Their first 3 studio releases show a really interesting progression both in their music and where music was going in general.
*Pretty Hate Machine* was coming at the tail end of the synth era and you can hear it clearly, just as clearly as you can hear the harder sound that hinted at the kind of music Reznor really wanted to make.
*Broken*, their EP in 1992, pretty much discarded synth sound and is just an explosion of Industial + Metal – I still think it’s an incredible album (okay, EP). This was when grunge was surging but so were other genres like Industrial; it’s when for example Einstürzende Neubauten was doing some of their best work.
*The Downward Spiral* softened their sound again and brought back some of the electronic elements but with a dirtier, darker tone than *Pretty Hate Machine* had. I’d say that’s also when they settled on their sound – the rest of their discography have their deepest roots in it, thematically, lyrically, and sonically.
It’s basically like Reznor and co were hunting around for what they wanted to be on the first two, and on the third said yeah, okay, this is it.
God money, I’ll do anything for you
Brings back fond memories.
It’s hard to believe that just a year before this video, [he was in this band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWccbyICM_A).
You know, I never used to understand the appeal of nine inch nails. I still don’t, but I didn’t used to either.
I actually like the Carley Ray Jenson mashup
Anyone remember hearing this on MTVs “Dead at 21”? A show about kids who die when they hit 21…I think, it’s been a long time.
Their first 3 studio releases show a really interesting progression both in their music and where music was going in general.
*Pretty Hate Machine* was coming at the tail end of the synth era and you can hear it clearly, just as clearly as you can hear the harder sound that hinted at the kind of music Reznor really wanted to make.
*Broken*, their EP in 1992, pretty much discarded synth sound and is just an explosion of Industial + Metal – I still think it’s an incredible album (okay, EP). This was when grunge was surging but so were other genres like Industrial; it’s when for example Einstürzende Neubauten was doing some of their best work.
*The Downward Spiral* softened their sound again and brought back some of the electronic elements but with a dirtier, darker tone than *Pretty Hate Machine* had. I’d say that’s also when they settled on their sound – the rest of their discography have their deepest roots in it, thematically, lyrically, and sonically.
It’s basically like Reznor and co were hunting around for what they wanted to be on the first two, and on the third said yeah, okay, this is it.
Remember randomly catching this on Public Access TV back in the day, blew my mind