If There Is a Hell, I’ll See Trent Reznor There

The first time I had ever heard Nine Inch Nails, my heart was racing before I even put the CD in. Growing up without MTV, my only real source for finding new favorite bands to adore was my older brother’s bedroom and his cd collection-when he wasn’t home. I guess because I was seven years his kid sister, it made sense that he didn’t trust me with all of his music. “Do you know how much oil and dirt is on your fingers?!” he’d snap at me when I touched a CD in front of him. I’d exit his bedroom, staring at my fingers, looking for the said oil and dirt-not ever seeing anything, but washing my hands religiously, nonetheless. Read More »

Sound Check: Nine Inch Nails - “Ghosts I-IV”

Ghosts I-IV

Following the blueprint laid down by Radiohead late last year, Nine Inch Nails have released Ghosts I-IV, a 4-disc instrumental album, without the (full) aid of a major label. A digital download gives you the first nine tracks free of charge; for $5 the entire set is yours. A deluxe version is available for the hefty price of $300, but let’s not go there just yet - how is the music?

Digesting a 4-disc instrumental set in one day, let alone in one sitting, is a tall order - but that’s what I’m here for, fair readers. I am here to hear - here, here.

Less ambient and more mid-90s cold wave soundtrack, Ghosts I-IV is a necessary departure from Trent Reznor’s angsty tendencies. This time around, all his gloom is distilled into instrumentals, which range from the burrs and twitches of NIN’s industrial flirtations (think The Fragile) to quick bursts of avant noise, albeit tame for the genre. Wolf Eyes this is not. Read More »