Stepping off the forefront of a five-year hiatus and headlining Philadelphia’s Made In America festival, industrial rock front-man, Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails), rebounds with his highly anticipated album, “Hesitation Marks.”
Back in 2008, Reznor “Waved-Goodbye” to his fan base in trade for a much needed break from touring, which gave him an opportunity to marry and raise his two children. Additionally, Reznor undertook a number of side projects unrelated to his regular day job. Among those projects was a highly successful film score for David Fincher’s “The Social Network,” which won him an Oscar.
Reznor announced a tour earlier this year with the promise of new music. The album “Hesitation Marks,” is the eighth studio record from Reznor issued under the Nine Inch Nails name. The artwork, provided by Russell Mills, who additionally did the art for Reznor’s magnum opus “The Downward Spiral” (1994), falls in the same realm of expression.
Kicking off the album is the all too short-lived “Eater of Dreams.” Assembling from a silent formation of barely-audible electronic bloops which can only be affiliated with being in a hospital bed, the track builds to a distorted clutter of screaming and static. NIN traditionalists know this is a good thing. As a matter of fact, it is the kind of composition many fans would love to see Reznor dedicate an entire album to.
“Copy of A” and “Came Back Haunted” are two of the three singles on the album and among the strongest tracks. The former is a sleek and minimalist, synth-driven tune that recalls the glory days of 1989’s “Pretty Hate Machine.” The latter is an overbearing, beat-charged dance track with an operatic chorus. Reznor belts out, “I’m afraid this has just begun, consequences for what I’ve done.” The music video, directed by David Lynch (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive), brings the song full-circle. Exhibiting an epileptic warning to those prone to seizures, the video is a flashy and sporadic conceptualization of grotesque, dream-like surrealism that is pure Lynch through and through.
Lindsey Buckingham, Guitarist and male vocalist for Fleetwood Mac, turns up a guest appearance on the seductive and funky “All Time Low.” The track has both Reznor and Buckingham singing at high-pitched intervals and is somewhat unconventional by Reznor’s standards. Nevertheless, it rounds out quite nicely.
On an album that is almost nothing but highlights, “Various Methods of Escape,” “I Would For You,” and “In Two” stand out as distinct favorites. “Satellite,” a track that might have had a better place on “Year Zero” (2007), is a paranoid glimpse at our hyper-surveillance culture. This is one of the most radio-friendly tracks on the album, calling to mind Justin Timberlake’s most recent pop singles. The song “Running” is strikingly reminiscent of Thom Yorke’s solo work and 2011’s “The King of Limbs.”
There are some tracks, however, that do not click right away; they may take some time to grow on the listener. First, to address the elephant in the room, the song “Everything” gives forth a sun-lit and cloudless frame of mind, slightly eyebrow-raising. Conjuring images of puppies and rainbows, the song feels embarrassingly out of place within the tone of the album. Even if the lyrics imply otherwise, the song’s overly optimistic inclination is a bit undesirable. The alternate branch of meditation that Reznor is going for is an interesting concept, albeit a ho-hum execution.
In 1992, “Broken” was my first exposure to Reznor as an artist. I will always remember digging through my father’s CD collection, finding that album, and being completely floored by the intensity of the opening track “Pinion,” which then leads into “Wish.” Its angst-filled aggression has a drawing power which captivated and frightened me simultaneously. Reznor, now approaching middle age, is not the super-charged, self-destructive nihilist of his pessimistic youth. He is much more pleasant these days, though one can tell he likes to reflect on the personality of his former self when composing. He has ascended from the bottom of the spiral, and has reached his peak. It is fantastic to see him so enthusiastic and happy about new material. “Hesitation Marks” is not necessarily a game-changer, but it is a solid entry into the Nine Inch Nails catalogue and is worthy of celebrating.
Robert Gabe is a third-year student majoring in communication studies. He can be reached at RG770214@wcupa.edu.