Controversial Nine Inch Nails opinions

[piggy]

While it doesn't have much bass, I kinda like the "Soil" mix of HLAH. There's some cool little things happening in it: the awesome processing of the main riff that starts at 2:58, the drum crescendo at 4:29, and the "Down In It" samples starting at 5:53. The more upbeat bass part from the "Slate" and "Copper" mixes has always annoyed me a little for some reason.

[fishtifer]

NIN fandom since 2013 has been less exciting than any period before, including the 2009-13 hiatus.

I was amped for HM and Tension but the live experience just didn't feel the same; DVD no-show; '14 SG amphitheater tour routing was terrible (for those of us in the midwest, at least); spotty festival dates the last two years; vinyl-only re-releases; strung out EP releases; TR seems less engaging with the public (compared to, say, 2009, when he was positively bubbly on Twitter).

Maybe the bar was set so high in '09 with the energy and emotion of the farewell shows that...

I agree, the excitement for new NIN and tours is gone for me. Listening to the old albums just makes the new releases sound even more disappointing, the magic is gone, the "how did he make that awesome sound" wonder is gone.

[eversonpoe]

I agree, the excitement for new NIN and tours is gone for me. Listening to the old albums just makes the new releases sound even more disappointing, the magic is gone, the "how did he make that awesome sound" wonder is gone.

i feel bad for y'all (not being sarcastic or a jerk, being 100% serious). having the excitement taken out of something you want to love is a really disappointing feeling.

[BRoswell]

I don't feel bad for anyone who hasn't been happy with a band's output in years and complains about it. That's like complaining about every single thing your partner does but still staying with them. If you don't like what a band does anymore, then why keep listening to them?

[ultimatebdp]

I always look forward to whatever TR puts out, but I do still get excited when he attaches the NIN name and there's a project/album. I've been taking a break from the EPs lately as I'm sure I'll be listening to them again non-stop when #3 rolls out. Currently, The Vietnam War soundtrack has been in heavy rotation and I love it!! As with most of his stuff, I liked it when it first came out, but upon repeated listens...it's GREATNESS!!

[nmitchell86]

I don't really care for the cover of YZ. Inside art is dope, I like the juxtaposition of the gun and bible. Also the AIR flag is nice. Don't get me completely wrong though the hand etched on the vinyl is awesome. It's just that the cover is not as great as it could be.

[joplinpicasso]

I don't really care for the cover of YZ. Inside art is dope, I like the juxtaposition of the gun and bible. Also the AIR flag is nice. Don't get me completely wrong though the hand etched on the vinyl is awesome. It's just that the cover is not as great as it could be.

I think a screenshot from the creepy promo video would have worked better.

[Krazy]

I don't feel bad for anyone who hasn't been happy with a band's output in years and complains about it. That's like complaining about every single thing your partner does but still staying with them. If you don't like what a band does anymore, then why keep listening to them?

It’s not “complaining”, it’s “discussing”. I havent really liked NIN’s output since/starting with Ghosts- there’s more important things to worry about in life, but NIN is still a huge passion of mine and part of the hobby of investing into a band since I got into in 1991.

Heres a better comparison then a partner: just because my favorite sports teams suck or become mediocre, doesn’t mean I should jump ship does it? Stick it out and see what happens, you can still be a fan of bad teams and enjoy the ride it may give you.

And there’s always live NIN to fall back on, even though I think the best tours are probably in the rear view mirror as well. Trent treats his fans better than the average musician so there’s that too.

I can still throw on my favorite NIN albums and feel great about the music. Is there nostalgia involved or is it because those albums came out during a specific time of my life that makes it a bit more special? Yeah, most likely. But if I heard that stuff for the first time today I can pretty much guarantee I’d like it.

Im just not into the bleepy-bloopy stuff coming from the NIN camp these days. Too often sounds more like a mix of HTDA and the soundtrack work, than it does NIN.

[BRoswell]

...there’s more important things to worry about in life...

That's exactly why I have no sympathy for anyone who sticks with a band for years and years after they've last enjoyed their work. Go explore some new stuff (and I don't just mean music that's come out recently) instead of complaining...sorry, "discussing"...stuff that you don't like anymore. It's pointless and a waste of time. Also, ten years is WAY too long to wait for that one piece of music that's supposed to set everything straight. It sounds to me like you guys have outgrown the music but don't want to admit it. Me thinks it's time for you to move on.

By the way, that "bleepy-bloopy stuff" was encoded into the DNA of Nine Inch Nails with Pretty Hate Machine. It's nothing new, which is why I find it amusing when some people act like it is. Trent got over being the industrial rock god a long time ago.

[Krazy]

That's exactly why I have no sympathy for anyone who sticks with a band for years and years after they've last enjoyed their work. Go explore some new stuff (and I don't just mean music that's come out recently) instead of complaining...sorry, "discussing"...stuff that you don't like anymore. It's pointless and a waste of time. Also, ten years is WAY too long to wait for that one piece of music that's supposed to set everything straight. It sounds to me like you guys have outgrown the music but don't want to admit it. Me thinks it's time for you to move on.

By the way, that "bleepy-bloopy stuff" was encoded into the DNA of Nine Inch Nails with Pretty Hate Machine. It's nothing new, which is why I find it amusing when some people act like it is. Trent got over being the industrial rock god a long time ago.

No ones asking for sympathy. I, or anyone else, should explore whatever the hell it is we want to explore.

Trent used to have a really good knack for mixing/manipulating traditional analog instruments with the electronic stuff, it just doesn’t seem to be there anymore IMHO.

More power to you or anyone else if the thought is he can do no wrong working from his iMac.

[BRoswell]

More power to you or anyone else if the thought is he can do no wrong working from his iMac.

"Working on his iMac."

[Rubeninphoenix]

TR seems less engaging with the public (compared to, say, 2009, when he was positively bubbly on Twitter).

I mean can you blame the guy though? With how shitty fans have been about his marriage (which to this day, the shit still continues) as well as other insults people hurled his way online, I can't say it's a surprise he basically has quit social media. Some "fans" took that interaction way WAAAAAAYYYYY too far to the point where we drove him away. It's our fault, collectively, that he shies away.

[astfgyl]

Personally, I can't understand the fixation with the chaps' private life. Or any other musicians' private life for that matter. I could listen all day to him talk about anything music related, because to me the man is a musical genius. Really don't give a fuck about his marriage or anything else though. Don't want to know his kids names or what he does when he isn't making music.

Of course there are exceptions to everything, like if someones private life directly informs their musical output it can I guess be interesting to hear the connection, but it is a form of voyeurism that I'm not really comfortable with.

The silence from NIN this minute is pretty deafening all the same. Wouldn't mind a quick tweet or similar regarding this fabled 3rd ep.

While I'm still here, does anybody else picture TR sitting back laughing at this whole is there/isn't there an ARG thing and watching all the blind alleys being ran down over the 2 eps? Watching us all fucking about with block codes and such like, which may or may not exist. Like, he knows the answer already, it must be pretty tempting to say something. Perhaps that is the reason for the silence, to avoid all of the inevitable "tell me" type of questions that will be thrown at him, until the big reveal or whatever.

[sonic_discord]

TR shouldn't have put two instrumentals back-to-back on The Slip. They're cool songs individually, but it gives the second half of the album a strange vibe/energy that I'm not sure pays off.

This is part of the reason that I feel it's at least partially evident that they had originally intended to release The Slip as an EP and just added some more songs to the end (a few instrumental tracks and a Ghosts leftover with added vocals). Still, Demon Seed is my favorite track from TS, so I'm glad they did.

[Volband]

Facepalms in the controversial NIN thread... stay classy!

Personally, I can't understand the fixation with the chaps' private life. Or any other musicians' private life for that matter. I could listen all day to him talk about anything music related, because to me the man is a musical genius. Really don't give a fuck about his marriage or anything else though. Don't want to know his kids names or what he does when he isn't making music.

Umm, I do. I am fascinated by Trent Reznor the person as well, and I'd definitely like to know as much as possible about him. If the guy had cooking shows and hour long house tours, I'd watch the fuck out of them. The guy's pretty funny and interesting. On the other hand, when he talks about musical inspirations, I just fast forward, because I don't really care about which 80s band he used to listen to. It's cool when he talks about how he makes his own music, of course.

I think it's pretty understandable to be interested in someone like Trent.

[Kyle]

Once the excitement of NtAE being completely unexpected wore off, I think HM (especially the second half) is better (which is not to say I don't like NtAE because I do like it very much. I just think HM is vastly underrated because of the silly "it doesn't rawk hard enough" mentality)

[Dr Channard]

If the guy had cooking shows ...I'd watch the fuck out of them...

We need Trent on Beat Bobby Flay. Where’s your kitchen game, Trent? We need to see it.

[eversonpoe]

We need Trent on Beat Bobby Flay. Where’s your kitchen game, Trent? We need to see it.

"what's your signature dish?"

"...terrible pie."

[joplinpicasso]

Once the excitement of NtAE being completely unexpected wore off, I think HM (especially the second half) is better (which is not to say I don't like NtAE because I do like it very much. I just think HM is vastly underrated because of the silly "it doesn't rawk hard enough" mentality)

I never thought to compare them outright because these EPs seemingly are trying to do something far different, whereas HM was very much trying to achieve a kind of long-player catharsis similar to TDS or WT but with different sonic textures. I think it's largely successful, some songs are groundbreaking, some are old paths.

[astfgyl]

I thought from about the second listen or so that HM was brilliant, and I still mostly think that but by NIN standards I feel it is missing something that I can't put my finger on. That said, I still listen to it fairly often and there are always new things popping up in there that I hadn't noticed before so maybe it is just me..

The one thing I can say about it with any certainty is that I am glad that it didn't turn out to be the final NIN album. NTAE is much more compelling by comparison. Jury still out on AV but I certainly haven't returned to it as much as NTAE. For no particular reason.

[joplinpicasso]

I thought from about the second listen or so that HM was brilliant, and I still mostly think that but by NIN standards I feel it is missing something that I can't put my finger on. That said, I still listen to it fairly often and there are always new things popping up in there that I hadn't noticed before so maybe it is just me..

The one thing I can say about it with any certainty is that I am glad that it didn't turn out to be the final NIN album. NTAE is much more compelling by comparison. Jury still out on AV but I certainly haven't returned to it as much as NTAE. For no particular reason.

Hmm, interesting. If anything, to me, NTAE is missing *something, but not really, because it's a fantastic little gritty thing. Perhaps what it's missing is..sadness? There's a sadness to songs like Find My Way on HM and TITP on ​AV.

[astfgyl]

Hmm, interesting. If anything, to me, NTAE is missing *something, but not really, because it's a fantastic little gritty thing. Perhaps what it's missing is..sadness? There's a sadness to songs like Find My Way on HM and TITP on ​AV.

You're right there, and I hadn't really thought about it before but maybe I was wanting some not emotional NIN and I didn't know it because it was mostly the emotionally gripping side of things that I thought I wanted with pretty much every release since aWitha Teethuh. And now he has sort of eschewed the emotion with NTAE, which feels really disconnected (or something like that can't think of the proper word), it turns out I find that the most interesting of the last few.

I love NIN. No other band ever really got me thinking so hard about it all.

[Bachy]

I find “I Do Not Want This” to be extremely skippable.

[HWB]

You're right there, and I hadn't really thought about it before but maybe I was wanting some not emotional NIN and I didn't know it because it was mostly the emotionally gripping side of things that I thought I wanted with pretty much every release since aWitha Teethuh. And now he has sort of eschewed the emotion with NTAE, which feels really disconnected (or something like that can't think of the proper word), it turns out I find that the most interesting of the last few.

I love NIN. No other band ever really got me thinking so hard about it all.

I think in that sense, NTAE is an amazing contrast to HM, whereas HM was regretfull and melancholic, NTAE almost feels disgusted, angry, confused and apathetic.

[Volband]

I find “I Do Not Want This” to be extremely skippable.

It's a great song, but not one that's particularly easy to listen to. It's complex, but not in a gradual way; it's chaotic. Also, the instrumental gap towards the ending is a bit too long.

[SarahConnor]

Burroughs met Reznor and the dudes from Ministry and said that Reznor was the most miserable person he’d ever met.

[eversonpoe]

I find “I Do Not Want This” to be extremely skippable.

it's my second-favorite song on TDS. i love all the layers and the abrasiveness of it.

[acrid avid jam shred]

I just listened through TDS for the first time in a while, and I Do Not Want This became one of my absolute favourites from the record. That drum loop is brilliant, and the way that it builds up to the outro is so intense.

[Ribbitman]

I just listened through TDS for the first time in a while, and I Do Not Want This became one of my absolute favourites from the record. That drum loop is brilliant, and the way that it builds up to the outro is so intense.

nice to see some love for this amazing song. The first few lines of "I wanna know everything, I wanna be everywhere" has to be one of my favorite moments in any NIN song. The way his voice sounds on those

[buzburbank]

Vinyl only releases and fucked up ticket distribution schemes will cost NIN fans.