THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

Come back to my younger days. One of the most important creations - both for NIN (aka Trent REZNOR) and the alternative industrial rock scene - 'The Downward Spiral' released in 1994 should have exactly amazed me in my 'non-progfreak' days. In those days I've got immersed in novel alternative pop / rock like 'Nevermind' (Nirvana) or 'Vs.' (Pearl Jam) but a tad got bored with media-oriented tunes or creations. Although it's said in general NIN has made his progressive identity just in the following album 'The Fragile' indeed, Trent's squeeze kinda starshine into my brain, with his EP 'Broken' in 1992. His second full-length album 'The Downward Spiral' featuring violent electronic explosions and ironic acoustic texture can be called as a sort of development for progressive industrial hardcore, let me say ... and honest to say, also for me, it should have been a stairway to progressive rock world.

The first brilliance 'Mr. Self Destruct' is Trent's musical collective at that moment. Extreme sound violence, expressive loud electronic craziness, impressive improvised guitar riffs by Adrian (I didn't know at that moment, shamefully!) ... on the contrary, the following one 'Piggy' is cold, bluesy, and mysteriously quiet, featuring Trent's quirky voices. 'March Of The Pigs', that has appeared in Billboard Hot 100 and disappeared very soon, sounds like a delicious but rough desert lunch with an acoustic dessert at last. Another similar case can be heard whilst the latter section in this album, especially between 'A Warm Place' and 'Eraser' ... surrealistic moment and infernal end. Basically this stuff consists of exaggerated loudness and weird quietness one after another. This contrast was (and is even currently) innovative. Old but novel, in conclusion.