Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Album Review - Nine Inch Nails

Nine Inch Nails – The Slip
[Self Released; 05/05/2008]


Due to the fact he no longer has to answer to record companies about the time frame of delivering music, Trent Reznor is finally starting to feel liberated. At the rate he's going, irony could play its part, with the Nine Inch Nails brainchild on a collision course to release more material these days than he ever did whilst tied to a major record label.

The Slip has been touted as a return to form for Reznor and the Nine Inch Nails. Already with a release under his belt in 2008 (the four disc instrumental album Ghosts), Reznor unleashes a collective of songs that lay somewhere between the patchy moments of Year Zero and the slightly-left-of-centre rock affair, With Teeth.

Seeing Nine Inch Nails live last year sparked a trigger for me, and really filled in the blanks that were seemingly awry on the With Teeth tour, with the words "jaded" and "uninspiring" springing to mind. This release stems upon the back of Reznor touring the World endlessly for the past four years, which has undoubtedly opened up a wider avenue to portray his art.

'1,000' is the perfect example of an artist digging himself out of a hole, with the track itself establishing a common ground by sitting somewhere in between the recent material Nine Inch Nails have released. 'Lights In The Sky' is a slow affair with Reznor's voice accompanied by a slow ringing piano line that casts our minds back to the days of 'Hurt'. 'Corona Radiata' and 'The Four of Us are Dying' are slow dark ambient affairs that give the album an extra angel and portray an important significance within the track list. The closing 'Demon Seed' ends the album off in tempo upping fashion, with distinctive drum clasps and industrious stabs at the forefront of the ditty.

Make no mistake about it; an artist that many had given up on could well be on his way back to creating something worthy of groundbreaking music. Opinions may become swayed and u-turns could be the call of the day and although The Slip may not leave those in complete awe, it'll definitely turn some heads, which is about exciting as its become for Nine Inch Nails for quite some time.

By Simon K

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