Nine Inch Nails
“Hesitation Marks”
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Tracks: 14
Label: Columbia
Running Time: 62 minutes
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
Finally “Hesitation Marks” has arrived. This is the eighth album from Nine Inch Nails, and the first since 2008’s “The Slip”. Trent Reznor has been quite busy over the last few years composing films like “The Social Network” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and an Academy Award for Best Score. I have to tell you that I was blown away with those scores and I think that his work with composing music for films has actually made him a better musician. All the track on this album were written and composed by Trent Reznor. He also collaborated with some great people on this album like Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder. But then there was also a few names that made me look twice like Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac and The Who’s bass player, Pino Palladino. But let me tell you how well this all meshes and works together. “Hesitation Marks” is easily the band’s best album in the last decade, no question. Can’t wait to see these track performed live!
I read an interview with Reznor, who said that he no longer has the inner rage inside of him and he is actually happy. I guess winning an Academy Award will do that to you. So I have to admit, this record does have a new interesting sound to it but don’t worry NIN purists, the album is still heavy, intense and screams Nine Inch Nails. I also feel that the it really plays well as a whole album. It is rare where every single track is solid but this record plays so well together that each track kind of flows right into the next one. I have to admit that the best tracks are “Copy of A” and “Came Back Haunted”, they remind me the most of classic NIN. “Disappointed” is a great mellow kick-back track that seems to last forever but in a completely good way. Tracks like “Everything” also have like a pop/rock-like feeling to them, which really works. I have been a loyal fan of Nine Inch Nails since I purchased my a the cassette tape of “Pretty Hate Machine” many years ago, so I think this is really going to jive with fans and also introduce the band to a new generation of fans as well. This album is easily on my list for best albums of 2013.
Track Listing:
1. The Eater of Dreams
2. Copy of a
3. Came Back Haunted
4. Find My Way
5. All Time Low
6. Disappointed
7. Everything
8. Satellite
9. Various Methods of Escape
10. Running
11. I Would For You
12. In Two
13. While I’m Still Here
14. Black Noise