Note from the Editor-in-Chief: There was some discussion about whether or not to post this article due to its dark themes and explicit language. I have chosen to put this on our website for two reasons. One reason is that this album (and all music) is art and art doesn’t need to be family friendly. The other reason is that the themes covered in the album are feelings and thoughts that are faced in real life and by real people. This album addresses those themes. It has helped many people come to terms with some of the darker thoughts that they have and hopefully, it will continue to do so. But that will never happen with censorship.
The Downward Spiral is the second full-length record by industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails. It was released, after multiple delays, to rave reviews on March 8, 1994. Trent Reznor, the founder and frontman of the group, recorded the bulk of the album in the infamous Tate House (a decision he later regretted) while dealing with depression and drug addiction. Miraculously, the (chosen and circumstantial) darkness of this period of Reznor’s life yielded a masterpiece.
It is genuinely hard to believe that this album was written, recorded, and released in the early 90s – it’s timeless. I would describe the production on this album as being “ugly-pretty.” There is never a fully happy moment. “Big Man with a Gun” allegedly features the distorted sound of a pornstar moaning. The foundation of “Reptile” is, for lack of a better phrase, very angry machinery. Even the most sanguine song, “A Warm Place,” is haunted with persistent dissonance. I haven’t even covered the lyrics yet.
If you’ve ever heard of Nine Inch Nails, you’ve probably heard one of the singles off of With Teeth, their most vanilla rock record to date. However, it’s almost certain that if you’ve heard of NIN, you’ve heard “Closer” on the radio. Y’know, the one song with the extremely radio-friendly line where Trent says, “I want to fuck you like an animal”? That one. “Closer” is controversial for obvious reasons and has given NIN a bit of a bad rep among conservative parents, but lemme tell you, there is more than meets the eye here. Beneath the shock, there’s a tangible narrative made perfectly clear by the title: a man’s downward spiral into depression, isolation, and ultimately, suicide.
The album is bookended with a prologue and an epilogue; “Mr. Self Destruct” is the voice of control and self-destructive tendencies (themes that recur throughout NIN’s discography), while “Hurt” serves as the protagonist’s (spoiler alert [but not really]) postmortem thoughts. The album operates on a couple of levels: first, as a concept album, and second, as a reflection of Reznor’s mental state.
If it’s not perfectly clear by now, this album is extremely uncomfortable. It’s dark, sacrilegious, sexual, and violent. It’s depressing. If you’re the type of person who can dig the negative vibes of a record like this, you might find that you really enjoy it. It certainly isn’t without its merits: it’s produced incredibly well and the lyrics are top-notch.
I don’t want to get a reputation for giving out perfect ratings for every album I review, but The Downward Spiral absolutely deserves it. I enjoyed it as an angsty teenager and I still enjoy it as an “adult” with “refined taste in music.” Yeah. Whatever that means.
Score: 5/5
P.S. If music theory is something you care about, read the wiki. “March of the Pigs” is in 29/8 and there are multiple conceits reused throughout the album. Also, if you’re the type of person who enjoys lengthy literary analyses, check out this dissertation on the album!
P.P.S. If you enjoyed this album, I highly suggest you try listening through Xiu Xiu’s Angel Guts: Red Classroom. It’s one of the darkest albums I’ve ever heard and I absolutely love it.