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The Downward Spiral positioned Trent Reznor as industrial's own Phil Spector, painting detailed, layered soundscapes from a wide tonal palette. Not only did he fully integrated the crashing metal guitars of Broken, but several newfound elements -- expanded song structures, odd time signatures, shifting arrangements filled with novel sounds, tremendous textural variety -- can be traced to the influence of progressive rock. So can the painstaking attention devoted to pacing and contrast -- The Downward Spiral is full of striking sonic juxtapositions and sudden about-faces in tone, which make for a fascinating listen. More important than craft in turning Reznor into a full-fledged rock star, however, was his brooding persona. Grunge had the mainstream salivating over melodramatic angst, which had always been Reznor's stock in trade. The left-field hit "Closer" made him a postmodern shaman for the '90s, obsessed with exposing the dark side he saw behind even the most innocuous façades. In fact, his theatrics on The Downward Spiral -- all the preening self-absorption and serpentine sexuality -- seemed directly descended from Jim Morrison. Yet Reznor's nihilism often seemed like a reaction against some repressively extreme standard of purity, so the depravity he wallowed in didn't necessarily seem that depraved. That's part of the reason why, in spite of its many virtues, The Downward Spiral falls just short of being the masterpiece it wants to be. For one thing, fascination with texture occasionally dissolves the hooky songwriting that fueled Pretty Hate Machine. But more than that, Reznor's unflinching bleakness was beginning to seem like a carefully calibrated posture; his increasing musical sophistication points up the lyrical holding pattern. Having said that, the album ends on an affecting emotional peak -- "Hurt" mingles drama and introspection in a way Reznor had never quite managed before. It's evidence of depth behind the charisma that deservedly made him a star.
© Steve Huey /TiVo
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Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Flood, Producer - Bill Kennedy, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist - Sean Beaven, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
DISC 2
Trent Reznor, Producer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 Nothing/Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist - DANNY HYDE, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Balance, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Peter Christoph Runge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Rick Rubin, Producer - Trent Reznor, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer - Stephen Morris, ComposerLyricist - Ian Curtis, ComposerLyricist - PETER HOOK, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist - Bernard Dickin, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2004 Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, ComposerLyricist - SEAN BEAVAN, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Pollack, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Trent Reznor, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Flood, Producer - Brian Pollack, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist - Sean Beaven, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - ALAN MOULDER, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Flood, Producer - Robin Finck, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Vrenna, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Pollack, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist - Marc Almond, ComposerLyricist - David James Ball, ComposerLyricist - John Van Eaton, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sean Beaven, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sugar And His Friend, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1994 TVT/ Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist - DANNY HYDE, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Balance, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Peter Christoph Runge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Drew Mcdowell, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1994 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Flood, Producer - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Interscope Records
Trent Reznor, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Nine Inch Nails, MainArtist
℗ 2004 Interscope Records
Albumbeschreibung
The Downward Spiral positioned Trent Reznor as industrial's own Phil Spector, painting detailed, layered soundscapes from a wide tonal palette. Not only did he fully integrated the crashing metal guitars of Broken, but several newfound elements -- expanded song structures, odd time signatures, shifting arrangements filled with novel sounds, tremendous textural variety -- can be traced to the influence of progressive rock. So can the painstaking attention devoted to pacing and contrast -- The Downward Spiral is full of striking sonic juxtapositions and sudden about-faces in tone, which make for a fascinating listen. More important than craft in turning Reznor into a full-fledged rock star, however, was his brooding persona. Grunge had the mainstream salivating over melodramatic angst, which had always been Reznor's stock in trade. The left-field hit "Closer" made him a postmodern shaman for the '90s, obsessed with exposing the dark side he saw behind even the most innocuous façades. In fact, his theatrics on The Downward Spiral -- all the preening self-absorption and serpentine sexuality -- seemed directly descended from Jim Morrison. Yet Reznor's nihilism often seemed like a reaction against some repressively extreme standard of purity, so the depravity he wallowed in didn't necessarily seem that depraved. That's part of the reason why, in spite of its many virtues, The Downward Spiral falls just short of being the masterpiece it wants to be. For one thing, fascination with texture occasionally dissolves the hooky songwriting that fueled Pretty Hate Machine. But more than that, Reznor's unflinching bleakness was beginning to seem like a carefully calibrated posture; his increasing musical sophistication points up the lyrical holding pattern. Having said that, the album ends on an affecting emotional peak -- "Hurt" mingles drama and introspection in a way Reznor had never quite managed before. It's evidence of depth behind the charisma that deservedly made him a star.
© Steve Huey /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 27 track(s)
- Total length: 02:15:24
- Main artists: Nine Inch Nails
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Interscope
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative en Indie
© 2004 UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2004 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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