My old running buddy Johnny F. got sober around the same time I did.
We saw the 94 show in Mountain View then in 95 saw them and Bowie in 1995 in San Jose.
That was a surreal concert with Bowie and Trent. (Bowie is one of my absolutely favorite artists of all time)
The last time I saw NIN was in Boise Id.
He said there had been a snowstorm in which some of the elements of his light show/production was stranded.
In his words "We're really sorry for the lack of a stage show we'll just play more songs".
I'll take that over stage lights any day of the week.
In short, NIN saved my f*cking sanity as I could relate to This album and Trents angst, in various,multiple ways.
(I was dealing with some pretty serious mental health issues at that time)
Also, an interesting note, the mention of a blue in the song The Downward Spiral.
"Everything's blue
Everything's blue in this world
The deepest shade of mushroom blue"
To me is reminiscent of Bowie's reference to a blue room for the song Sound and Vision.
P.s. My absolute favorite song is Reptile.
It reminded me of a couple of ex's.
Anyways, good to see someone react to this album.
Thanks for the vid.
Thanks for doing it! Highly recommend his next album, another concept album: The Fragile
I just commented the same thing, love that album!
One of my fave albums, thanks for bringing me down memory lane
Never could get into NIN but I love what Trent did on the show Watchmen on HBO…dude kills the soundtrack. Really looking forward to the Strawberry Jam review if it happens…I don’t say this lightly, SJ changed the trajectory of my life in the best of ways. Good stuff bro 🍻
Closer is about sex addiction. Each verse is describing the hell the person in question is going through ending with the chorus of just wanting to fuck to feel better for a moment, only for the emptiness creeps back in after.
2 songs in and I'm loving your ear for the music, even if it's not in your wheelhouse. Keep it up, I'm subbed to see more from ya, I appreciate reactors who take the time to sit down and digest a whole album in one sitting
This album is a masterpiece. You discover more and more layers with each listen.
The story on this concept album is bleak and dark, but has beautiful moments.
Just a master craft in music and production.
I recommend listening to “The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads” by Lift To Experience. Severely underrated band and the album is just beautiful. the ironic album cover makes it better
Loved this album reaction! You should do The Fragile or Pretty Hate Machine!
This used to be my favourite album of all time. Slipped down the list a bit, but probably in my top 10. Looking forward to watching later with a beer.
Best reaction and review of this album I’ve seen so far. I would recommend some tracks from The Fragile or With Teeth, like "The Wretched", "Only", "The Hand That Feeds" or "Into The Void", to see how he progressed since ‘94. Also their first album Pretty Hate Machine to see where he began
This is an unbelievably good album and one of my all time favorites. If you want another nin album to check out I would check out the fragile. It came out after this one but that was like 6 years of time if I remember right in between the albums and they are very different albums but the fragile is epic in its own right and probably my favorite overall nin album if I had to choose one. Thanks man
18:23 bless you
Thank!
That 5k getting closer and closer! We will be there when it happens, trust me.
Suggestion (Yep, Just one): Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Nice headphone taste. I used to have a pair of those. Great sound quality for the price.
I'm glad you liked ruiner. Might be my favorite in this one, or maybe eraser or reptile. But ruiner really has it all. Thanks for the reaction!
This isn’t an album I go back to often but it is a must listen as it’s one of the most vital and hugely influential albums in music history. Definitely need to be in the mood to listen to this one.
I just discovered your channel man, I’m so so so sorry that your first exposure to industrial metal was the downward spiral, that’s like throwing a baby off a diving board
WITH TEETH!
Awesome man! I reallyyyy hope you also listen and react to NIN's The Fragile album to me it's Trent Reznor's best work with NIN, sound and lyric wise it's a great culmination of The Downward Spiral along with the more evolved sound he merged into later.
14:55 is so jokes. Vibing with the music, without missing a second "what are you *talkin* about" haha
Mostly at Nine Inch Nails concerts we cry and/or hurt ourselves. And those of us who know better hope those off the ground if they’re too fucked up or hurt, though people rarely get crazy this decade or the last.
I could see Reptile being a track about a woman but to me it always felt more like Trent’s song about Heroin. Talking about how she leaves a trail of honey (dead bodies from trafficking and overdosing), how she has been with everyone, how she is beautiful to him but lies about how he truly feels, and how he himself is diseased and impure. I know that Trent came up with this album as an overall idea of a man spiraling into depression, disassociation, isolation, and subjects like drug use, sex abuse, and other topics to cope but also knowing what Trent was going through at the time leads me to believe he was dealing with all of this himself as well. The whole album is a beautiful piece of art and if you haven’t checked it out yet I would highly recommend checking out the album that came after this Fragile, also an amazing piece of work and I would personally put them on the same scale for quality.
Heresy is one of the most amazing songs of all time. That guitar riff Jesus
I grew up listening to NIN. It’s nice to see current reaction videos. Excellent band! I am glad they have been inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame 2019. Trent’s music is timeless and has pushed music to the extremes. This record was recorded in the house in Los Angeles on Cielo drive….
Ive seen them maybe 7 times live. Theyre old stuff like this hits so hard live.
Most important album about self depreciation that shines light on being truly lost
I think the character in the song Hurt kills themselves at the end. The combination of the lyrics "Start again (start over) ... a million miles away (a different place than the one the character is in) ... I would find a way" along with the loud, distorted sound and this song being the ending of the album makes me believe that's the intended meaning.
yooo the people want more Ween 🙏🙏 and if you dont want to, you should definitely check Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun literally listened to it like 2 days ago and its a neo soul masterpiece dude
Have you heard much industrial music before? NIN are generally considered to be the poster-boys for that genre.
And yea if you wanna get more into the meaning, basically the whole album is a linear story about a guy going mad and then shooting himself.
Nothing can prepare one for this album. All you can do is jump right in and let it take over.
Its a good day when Smags posts
I went to this live show on TDS tour THREE times. Formative experience.
You should really check out his first album Pretty Hate Machine. It's my favourite of his honestly. SImilar vibes and production ideas at times but with a distinct 80's hardware tinge to it
He did get sober! The Fragile is a great album as well, the next album is his discography. Awesome reaction, I haven’t seen someone do the full album.
in rainbows when. love the content by the way it's awesome some of the best review content out there
The reaction on closer did not dissapoint 😂 good work brother. Sub'd and liked.
with teeth is probably my favorite album but i really hope you do the fragile, definitely a milestone in trent's discography
Almost like it’s been recorded in an industrial setting😂! Great vid! Honestly, if you really never heard nin before, your comments are on point!
I love your reaction to this. It's just real. Sub for sure. Music binds us.
my fav album of all times, great reaction
Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile would make for a fascinating reaction. Take the layers and sounds of The Downward Spiral and multiply them times 10. Add more experimentation, more melody, more variety, and more pop. Not necessarily a better album or complete work, but an amazing album.
The last guitar on hurt always scares the shit out of me even when you know its coming since it builds in volume its still just so creppy
you should definitely check out Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson. Trent, the guy who produced downward spiral and head of NIN, produced Antichrist Superstar as well.
NIN can be a bit much. You should try their first album, Pretty Hate Machine, it's not as aggressive in your face, more palatable. I saw them play at a small bar in Kansas City in 1990 shortly after Pretty Hate Machine was released and it was ka-ra-zy (good)! The entire bar turned into a mosh pit, I saw several guys come out of their with torn clothes and covered in footprints from head to toe, literally footprints across their face. It was very memorable to say the least. PHM is still my favorite album of theirs. Also, NIN's lead singer, Trent Reznor, is quite a character. He inadvertently faked his own death for quite some time, it's pretty interesting. It's worth a google search if you are bored.
I love your reactions, they are so honestly and unfiltered combined with your charming personality is a winning combo. Keep up the great work.
“nah these lyrics are weird idk why i like this” yeah real
also thank you nine inch nails vocalist Trent Reznor for both the gay awakening and goth awakening
You should watch on TH-cam Nine Inch Nails - Mudstock ( Woodstock '94) Full Performance. It is one of the best live show ever recorded
I was in high school when this came out. Still one of my favorites today.
Not sure if you know or not but the reason Trent talks about pigs so much is that he and Marilyn Manson stayed in Sharon Tate's house during the recording of some of the songs on the album. It's pretty ironic bringing a manson to the manson murder house but the two left after Sharon's sister told Trent she found the act disrespectful, there's no beef between Trent or her. He's got a lot of humanity in him since he cried that night out of shame after meeting her and left immediately.
NIN (Trent Reznor) with the album "Pretty Hate Machine" was the first to bring popular commercially viable industrial music to the relative masses. It is a classic album you will totally love from start to finish. First time I saw NIN they were opening for Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus) shortly after PHM started getting airplay, and IMHO they totally ruled the night. The venue brough NIN back to open for another band about a month later and I bought tickets specifically to see them again. Don't even remember who had the top billing that night.
👌🏼i bought it when it came out in 94 and was shocked😄 love it til this day
Pretty Hate Machine, Broken, then Downward Spiral. The triumvirate of nihilism. You jumped into the deep end. Kudos
A Warm Place is pretty much a cover of David Bowie's Crystal Japan.
If you liked this, I really feel like you'd be into A Perfect Circles "Thirteenth Step"
Another concept album steeped with deep meaning and intense thematic imagery, plus it's got Maynard James Keenan on vocal duties, and he delivers a suitably bombastic performancen
This is a very aggressive set of music. What an intro to NIN and into this genera of industrial music.
Trent's later work has less of a lyric shock value and vocal rage to it as his career progresses. I think that was his point, shock and explore the extreme state frame of mind and blast it from all sides without a filter. I strongly advise you to explore his other recordings. There is an evolution as the years pass.
Not easy to digest lol
Again hope you also react/listen to NIN's The Fragile album it's incredible!
You should react to I Robot by the Alan Parsons Project. It's made by Alan Parsons, the guy who did the engineering of The Dark Side of The Moon by Pink Floyd. I Robot makes heavy up front use of synths, which was very unusual and innovative for the 70s due to computerized sound not being very advanced, giving the album a very futuristic sound, though in the more stereotypical way.
"The Downward Spiral" is a pretty apt name for this record. Would it surprise you to know that they lived in and recorded the album in a house where an infamous murder took place?
loved seeing your take on this album
Nine Inch Nails is my all time favorite and this album in particular was my introduction to them
i would love to see you react to his albums "Hesitation Marks" and "The Fragile"
both of those are fantastic albums
the fragile especially is interesting because to my understanding while downward spiral was a sort of exaggerated story of a made up man going through mental and emotional hell trent later personally lived through his own version of that hell as he toured the album making downward spiral almost a self fulfilling prophecy
the fragile is a more personal and grounded take on that hell just this time from trent's personal experience
because of that its a bit more subtle than downward spiral in most of its songs but also a lot more personal and genuine sounding
Lol, Trent Reznor is definitely doing just fine after this album. He's gone on to win Academy Awards for his composing work. I think to really appreciate this music you had to live in the time it came out in a way. For people that grew up in the 80s and 90s he's a legend and musical genius.
Have you ever listened to the musician 'Lone' (Matt Cutler)? He's one of my favourites; I found out about Boards of Canada my favourite band/duo of all time through him. BoC had a significant influence on Lone's earlier music but he isn't a musician I would consider a clone or child of BoC. This wouldn't be a bad thing for me because I follow and like such musicians but Lone is distinct enough to stand out on his own. He has produced a combination of house, techno, hiphop and ambient sounding music. If someone was to only check out one album by him, I'd highly recommend 'Galaxy Garden'.
I haven’t maybe I should