Nine Inch Nails :: Year Zero

Saturation. Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? For the past few weeks, I have been listening, quite consistently, to “Year Zero” by the Nine Inch Nails. And, despite enjoying it thoroughly, I think that I’m about ready to move on to something else. First, a short review. “Year Zero” is the Nine Inch Nails’ sixth major release, and was initially described by Trent Reznor as “highly conceptual, quite noisy, f****** cool.” With these assertions I agree. As a conceptual album, “Year Zero” gives an account of a dystopian near future, and is distinctly extroverted as compared to previous releases. “Year Zero” is noisy, but not entirely due to distorted guitars and vocals; sequencers and synthesizers are the focus of much of the album. And, “f****** cool.” Yes, “Year Zero” is “f****** cool,” especially as compared to its predecessor, 2005’s “With Teeth.” Music aside, Trent Reznor has done much to keep his fans interested; hidden messages, “secret” websites, “leaked” USB drives at concerts, four album tracks released for tweaking as multi-track audio files, and a thermochromic disk that changes color when played.

Highlights from “Year Zero” include; “The Beginning of the End,” which sounds ever so slightly influenced by the Nine Inch Nails’ tour with Bauhaus last year, “The Great Destroyer,” for Trent’s high register vocals, “The Greater Good,” for its layered vocals and music box melody, “God Given,” for its callback to “Broken” vocal breaks, and of course, “Survivalism” and “Capital G.” Although quite solid, the album does lose a little due to homogeneity. Most songs fit into the three to four minute / synthesizer and sequencer / verse / chorus / verse / chorus / solo formula. And, while not completely absent, instrumental interludes akin to “The Fragile” are used sparingly. That said, and all things considered, “Year Zero” is a fantastic album that doesn’t disappoint one bit. (I didn’t HAVE to listen to it consistently for the past few weeks.) As usual, for lack of a better rating system, I give “Year Zero” 7.5 / 10 broken guitar strings, and recommend it to anybody who enjoys, or would enjoy enjoying, the Nine Inch Nails.

More to come soon.