halo twenty eight. hesitation marks. 09.03.2013

[brokenfragility]

So after spinning this thing for a month straight, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it is my favorite NIN album. Not "the best" because the innovation and things TDS did for the music industry will of course never be touched by HM, but my personal favorite at this time in my life. I've had trouble relating to the older NIN material in the past few years, but HM is so grown up with such mature themes that I relate to intensely right now. Musically its exactly what I was hoping it would be and the last half of the album is fucking brutally good.

Bravo TR.

[Lastentrance]

And to add to that (and repeat myself), the roomier sound is probably a result of the loop being miked to give it a more organic sound. I think it's a shame Trent has only shared this nugget with us now. In a way, I think this makes The Slip pretty innovative; an electronic, mostly programmed (probably), album that sounds very "live". Apparently to the point where a lot of listeners have trouble determining whether a sound is acoustic or electronic.

In a way, it's a missing link between the more raw, honest rock of With Teeth and the all-out glitch-electronica on Year Zero. Combine that idea with the business side and you've possibly got the most innovative Nine Inch Nails release of all time. That's not to say the music itself is innovative, but the execution of it sure is.

I liked The Slip to begin with, but knowing this has made me appreciate it on a whole other level. I still find Hesitation Marks to be a better album, though.

Trent has done this a lot though. You'd never think Just Like You Imagined wasn't a live kit. I'm sure I read in an interview somewhere that MOTP and Eraser were programmed too.

[baudolino]

posting a month post-leak to confirm that this album still owns

right. everytime my playlist randomly hits a song of HM i can't resist listening to the whole album. insane.

[Kyle]

Trent has done this a lot though. You'd never think Just Like You Imagined wasn't a live kit. I'm sure I read in an interview somewhere that MOTP and Eraser were programmed too.

MOTP and Eraser were definitely not live drums. The only song Trent has played live drums on is Piggy so if the album has individual credits and a song does not say "live drums by," they're not real drums.

[seasonsinthesky]

MOTP and Eraser were definitely not live drums. The only song Trent has played live drums on is Piggy so if the album has individual credits and a song does not say "live drums by," they're not real drums.

indeed, the only TDS tracks with actual drums are "I Do Not Want This," "The Downward Spiral" and "Hurt." the first two don't sound much like it, though.

[screwdriver]

indeed, the only TDS tracks with actual drums are "I Do Not Want This," "The Downward Spiral" and "Hurt." the first two don't sound much like it, though.

we're getting into awfully semantic territory at this point. I Do Not Want This is a cut-up loop of someone playing. I'm not sure I would count that as "real drums" any more than someone assembling mic'd samples, which is a lot of what TR's catalog has been. For TDS, they spend days mic'ing up drums and building sample banks of that, and that's what the drums on that album were. Even IDNWT, you can bet the loop is supplemented with samples.

JLYI is interesting in itself -- the drum sound was an enormous combination creatively mic'd drums (and resonating acoustic guitars!), re-amped, and combined with electronic percussion. It's actual drums but not actual drums at the same time.

[m15a]

an electronic, mostly programmed (probably), album that sounds very "live". Apparently to the point where a lot of listeners have trouble determining whether a sound is acoustic or electronic.

i think of this ("live"/"not live" ambiguity) as a sort of defining aspect of NIN. not just in terms of drums but overall - audio effect, arrangement, etc. (obviously, there's variation within that ambiguous area.)

[NINisamazing]

Don't feed the trolls.

[NINisamazing]

Lol, what if that was trent just fucking with us. Hahaha

[nineismine]

Over a month since the leak and this is pretty much all I am listening to. I don't have the right words to describe it but to me this is just as good as any of my most revered albums. I love it and it's not getting old. The whole album fucking rocks.

[pigpen]

Over a month since the leak and this is pretty much all I am listening to. I don't have the right words to describe it but to me this is just as good as any of my most revered albums. I love it and it's not getting old. The whole album fucking rocks.

I'm inclined to agree with you on this, with the exception of Disappointed and Everything. At first I honestly really liked Everything, but I think it's novelty has
worn off and now I kind of just see it as a disruption to the overall flow of HM. And I just can't get behind Disappointed for whatever reason. It feels clunky,
awkward, and kind sort of loose..Like a demo or something, the first half anyway..

Other than that, i'd say HM has held up very well in it's first month.

[screwdriver]

I'm inclined to agree with you on this, with the exception of Disappointed and Everything. At first I honestly really liked Everything, but I think it's novelty has
worn off and now I kind of just see it as a disruption to the overall flow of HM. And I just can't get behind Disappointed for whatever reason. It feels clunky,
awkward, and kind sort of loose..Like a demo or something, the first half anyway..

Other than that, i'd say HM has held up very well in it's first month.

I agree 100% re: Everything. it just... doesn't fit? but, as a song itself, I like it, though something about how harsh it is bugs me

Disappointed, I fucking love BUT... something about the way the transition into the first chorus is completely unheralded bugs me. the second chorus, jesus, perfect, but the first chorus... ugh

[Ray1971]

I am in the same boat as you. I just can't stop listening to Hesitation Marks. It is soooooo great.

Over a month since the leak and this is pretty much all I am listening to. I don't have the right words to describe it but to me this is just as good as any of my most revered albums. I love it and it's not getting old. The whole album fucking rocks.

[nineismine]

I'm inclined to agree with you on this, with the exception of Disappointed and Everything. At first I honestly really liked Everything, but I think it's novelty has
worn off and now I kind of just see it as a disruption to the overall flow of HM. And I just can't get behind Disappointed for whatever reason. It feels clunky,
awkward, and kind sort of loose..Like a demo or something, the first half anyway..

Other than that, i'd say HM has held up very well in it's first month.

I LOVE the beat behind Disappointed. LOVE IT. I think the initial verse of singing sounds like a demo. I kind of like it and I want to come up with reasons it is so unrefined but ultimately I think it takes a song that could have been maybe even a hit and makes it unpalatable for the masses.

[WorzelG]

Various Methods of Escape is currently taking it's turn as my favourite on the album - the bassline is gorgeous. Previously it was Satellite for a while, Disappointed, All Time Low, I Would for You through to Black Noise, Copy of A. Almost the whole album has been up there at some point. Definitely the best NIN album since The Fragile

[pigpen]

I agree 100% re: Everything. it just... doesn't fit? but, as a song itself, I like it, though something about how harsh it is bugs me

Disappointed, I fucking love BUT... something about the way the transition into the first chorus is completely unheralded bugs me. the second chorus, jesus, perfect, but the first chorus... ugh

I keep hoping I'll come around on dissappointed..and maybe I will at some point.. for right now it's half of the middle of the albums unremarkable middle. Although, seeing things live has changed my opinion before, so hopefully when I see it played live tonight I'll come away with a new appreciation.

[binaryhermit]

hopefully when I see it played live tonight

I'd say that's more of an "if" you see it played live tonight. At this point, nobody who hasn't been at the rehersals knows what songs (other than All Time Low and Sattelite IIRC) are likely to be played on this tour.

[Emil Dorbell]

The ending of I Would For You, into In Two, into While I'm Still Here and Black Noise is as of right now the best thing I know of in this world. It's good enough to bring tears to my eyes.

[screwdriver]

woke up today with Copy of A stuck in my head, and am just blaring it on my stereo. goddamn this track sounds great. the skipping effect on his vocal in the second verse is so damn simple and catchy every time

[Halo Infinity]

I like to think of Copy Of A as the Head Like A Hole, Down In It, or Only of Hesitation Marks.

[fillow]

woke up today with Copy of A stuck in my head, and am just blaring it on my stereo. goddamn this track sounds great. the skipping effect on his vocal in the second verse is so damn simple and catchy every time

Actually, that effect annoys me.
I've heard the song live before the studio version, and at the show he sang it normally "Pieceees pieceees; purpooose purpooose". And then I heard studio version and what the hell is this nu-ministry-style copypaste shit?

PS I really like the song, it's just this little thing that I don't

[screwdriver]

Actually, that effect annoys me.
I've heard the song live before the studio version, and at the show he sang it normally "Pieceees pieceees; purpooose purpooose". And then I heard studio version and what the hell is this nu-ministry-style copypaste shit?

PS I really like the song, it's just this little thing that I don't

bummer -- I feel bad for people who don't enjoy the cool things in life! :-(

[Copy of A]

Definltly the worst of NIN material

1.3/10

[jesus]

Definltly the worst of NIN material

1.3/10

Definetly Hesitation Marks is a great work of NIN, compared even to The Fragile, and you , "buddy" are the worst Troll

[Khrz]

1.3/10

Ahahahahhaha god I love how very specific that is with no argumentation whatsoever. 1.75/25.283 ! Puke !

[Akahige]

Edit* nevermind

[AlanMorlock]

I really liked the initial artwork for Hesitation Marks, and really wanted in shirt form. It became apparent this would never happen since NIN's shirts are so weirdly limited in design so I made my own. I'm fairly pleased with how it came out.

[GFGohmann]

Yes – I also am still obsessed with HM.

I feel bad for all the other new music that I am giving half a listen-to because of this record.

I find that I listen to it from beginning to end almost every day. Crazy.

Oh, and the shirt above is pretty cool. Nice job.

[screwdriver]

I really liked the initial artwork for Hesitation Marks, and really wanted in shirt form. It became apparent this would never happen since NIN's shirts are so weirdly limited in design so I made my own. I'm fairly pleased with how it came out.

um, that is really, really awesome. well done.

[Transfixed]

I agree with almost everyone here, HM = The Win.
However, Disappointed is an awkward sore spot in the middle, primarily because of that bizarre freakin chorus that just sorta comes out of nowhere with no build-up or artistic flair or creativity, and then his voice sounds like shit on top of it. Perhaps this was intentional, but he sings really awfully on that track. Like when he says "Look at youuuuu Supermaaaaaaan", that "superman" was sung so badly with his voice warbling and nearly cracking - I can't help but think it was intentional and done for his Trenty reasons, but yikes... not a pleasant listen. Then on top of that the ending goes on for too long for no apparent reason. Blech.
The rest of the album though?
36.557/42.181 A-++-+-