I think it is metaphoric.

In for Toronto via the Live Nation pre-sale this morning!

I'm going to pass on this after all.

Got GA tix to Montreal.

Today I went out and bought copies of Hesitation Marks, Broken, Pretty Hate Machine (the remaster) and The Fragile. Saw them for the first time on Monday and feel like I really missed out on this band.

They're pretty great.

Best live show going right now.

Bump.

I fell in love with Downward Spiral when it came out. I listened obsessively with headphones, trying to figure out how he made all those sounds; saw NIN and David Bowie (my first big concert!) the following year.

I don't listen to NIN often these days, but when I do, it's usually Downward Spiral, and it never ceases to amaze. It still sounds every bit as fresh now as it did when it came out.

The Fragile was a noble effort at a followup, though it's certainly bloated. Everything after was different shades of disappointing. Something about the production changed; his sounds weren't as nuanced. And as I grew older, I found it harder and harder to connect with the lyrics. Hesitation Marks was pretty great musically, but again, it was tough for me to latch on to the lyrics; they just felt sort of forced coming from a guy who seems to live a pretty healthy life these days...

But man, The Downward fucking Spiral. Holy jesus. If the bomb should ever drop and I watch the world go up in flames, I just hope there's enough juice left for me to crank March of the Pigs up to 10.

100% agree with every part of that.

Yep. Well said Trag.

I had something of a NIN renaissance a few years back. I don't identify with Trent Reznor's writing at all, but I appreciate the sonic value of his records even more now than when I was younger. I like "The Downward Spiral" but my go-to NIN albums are probably "The Fragile" and "Ghosts."

I don't think I've ever even listened to Ghosts. I essentially gave up after Year Zero.

"Ghosts" is really cool, LV -- not too far removed from the ballpark of Bowie's instrumentals on "Low" and "Heroes," if that's your thing. I think "With Teeth" and "Year Zero" are pretty weak, and think "Hesitation Marks" has some strong moments but overall isn't that great either. But "Ghosts" I adore.

I'm a big "Broken" fan too.

I think everything before With Teeth is pretty much golden. I'll have to check out Ghosts.

"With Teeth" is probably my least favorite NIN release (though I've never heard "The Slip").

With Teeth has some terrific songs - Beside You In Time, The Line Begins To Blur and the title track chief among them. Even the lead single still holds my interest.

I do think Ghosts is the best album post-Fragile. Pretty Hate Machine and Broken still hold up well, too.

I have a soft spot for "Pretty Hate Machine" but it sounds primitive now -- the leap between it and "Downward Spiral," with as little music as exists between the two (and especially since "Broken" was more of an exercise for his live band), is gargantuan.

I will have to listen to "With Teeth" again, Zeb -- I don't remember really liking any of those songs. "Year Zero" has a few (especially at the very beginning and very end) that are great, though.

I've always liked With Teeth. It's just not in the same league as what came before it. I certainly think it's better than Year Zero, which has maybe one or two good tracks and a lot of terrible crap.