Downward Spiral, The - Nine Inch Nails

Advantages: Stunning songs and production; complex and thought provoking
Disadvantages: May offend some

...Released in 1994, The Downward Spiral still sounds as fresh and has as much impact now as the day it was released. In terms of style it is very difficult to pin down and pigeon hole but it tends to be classified under industrial metal. Trent Reznor uses layered soundscapes to create a complex texture and incredibly emotion-laden sound which juxtaposes furious rage with calm resignation. Dark and deeply disturbing in places, this is a semi-autobiographic ...
...and find comfort. ---The Downward Spiral--- Another instrumental track with words narrated softly over it. It deals with the suicide of the character and is a very disturbing track. The build-up is striking and has been very skilfully done here. ---Hurt--- This is one of my favourite NIN songs and is a calm, introspective and reflective look at the state that the character’s life has reached. A beautiful example of Reznor’s ability ... Read review

Advantages: deep and meaningful, stunningly executed
Disadvantages: not suitable for young and easily offended, not instantly accessable but definately worth the effort

“The Downward Spiral” is an album that I simply can’t recommend highly enough. My first Nine Inch Nails purchase, it certainly gave me a taste for their music, and I have gone on to purchase another 6 of their releases since. The album mirrors Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails’ main man)’s own downward spiral, a result of drugs, pressure, paranoia and other contributing factors. As such the album is stark and sometimes ...
...Warm Place”). “The Downward Spiral” is an album that I don’t think deserves to be regarded as a collection of songs, as it is so much more than that. One of the reasons this album works so well and is so effective is that it fits together to make one powerful masterpiece. This is not to say that the songs don’t stand up to individual scrutiny, each and every song is brilliant, just that I believe to be fully appreciated ... Read review

Advantages: Great industrial music. An album you can listen to all the way through.
Disadvantages: A little heavy for some people. Couple controversial type songs

...Nine Inch Nails masterpiece, The Downward Spiral. A Little Background... The Downward Spiral was released in 1994, and was Nine Inch Nails third release, following Pretty Hate Machine and the Broken EP. The Downward Spiral is the cd that brought Nine Inch Nails to the forefront of the Industrial genre, and helped to bring them to a more mainstream audience. I keep saying "them", but in reality, Nine Inch Nails is Trent Reznor and whoever happens ...
...Reptile 6:52 13. The Downward Spiral 3:57 14. Hurt 6:14 The Songs Mr. Self Destruct The album starts off with a good, heavy song. It begins with what sounds like someone being whipped or something. (Reznor enjoys mixing in strange sounds.) Then it jumps into the song, with a pounding beat that just gets the head bobbing right off. The tempo constantly changes throughout the song, as it gets extremely slow right in the middle, then jumps back into ... Read review

Advantages: Moving, Complicated, Powerful music.
Disadvantages: Not to everyones taste.

The Downward Spiral is a dark musical masterpiece. The album ranges from moments of harshness to moments of haunting beauty. It is savage but never without justification. It is a work of art that takes your mind on a journey through a bleak mental landscape. It is my personal favourite album of all time and I have listened to it countless times but never grown tired of it. ‘The Downward Spiral’ is the second full-length album from Nine ...
...warm place 11. eraser 12. reptile 13. the downward spiral 14. hurt Although each track is beyond excellent on its own the best experience comes from listening to the whole album together. When you do this it makes some kind of intangible story in your mind that makes a powerful musical experience. To describe individual tracks would almost be like analysing different parts of a painting when it should be enjoyed as a whole. However I am describing ... Read review

Advantages: NIN's best
Disadvantages: Some people just don't like NIN

...is most true for The Downward Spiral. We are instantly thrown into the action with 'Mr Self Destruct' a look at the forces controlling his life at the time of the album and an industrial classic. Songs such as 'big man with a gun' and 'march of the pigs' are Reznor at his best. Aggressive and unrelenting, this album is by no means for the masses. If you are not into Rock at all then stay away from it, if you like Rock with a harder edge do yourself ... Read review

Advantages: Four NIN classics, plus two good bonus tracks
Disadvantages: The short length, and tracks 7-97

...It wasn't really until Trent Reznor's masterpiece 'The Downward Spiral' that Nine Inch Nails dethroned Ministry as the largest industrial band on the planet. 'Broken' wasn't really a full release, but a stop-gap EP to fill the five year gap between that and the 1989 debut ('Pretty Hate Machine'). Only six tracks are listed, two of which are relatively short instrumentals. The other four are, however, all classics, and there are two 'hidden' bonus tracks too, which are worth a listen. Tracks 7-97 each consist of a three second silence, before we get to these extra songs - a cover of Adam Ant's 'Physical' and 'Suck' (which I'll get to later). Since there aren't many songs, I'll say a bit about each - I'll keep it short though, because otherwise I'll just be repeating myself (they are rather the same). 'Wish' is a catchy little number... Read review

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Advantages: Influential, Very heavy, doesn't take itself to seriously, Jesus built my hotrod
Disadvantages: Can be slightly over the top

...Anyone who likes Marylin Manson or most of the nu-metal scene owes a lot to Ministry and the 'Psalm 69' album in particular. Along with 'The Downward Spiral' by Nine Inch Nails this album was responsible for bringing industrial music into the mainstream although Psalm 69 is based more around massive 2 dimensional guitar riff's than NIN have ever been. This album was released in 1992 and at the time there was nothing else available that sounded even remotely similar. Ministry, along with their various offshoot bands such as 1000 Homo DJ's and The Revolting Cock's (beat that for a quality band name) paved the way for bands such as Korn to become as huge as they are today but i don't think that Psalm 69 has ever got the recognition it deserved. The album opens with the rolling guitar thunder of 'N.W.O' which features one of the most... Read review

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Advantages: Good start
Disadvantages: Tails off, gets a bit samey - it's a LOW three stars, not as good as AntiChrist Super Star or Mechanical Animals

...high that I could call it good. * Dogma * Fast paced fuzz metal with a repeating “You want it” sample get the song flying out of the blocks, stopping only to allow Marilyn to “Burn the witches”. It has moments of just being Manson-metal by numbers but the fast paces sections come thick and, well fast and get your foot tapping away. If you’re really in the mood you may find yourself yelling along about “burning witches” and “burning bridges”. * Sweet Tooth * Opening with a sound similar to how my copy of the Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails would sound if it skipped a lot on the intro to songs… And if I had a vinyl copy of course, it’s a looping synth sound that gives way to a brief guitar thrash before moving on to a chopped up vocal performance from Marilyn Manson... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful