 "Dissecting the Spiral" | 2008-09-16 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
A lot of people seem to bash a review titled "A Kid's Review," so I'm going to start off by saying that I am 14 years old, not 13 or under, and I don't consider myself an expert on Nine Inch Nails or on music in general. I just like putting my opinion out there to help people make informed decisions about the music they buy.
Now, I think it's generally pointless to pigeonhole an album as "the best album ever." It does a disservice to all the other great albums out there, just as it seriously narrows your or anyone's taste in music. On a similar note, an album doesn't have to be totally obscure for you to like it. Don't tell me this is pop. Sure, it has elements of a pop-like structure, but just because other people actually know about an album and like it doesn't make it mainstream.
So now we're at The Downward Spiral. What Trent has here is a fairly depressing, not-so-easy listening mix of techno beats, synth, static, sound effects, loud guitars, screaming, whispering, occasional singing, and a bunch of melodic hooks. No, it's not metal, and I never said it was. It doesn't easily fit into a genre, but it's not genre-shattering. It's just a snakier, more sinister, depressing version of what Trent was already doing. The lyrics supposedly depict one man's descent into insanity, which is more or less suitable. The lyrics are not earth-shattering, but those who say they're inane are missing the point. Big Man With A Gun is satirical, Closer is desperate, Heresy depicts religious fanatics, not religion. This is an album meant to show, not to tell. It describes, it doesn't instruct. Don't take it to heart. If anything, it says what not to do if you wish to remain sane and alive in today's society.
If nothing else, Trent Reznor is a master of texture. If, perhaps, you're turned off by Closer's chorus (which you shouldn't be, for reasons I've already explained), then listen carefully to the final two-and-a-half minutes of the song. When a hook comes in that you really like, focus on it, and be amazed as the other hooks and beats surrounding you complement and enhance it. Switch focus to the piano melody, and I'm sure you'll be pleased to find that this crazy layering effect applies to everything in the song. Do the same to the exploding March Of The Pigs and suddenly it seems more melodic, rather than Reznor merely screaming "I wanna f*** it up!" and such as you may have thought at first. The piano coda stands out more, and the synth line is melodically interesting.
All of the above said (and I know it was long, but hopefully it was helpful), The Downward Spiral isn't for everyone (at times, myself included). If nothing else, buy Closer and listen to it in the manner that I suggested, and you might find something you like. If you like it enough, buy the whole thing and let it sink in. But let it sink in multiple times so you can actually appreciate what Reznor has done here, instead of dismissing it as "mainstream," or the opposite extreme, "just noise." |
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 "Down In It" | 2008-08-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1ADOB95GLYMWU |
| Not much can be said about this that hasn't been said before.Yes,it is dark and intense and explores the deepest parts of the psyche but i don't think this is necessarily a bad thing.I think this album can be very therapeutic in a way to help release built up emotions.Embrace the way you feel when you listen to this album as it is in all of us humans."The Downward Spiral" is an emotional rollercoaster and is well worth the ride if you stay on till the end.I got this cd when it first came out and it STILL gets regular play at my house.Buy,cheat,or steal a copy of this if you have to.Just get it whatever you do! |
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| "The Downward spiral" | 2008-08-07 |
| - Reviewed By User: A39OVOOFDKVZ51 |
| This is one of my favourite album of all "extreme" music of ninety years. Music and lyrics are quite all about social and sexual disease, swinging from anger and hate to a deep latent anxiety and a self-annihilation desire. The sound, as the rest, is very innovative and deep. Try to listen something for a better comprehension. |
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| "ignore the nay-sayers" | 2008-07-14 |
| - Reviewed By metal_tim |
First of all, owning all the throbbing gristle, coil, skinny puppy, laibach, wumpscut, or whatever other " real" industrial LPs doesn't make you some kind of expert on music.
downward spiral is highly overrated by the mainstream music critics but at the same time it is highly underrated by people who's main mission in life is to only listen to underground music and to constantly talk about how mainstream music will never be as good.
All the bands listed above are great. That doesn't make nine inch nails bad. Saying that there is no musical talent on this album is absurd. in fact pretty hate machine to the fragile are all really good albums
i'm not going to bother going into detail on this album because there are six hundred other reviews to do that for you.
its a good album. regardless of whether or not you usually listen to silver mt. zion on vinyl with all your snobby friends. Its possible to like underground music and also be able to appreciate something more popular. its called listening to what you like instead of what your supposed to like in your close-minded music elitist world.
good music is good music. get over yourself |
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| "Excellent Buy" | 2008-07-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A31FIEXK8Q9FBY |
| Quick shipping. CD came in better than expected condition. I was completely satisfied with my order. |
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| "Not a Ruiner!" | 2008-07-10 |
| - Reviewed By dieter67 |
The Downward Spiral
EXCELLENT! Probably all you need to know is that the best damn track on this wunderkind is "Ruiner." |
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| "Surprisingly Good" | 2008-06-16 |
| - Reviewed By taubutterfly |
| I loved The Downward Spiral cd by Nine Inch Nails, however I do not recommend the music video for Closer. The cd comes across as deep, moody and gloomy. So you are probably asking why I like this cd right about now. Well the music is catchy. Once you listen to the whole cd you start singing the lyrics even if you do not like what they are actually trying to portray. I recommend this cd. |
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| "TRENT REZNOR IS A GENIUS" | 2008-05-13 |
| - Reviewed By User: AW8ABGKF8IUYU |
i cant believe people would give THIS album a 1
this is the epic NIN album, majority of NIN fans find this as their favorite
so many great songs on it, my favorite include: heresy, piggy, ruiner, reptile, closer...you know what, screw it, they are all great
Broken + The Downward Spiral, if there are new fans looking for their best stuff get these albums. im seeing NIN in august and i cant wait
trent is a genius to come up with every sound you hear on these albums, and all the lyrics and emotion he puts into it, that you can actually feel it
and hes making new stuff everyday, love him! |
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 "I must be missing something here, Trent's "Pretty Hate Machine" is far better than this noisy junk" | 2007-07-12 |
| - Reviewed By proudlyunhipp |
I don't understand what makes this album referred to as a "masterpiece". I guess, compared to other albums of that time, when we're stuck "clutching at straws" to find a landmark album, this album just happened to arrive when radio had mostly just regrettable crap. Jeez, the nineties sucked! I will say though, that I would rather refer to "Pretty Hate Machine" as a masterpiece album for Nine Inch Nails. "Broken" (and "Fixed") are both easily forgettable.
On this album, I like "Mr. Self Destruct". It's an easy song to get stuck in your head, plus the EP of "Further Down the Spiral" has a couple of good remixes of that song.
"Piggy. Pig, pig, pig..." "Nothing can stop me now." What does that mean? Is Trent into bopping animals or something? The song doesn't seem to make any sense that I can figure out.
"Heresy" is a song I could do without. I'm not the most religious guy out there. However I do believe in God. But I don't practice any religion. Since there are so many different interpretations of what God is, how can anyone see the authenticity of any one religion?
"March of the Pigs" mentions pigs again. Again, what's the reference here?
"Closer" is my favorite track here. However, I hope Trent's not talking about his warped love for pigs.
The rest of this album just seems to mix up hard noise and then depressing melancholy moods backed up by strange instrumental passages. Most of the instrumentation on this album is strange. He doesn't play many ordinary instruments, and his more electronic sounds are obscure to me, and I usually enjoy variations of IDM and industrial instrumentals.
I bought this album when it came out back in 1994. I hated it back then and gave it away. I decided to buy it again to see if I've missed something. But no, it's the same album I was uncomfortable with as before. I like "Further Down the Spiral" better than this album. If "Further Down the Spiral" had "Closer" on it, that would be a fantastic album. So, I guess I'll just keep both.
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| "Big time!" | 2007-06-23 |
| - Reviewed By User: A5M01LMEYVPU2 |
| I love this album. I am so happy that trent remastered this album and included a couple videos as well. The music sounds verry fresh and doesn't drop in sound when I play the new master in my zune. If you love this album, than you should get it in it's digitally remastered format...the first edition sounds too low. |
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