It seems fitting that I start my reviews with the most recent album I've listened to, that being the recent comeback from band 'Nine Inch Nails'.
Watching closely the listener reviews and comments from across the web on the three released singles from the album drew the conclusion that this was going to be a Marmite album: you were either going to hate it or you're wrong and you have no taste.
Surprising even myself this was pleasantly not the case for me.
While retaining some elements from his previous work, the leader of the pack Mr. Trent Reznor has managed to transform the band's sound into something new.
A lot of criticism of the album I've seen pertains to the new sounding NIN being 'too happy' and a more positive sounding departure from his earlier work however I do not see this to be an issue on quality.
Compared to the earlier work of the band I can see why such a departure may be jarring to the listener, especially to those that seek familiarity in the works of their favourite artists, however the music still has a very dark aesthetic and in certain songs the 'happy' change of tone can be taken as cynicism of the sound they've adopted rather than certainty.
I have a great deal of respect for bands that can switch and evolve successfully into new and unique genres rather than keeping the same old money-maker music and particularly enjoy the changes Trent & crew have made.
A comparison that may only be obvious to myself is that they've pinned down the same musical technique used by a lot of work created by front-man of Electric Six and Evil Cowards "Dick Valentine" though unlike Dick's clever and chaotic music, Hesitation Marks stays within the realms of serious.
Within the music created by Valentine in each of his bands everything starts off with a simple, sometimes even unlike-able beat or riff. The music then goes through a metamorphosis of sound where each element is added; lyrics, extra instruments, backing vocals, sometimes even orchestral instruments. With the music then playing all together you forget how the song opened and you get completely drawn into the music as an environment, exciting and adventurous, inspirational and heart-pounding until finally the song either fades off into the distance leaving you with a fond memory of what you just heard or, cleverly, ending with the same simple beat or riff at the end making you wonder "Did I really just enjoy that?".
In summary, Hesitation Marks breaches a new era for Nine Inch Nails.
They are no longer the same band they were before, Trent Reznor is no longer in the same state of mind as he was in the many years during and then coping with the various problems in his life.
He and the band have come out the other side and have brought something new to the table which, like their logo, no longer represents what they once were but instead promotes a new sound, meaning and image for the Nine Inch Nails 'brand'.
And I can't wait to hear more.
'Nine Inch Nails' is dead, long live 'Nine Inch Nails'.
(I'm sure we'll have plenty 'Copies of A' to fill our angst-ridden Industrial needs instead).
