NINE INCH NAILS - The Downward Spiral - 2LP - 180g Vinyl

2LP - Limited Edition 180 Gram Black Vinyl.

The Downward Spiral is a visceral, haunting concept album, telling the story of a man's descent into despair and depravity, modeled on Trent Reznor, the sole member of Nine Inch Nails. This despair is evident from the beginning, with the album opening with Mr. Self Destruct, a song that displays Reznor's trademark whisper/scream vocal dynamic throughout, before segueing into the bass-heavy Piggy, with an almost chant-like refrain of "nothing can stop me now / cause I don't care anymore".

The bleakness of life that The Downward Spiral presents is shown through tales of self-loathing and sexual deviancy, subjects that have fueled many of Nine Inch Nails' greatest songs, including the infamous Closer. An MTV hit that has become greatly misconstrued as a song simply about sex, it is the embodiment of the escapism and nihilistic tendencies that are present in every second of this album.

The textured soundscapes that Reznor creates help to form an experience that every listener longs for with an album; the music sounds insurmountably huge, with the vocals emerging from layers of distorted sounds and blank noise ambience, shown most prominently on Eraser. While the album may be almost entirely desolate, the way Reznor crafts the songs with unflinching honesty and sonic precision make it such a pleasure to hear. On multiple listens, a new sound is picked up each time, or a lyric might have a different meaning than what you first thought.

Tracklist: 

A1  Mr. Self Destruct
A2  Piggy
A3  Heresy
A4  March Of The Pigs

B1  Closer
B2  Ruiner
B3  The Becoming

C1  I Do Not Want This
C2  Big Man With A Gun
C3  A Warm Place

C4  Eraser
D1  Reptile
D2  The Downward Spiral
D3  Hurt