Post by Shinobi-Iri (nick) on Jul 10, 2008 8:28:34 GMT -5
NIN REVIEW “PRETTY HATE MACHINE” 1989
It’s been a long time since Trent Reznor burst onto the scene and unleashed his pop-industrial entity ‘Nine Inch Nails’ on the world. But ever since that day, it’s been nothing but ups and downs for the man who, no less than 10 years ago, was battling serious drug addiction.
He’s clean now, but even before the drugs, before the super stardom and before the depression; there was a young, rage-fueled Reznor just itching to get a few things off his chest. And he did it with his first record, which he wrote and performed all by himself during his job as a recording engineer and janitor at Right Track studios. By day he kept it clean, by night he worked on the demos that would eventually become ‘Pretty Hate Machine’.
To start off, it must be said now that those unfamiliar with Reznor’s earlier work will get a surprise. Subsequent records mark a vast stylistic change for NIN, and this album lies more within dark synth-pop rather than guitar-driven industrial. For example, ‘Down In It’ it played in a key that could be mistaken for bright, cheery and uplifting until you hear the lyrics. Then you will understand that Reznor masks his emotions well, and seems to make things not as serious as they really are. This is also true for ‘Sin’, although his voice breaks into frustration-filled screams as the song progresses.
The album’s opener, ‘Head Like A Hole’ proved to be one of NIN’s better known numbers, and combines distorted guitars and a catchy chorus with an ominous bassline and heavily synthesized drums that could be a new-wave group rather than Nine Inch Nails. But Reznor really shows off his synth-pop influence on songs like ‘That’s What I Get’ and my personal favorite ‘Sanctified’ which it ripe with poppy elements as it is with brooding anger. This is the precursor to Reznor’s later success; which involves combining dark electronic elements and lyrical themes with catchy, accessible songs that make him a more fan-friendly alternative to other industrial groups like Ministry or Throbbing Gristle. This isn’t really a group though, this is Trent Reznor…
It also showcases Reznor’s prominent use of distorted electric guitar as a textural element, rather than a stand-out instrument in a song. Its use as atmospheric sound on songs such as ‘Sanctified’ and ‘Head Like A Hole’ provide an important link between poppy ‘Pretty Hate Machine’ and dark/angsty later albums such as ‘Broken’ or ‘The Fragile’. And as usual for NIN, there’s the standard anthemic ballad on the record, ‘Something I Can Never Have’, that started the motif for later songs such as ‘Hurt’ or ‘All The Love In The World’.
Overall, this in an incredible album, and a good start to a long and influential career. It should be noted that Trent Reznor writes every lyrics, plays every note and records every song, with only a little bit of input from outsiders. It goes to show you that true innovators go it alone, even when all of the odds seem to be against them.
TRACKLISTING
1. Head Like A Hole
2. Terrible Lie
3. Down in It
4. Sanctified
5. Something I Can Never Have
6. Kinda I Want To
7. Sin
8. That’s What I Get
9. The Only Time
10. Ringfinger
It’s been a long time since Trent Reznor burst onto the scene and unleashed his pop-industrial entity ‘Nine Inch Nails’ on the world. But ever since that day, it’s been nothing but ups and downs for the man who, no less than 10 years ago, was battling serious drug addiction.
He’s clean now, but even before the drugs, before the super stardom and before the depression; there was a young, rage-fueled Reznor just itching to get a few things off his chest. And he did it with his first record, which he wrote and performed all by himself during his job as a recording engineer and janitor at Right Track studios. By day he kept it clean, by night he worked on the demos that would eventually become ‘Pretty Hate Machine’.
To start off, it must be said now that those unfamiliar with Reznor’s earlier work will get a surprise. Subsequent records mark a vast stylistic change for NIN, and this album lies more within dark synth-pop rather than guitar-driven industrial. For example, ‘Down In It’ it played in a key that could be mistaken for bright, cheery and uplifting until you hear the lyrics. Then you will understand that Reznor masks his emotions well, and seems to make things not as serious as they really are. This is also true for ‘Sin’, although his voice breaks into frustration-filled screams as the song progresses.
The album’s opener, ‘Head Like A Hole’ proved to be one of NIN’s better known numbers, and combines distorted guitars and a catchy chorus with an ominous bassline and heavily synthesized drums that could be a new-wave group rather than Nine Inch Nails. But Reznor really shows off his synth-pop influence on songs like ‘That’s What I Get’ and my personal favorite ‘Sanctified’ which it ripe with poppy elements as it is with brooding anger. This is the precursor to Reznor’s later success; which involves combining dark electronic elements and lyrical themes with catchy, accessible songs that make him a more fan-friendly alternative to other industrial groups like Ministry or Throbbing Gristle. This isn’t really a group though, this is Trent Reznor…
It also showcases Reznor’s prominent use of distorted electric guitar as a textural element, rather than a stand-out instrument in a song. Its use as atmospheric sound on songs such as ‘Sanctified’ and ‘Head Like A Hole’ provide an important link between poppy ‘Pretty Hate Machine’ and dark/angsty later albums such as ‘Broken’ or ‘The Fragile’. And as usual for NIN, there’s the standard anthemic ballad on the record, ‘Something I Can Never Have’, that started the motif for later songs such as ‘Hurt’ or ‘All The Love In The World’.
Overall, this in an incredible album, and a good start to a long and influential career. It should be noted that Trent Reznor writes every lyrics, plays every note and records every song, with only a little bit of input from outsiders. It goes to show you that true innovators go it alone, even when all of the odds seem to be against them.
TRACKLISTING
1. Head Like A Hole
2. Terrible Lie
3. Down in It
4. Sanctified
5. Something I Can Never Have
6. Kinda I Want To
7. Sin
8. That’s What I Get
9. The Only Time
10. Ringfinger
