Leonard Rich III 2008-07-15
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Reznor is subtle in each of his releases. Whether its a noticeable subtlety or if it takes numerous rotations in your player to catch on to, once you let your ears grasp the message Reznor is portraying, each sound released will be like hearing the gates of Heaven open, because it's always something astounding, always new, and always creative.
This is no exception. Further Down the Spiral really takes you on the journey of self-hate and depression inspired by the Downward Spiral, and it takes it to a new level. The Art of Self Destruction, and Self Destruction's part 2 and 3 are amazing. The sheer innovative mind of the man behind Nine Inch Nails slowly releases itself, while the Eraser remixes captivate the listener as a bristling array of emotions is cast violently into the wind. While the only slight differences can be heard in the masterpiece "Hurt" when your speakers are turned to the max, remixes of Piggy and The Downward Spiral serve to give the listener a new take on what Reznor was trying to portray.
The Beauty of Being Numb is truly a mind-throbber at times, and then seeks to pleasure the soul with a dreamy middle tune that leads up to the closer, Erased, Over. Out.
However, the stand-out track on this album for myself, was "At the Heart of it All." Constant emotions swirled around like a ravaging hurricane, as a deep horn seemed to echo through a war-torn landscape. A mind number at surface, and a portal into self-reflection once looked into, I believe this one instrumental track, captures all that was being said during this stage of Nine Inch Nails. And for Reznor to do that with one non-vocal track, on a remix album, is phenomenal to say the least. It's something revolutionary that I have never seen by another artist, and THAT is what makes this album so special.
Casual Nine Inch Nails fans, don't stay casual for long. Once you've begun to taste the epic that Trent Reznor has created, it will truly draw you further down its spiral. So this album is a must for anybody who has ever even started to listen to Nine Inch Nails. This will not only enhance your perception of the legend, but perhaps change it completely as well.
