Songs are never the same?

[snaapz]

One thing about Nine Inch Nails is that virtually ever single song TR produces sound different from one another. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy NIN so much.

You can listen to Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Sheep Dogs, Chicago, Korn, Deftones, Tool, AC/DC, Metallica etc... and you can hear riffs, arrangements, and vocals that sound just like another one of their songs. Sometimes an entire album has a reoccurring sound.

Q: Are there any NIN songs where you can say "hey that part sounds just like the same part from song xxxx". I.E. Only sounds like Fur Lined (doesn't count as its NIN to HTDA)


P.S. Themes/Words do re occur.

[HWB]

Head Down gives me strong The Line Begins To Blur vibes. Not saying they're the same.

[WorzelG]

One thing about Nine Inch Nails is that virtually ever single song TR produces sound different from one another. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy NIN so much.

You can listen to Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Sheep Dogs, Chicago, Korn, Deftones, Tool, AC/DC, Metallica etc... and you can hear riffs, arrangements, and vocals that sound just like another one of their songs. Sometimes an entire album has a reoccurring sound.

Q: Are there any NIN songs where you can say "hey that part sounds just like the same part from song xxxx". I.E. Only sounds like Fur Lined (doesn't count as its NIN to HTDA)


P.S. Themes/Words do re occur.

i always thought this happened quite often in NIN like where the Downward Spiral motif reoccurs on songs. Off the top of my head the melody of The Frail reoccurring as the guitar line in The Fragile.
I’m sure there are some similarities between La Mer and Into the Void.
I think some deliberate call backs happen in Hesitation Marks as well

[eversonpoe]

i think there's a difference between deliberate callbacks and accidental repetition, though. to have made as much music as trent has and only have the familiar things be intentional is pretty impressive.

[SM Rollinger]

Ive always thought the callbacks and motifs were intentional as a way to tie the entire body of work together.

[HWB]

i always thought this happened quite often in NIN like where the Downward Spiral motif reoccurs on songs. Off the top of my head the melody of The Frail reoccurring as the guitar line in The Fragile.
I’m sure there are some similarities between La Mer and Into the Void.
I think some deliberate call backs happen in Hesitation Marks as well

Year Zero also has a mottif. Hyperpower mottif appears throughout, God Given's beat is in Zero-Sum (Or was it In This Twilight? Can't remember) slowed down.

This all fits for themes and story telling.

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

Year Zero and HM all follow the same pattern...One guy even made a youtube video about it that went viral

[HWB]

Year Zero and HM all follow the same pattern...One guy even made a youtube video about it that went viral

I hope you don't mean "This is a Trent Reznor song" as that literally applies only to Copy Of A, which it is a parody of.

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

I hope you don't mean "This is a Trent Reznor song" as that literally applies only to Copy Of A, which it is a parody of.

I think he was parodying post WT era Trent, not just that 1 song.....

[r_z]

If we're going for samey riffs, arrangements and vocals as the criteria here, then I'd say, there are many examples in NINs music where those exist. Trent has certain tricks up his sleeve that he likes to play from time to time... from instruments/elements in songs that play out the same way to the way his songs are arranged to his vocal delivery to the topics and even certain phrases in the lyrics. In that regard the parody mentioned above is spot on.

[bobbie solo]

Singles/songs like THTF, Only, Copy of A, Discipline, Survivalism, The Beginning of the End, Came Back Haunted & Less Than do follow a similar NIN formula. There are some differences of course, but all these songs go to the same place overall for me.

[katara]

While I appreciate the sentiment of this topic, it's ironic that you'd bring the subject up now when we just had Hesitation Marks which directly hearkens back to The Downward Spiral (e.g. the drum line in Everything = The Becoming, Find My Way = Heresy, almost too many to list).

We're right in the middle of the NTAE/AV era which not only seems to be some kind of sequel/prequel to Year Zero, it's also heavily pregnant with references to past projects, even down to re-using artwork.

Speaking of Year Zero, here's one: "And I guess I just wanted to tell you/As the light starts to fade/That you are the reason/That I am not afraid" shares melody and lyrics with Closer off TDS.

Heck, there are even some Ghosts tracks which feature motifs from old material, like 31 Ghosts IV (HLAH riff) and 28 Ghosts IV (plucked guitar is very similar to Hurt's choruses).

And it's been mentioned before, but albums often have a recurring motif or theme, like TDS theme. And All That Could Have Been and The Great Below share a theme, Somewhat Damaged, Into The Void, La Mer. The Frail/The Fragile. etc.

I don't want to sound like an arsehole here; you're actually correct. NIN's sonic palette is extremely broad. There are loads of parallels, though, and I've only touched the surface here.

[eversonpoe]

the drum line in Everything = The Becoming

wait, what? the becoming is (mostly) in 13/8, everything is in straight 4/4, and the drums sound nothing alike.

[Pyract]

Kinda I Want To's bridge was basically lifted right from Down In It.

[mfte]

I noticed that he does a lot of these bass riffs that pull up on the off beats in a similar way. Chorus to Happiness in Slavery, chorus to Closer, Hand the Feeds, Only.

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

And Less Than borrows from Copy of A which borrows from Discipline which all borrow from Ringfinger...

[Ribbitman]

You can hear the Persistence of Loss at the end of The Lovers. Never seen anyone mention this

[sonic_discord]

Echoplex has that wind sound effect that's very similar to the one used in Wish.

[katara]

wait, what? the becoming is (mostly) in 13/8, everything is in straight 4/4, and the drums sound nothing alike.

In both songs, there are four percussive blasts that are on the beat at the end of each measure. It's a different time signature but it's obviously referencing The Becoming. The lyrics do this, too:

"I've become something else" = "I am becoming"

"But this thing that lives inside of me" = "Hiding backwards inside of me"

The structure is also somewhat similar. Of course, sonically, it's completely the opposite, but that's the point.

Side-note: Now I'm Nothing is also referenced in the phrase "Wave goodbye".

TL;DR: Everything is based on The Becoming.

Also, Everything is a good song.

[Indefinite_Cure]

Disclaimer: I absolutely love all the songs I'm talking about in my post and am in no way criticizing them, or Trent's compositional processes. I'm in no position to do so any way.

In response to the first post, The Hand That Feeds and Survivalism share the same key and a very similar guitar riff during the verses:

THTF: A-A-G-A-,-C-,-G- (in power chords)
Survivalism: G-A-A-A-A-A-C-,- (in power chords)

1,000,000 shares the same kind of riff but in a different key. It also has the same chord progression for the chorus as Survivalism, but, again, in a different key.

Also, Trent has this habit of playing around the minor and the major third degree in his singing melodies. (Also, the downward spiral motif is another good example of that)

I think noticing the differences in the similarities amounts to the familiarity we have with the material as is the case with everything in life. It is a human thing. People that haven't been a lot with asians will probably think they all look alike. People that don't listen to classical music will think it all sounds the same. They will never hear the difference between baroque, classical, romantic or post-romantic orchestral music.

To recap, I think though Trent has always treated us very nicely as to the diversity of his songs and soundscapes, it wouldn't be accurate to say that none of his songs sound alike or are ever the same. Trent, like everybody, has his patterns and this is all linked to his personal taste.

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION

[Krazy]

Less than sounds very similar (and better) than CBH.

The obvious one is how the part in The Fragile (song) is near identical to The Frail. Without listening to it right now I think one is piano, and the other is played on distorted guitar.

[motionlessZombie]

Heresy and the Fixed remix to Happiness in Slavery sounds similar.

Survivalism and Wish.

[Krazy]

Survivalism and Wish.

Heh???... o_O

[eversonpoe]

The obvious one is how the part in The Fragile (song) is near identical to The Frail. Without listening to it right now I think one is piano, and the other is played on distorted guitar.

that's a repeating motif that was done intentionally, though. just like the repeating motif(s) shared between la mer & into the void.

[Krazy]

that's a repeating motif that was done intentionally, though. just like the repeating motif(s) shared between la mer & into the void.

True, but they’re still songs that sound the same so figured to include.

Another is All Time Low- guitars and rhyming lyrics sound like Into The Void.

[motionlessZombie]

Heh???... o_O

Listen to both songs closely and you will notice that the chorus to Wish would fit well with the chorus instrumental to Survivalism. Plus both have a similar instrumental outro.

[sheepdean]

TDS motif
Bleedthrough as a concept
Also, Gunshots by Computer sounds so similar to Hyperpower

[elevenism]

I always thought that Gave Up was in the same ballpark as Wish, and I also agree about Survivalism.
And definitely Less Than and CBH.
@sheepdean I never noticed that about Gunshots by Computer. I'll be damned; it IS a little reminiscent of Hyperpower.

[tracksfade]

copy of a always gives me serious 8-bit heresy vibes