First Review Of Nine Inch Nails’ The Slip

Nine Inch Nails is riding high on the publicity of its heavily hyped Ghosts I-IV release and is capitalizing on that buzz with a new free album release, The Slip. It’s available exclusively as a free download, but physical releases are in the works.

There’s a 2008 Nine Inch Nails Tour coming up this fall, and it’s clear that NIN’s using the The Slip as a promo to build interest in its upcoming tour.

“Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years – this one’s on me,” says Trent Reznor, and a fine thank you it is. While Ghosts I-IV (see our review) was an interesting (and successful) experiment, The Slip is a full-bore Nine Inch Nails album.

The album is a mix of environmental/ambient tracks & rockers, with a piano ballad thrown in for good measure.

The Slip gets off to a slow start with 999,999, an ambient track that sounds a bit Eraserhead industrial noise, and wouldn’t have been out of place on the Ghosts I-IV release. It quickly morphs into 1,000,000, a straight-ahead NIN rocker. It’s as blistering as anything NIN has done.

NIN keeps things moving with Letting You, and the more dance oriented Discipline. Discipline has sort of a post-disco feel, and ends with the sort of combined verse + chorus that Paul McCartney honed to a science with his 70’s Wings releases. Except this one is about needing Discipline.

Echoplex didn’t do much for me – we’ve heard all the sounds and themes before from NIN. Maybe a remix could help this one.

Head Down moves things back into hardcore NIN territory. It sounds like Reznor is running the drums through one of Metasonix’ bizarro tube distortion units. Wailing guitars, shouted choruses and alternating loud/soft sections turn this into a likely concert anthem.

Lights in the Sky is the piano ballad I mentioned earlier. It’s an attractive track, despite the crappy out of tune piano and despite the fact that Reznor has a relatively weak voice. The track works because it’s intimate and raw – you feel like you’re sitting next to Reznor as he sings it.

Lights in the Sky blends into Corona Radiata – which is one of the highlights of the album. It’s a simple ambient drone piece, but it’s really gorgeous. The first half of it wouldn’t have been out of place on Brian Eno’s Ambient 4: On Land. The second half gets a slow, distorted beat that feels like an irresistible force.

The Four of Us are Dying is another gorgeous track – but this time it’s gorgeous industrial noise. The track has a drum machine line that kicks it off and that runs through it, over which mellow, but powerful guitar and synth lines are woven.

The album finishes off with Demon Seed, a tight, clean rocker. It builds to a massive climax, dies away to almost nothing, and then comes back for another minute of rocking out. It’s a satisfying end to the album.

Overall, NIN’s new release The Slip is an excellent release. It delivers all the things you expect from NIN, it builds on their last release, Ghosts I-IV, and it even has some a couple of tracks that are likely to burn up some air time.

In addition to being a great free release, The Slip is released with a Creative Commons license – which means you can share the album with your friends, put it in your podcast or remix it. And, since you’re my friend, I’ve got one of the highlights of release, 1,000,000, available for you to download below.

You can download The Slip via the NIN site. Email registration is required. The album is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. All downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits.

64 thoughts on “First Review Of Nine Inch Nails’ The Slip

  1. FIRST!! lol had to

    good review really on point, except for echoplex i thought that was a good track. excellent album though

  2. my god it sucks. Its the end, the END. We all have our opinions and such, but damn, I haven’t been this disappointed by a group or artist I loved since….ever……damn it!!

  3. I downloaded this to check it out, but it sucked even for a free CD. Straight to the trash after one listen.

    Not sure what anybody sees in these guys – they can’t sing and the music all sounds the same.

    1. I hated it the first time. Now it's one of my favorite albums. It took 5-6 listens, but now i love it. And by the way, Nine Inch Nails in the studio is a him, not a they. That does not look grammatically correct, does it? And seriously who else gives out great music like this for free? And if you think all nin sounds the same, listen to still, The Fragile, PHM, and YZ in that order.

  4. The Slip is a great album. NIN has yet to disappoint me. Year Zero is one of my most favorite albums of all time (along side of Tool’s Lateralus). I can’t wait for even more. Next year we will celebrate 20 years of NIN in style, bring it on!

  5. Some of the tracks were actually disappointing.
    Trent is a musical genius, but the lyrics aren’t that good in this album.
    Then again, it’s 100% free, and it was made in like what? 10 days? ha
    I bet that the live versions of these songs are going to be much better than the album ones.

  6. How could you not like Echoplex? Its dark and danceable. I didn’t like some of the songs U did, it sounded too much like 1000 Homo DJs but overall a really good effort.

  7. Ugh, was this awful. Coming across as a kind of With Teeth retread, it is the closest industrial will ever get to elevator music. Little to no variations in song structure, weak vocals, and even weaker lyrics. It really was just entirely terrible. Far and away the worst thing I have ever heard NIN do. It’s a real shame, because I was expecting some kind of revival with Year Zero. Guess that was short-lived.

  8. “Not sure what anybody sees in these guys – they can’t sing and the music all sounds the same.”

    You sound like my granddad.

  9. If you like NIN you might be interested in the album I just finished last month. It is also available free, donations are accepted. We are also doing a name your own price CD (starting at cost price). Politics Apocalypse is political and subversive post-industrial rock with an interesting mix of classical instruments, guitars, electronic beats, and a small dash of aussie hip-hop. You can download the whole 11 track album at no cost at our website.
    http://www.politicsapocalypse.com

  10. Ah, critics. Cheerfully bashing the creative work of people who make music for a living. Say what you like, guys, NIN are living their dreams and we’re LISTENING to them do it. NIN gets the last laugh here.

  11. One difference in the editions (currently anyway) is that the 24 bit / 96 kHz version comes with 1200×1200 images of the artwork used for the PDF. Of course you need to download 1 GB to get that bonus….

  12. This wasn’t so much of a review as a summary. NIN has departed from the TDS and PHM in a big way, which sucks if you were huge fans of them.

    the new stuff may be what the band feels they need to do creatively, but it is not what many fans expect from NIN at all. it is too poppy, the lyrics seem rushed and it has none of the edge that we expect. even as late as the fragile songs were being released that knocked you back and made you feel something. the transitions throughout the cd, the different moods and emotions that came through made the cd’s masterpieces. each song not only stood up on it’s own, but the whole album was a story in itself.

    now we have two releases (im being very kind to with teeth) that are nothing more than twelve uninspired songs. it would be far kinder to the older fans of NIN if they just buried the name and released this new stuff as a side project.

  13. nin is a progression from its inception to now, so if u want the same stuff(and im talking to all the hardcore downward spiral worshippers) you will be disapointed, because the reality is, people grow and change and learn. why would u expect any less from an artist like trent? i would be more inclined to judge someone who hasnt grown since 1994, and hasnt quite been able to grasp that all of us out here arent spraying out anger and pent up rage like back then, then to examine in ignorance whats happening now with both nails and us as a culture. the music is a reflection of it. my advice, listen ot the old stuff until u finally get it, then move on, eventually you will grow up : ) good luck!

  14. All you music critics try playing the same style and tunes for almost 20 years and see how passionate you are about the music. Mr Reznor is a talented musician and continues to keep his music interesting while also have time to produce. If you PHM and TDS fans love them albums so much get a room lock yourself in a shut up NIN is what it is now and isn’t going back to TDS or PHM so get over it

  15. Trent Reznor is not a rock star, he is an artist. his music always drives me to step up in the creative world especially with the album “The Fragile”. All his albums are great. It’s great that his music has changed so much. Much of his newer music is less accessible than before. I think he has done a good job weeding out his fans ever since “The Fragile”. As his music evolves so does his fans. He’ll only have the more open minded crowd as fans in the end. The ones who don’t really care about how heavy or how catchy the music is but ones who are concerned about how much more creative and ambitious he has become.

  16. this is what broken should have been.

    also, i’m one of those ‘downward spiral worshippers.’ and this album is awesome. the V0 version sounds the worst though, for sure.

  17. Some people will complain about anything. Its a free album..
    If trent was still making albums like the fragile (as awesome as it is) we’d be bored by now. Its not the 90’s anymore..
    Anyway, you just know some of these tracks are going to kick off live πŸ™‚

  18. For a free album, “The Slip” is pretty good. Most of the songs were enjoyable, but Echoplex was the best on there i thought. Still, i would like to hear some new material that is similar to TDS and The Fragile. Still, The Slip was a good album, and i’ll be buying it on CD when it comes out.

  19. as much as i love NINs other albums (the fragile espescially), this one just dissapoints me. theres no more emotion or feeling, its just one track after another using the same drum loops and synth sounds. the only track that really caught my attention was lights in the sky, and even that was a half-ass version of “hurt” or “zero sum.” as much as i hate to say, i think trent was more creative while he was depressed and on drugs. now he doesnt know what to write about, and the lyrics and music really suffer. hopefully trent didnt use all his effort on this one considering the short release time, and his next cd will have some meaning to it

  20. I am someone who loved PHM and TDS. I will admit this freely. They both easily make my list of top 100 albums. However, I really like that Trent has chosen to allow his music to evolve instead of sticking with the same formula that he knows to work. I think that it takes cohones to change a sound which many people live and die by but I think that it works. I can’t wait to hear where he goes from here

  21. I heard about the free album and figured what they hey i’ll download it even after being very disappointed in the Ghosts album i figured i’m sure trent has something up his sleeve. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. This album is terrible. It sounds like all trent did was recycle songs he thought were too crappy to put on any of his last 3 albums and made a free album out of them to try to entice people to come see NIN live. I doubt i’ll ever burn this album to a CD. Alot of the songs had the same old sound as other songs off his last 3 “real” albums just done in a very subpar manner. His voice has really taken a beating over the years as well. His voice use to really hit home now it just sounds tired and used up. I won’t even start on the lyrics….

  22. obviously everyone has different feelings and thoughts and there is no way you can ever get everyone to like what you have to say. i, personally, love nearly everything trent has ever done, esp. the Quake soundtrack, songs that aren’t released on main albums(“the perfect drug”, “black bomb”, “burn”, “deep”…), and his other ambient works.
    he’s been releasing his ambient stuff(ghostsI-IV, half of The Slip) lately and i like that.
    while i can agree some of the lyrics on The Slip could have possibly been a tad better he’ll make up somewhere else. you’ve got to changte up your style a little bit or else you get old. go listen to ministry if you want to hear the same guitar loop for a half an hour.

    P.S. whoever wrote this review needs to listen again: “echoplex” and “lights in the sky” are the two best songs on the album, followed by “head down”. “letting you” got on my nerves and i’m not as impressed by “corona radiata” as everyone else but it will probably grow on me.

  23. ok i will spill my mustard over this wall:

    while i feel, mr reznor has found peace in his life, i feel the music has lost some bite. maybe i am getting old, but it seems it had purpose up to (and including) the fragile, but afterwards it became some sort of a job, which he still executes with bravour, but i miss the blood and the guts.

  24. While Year 0 and even Ghosts were both amazing, this new album has proven that Trent needs to slow down a bit. As a free album, it’s great. But he’s right in not charging people for it.

  25. i have to admit it isnt the greatest thing that trent has produced, but its is so hard for him to continualy creating great albums after another with the reputation he has. and at least he isnt producing the sam old shit over and over agin like top twenty bands, hes just being creatively different, i quess you could think that he has started his carrer again starting from year zero and hopefully his new direction will develop into something great

  26. A great ablum that just keeps building and building. The flctuation between the heavy tracks, the ‘radio-friendly’ Discipline, the more experimental tracks like EchoPlex, the paino driven Lights and the last two tracks is a joy to hear, so different from all the bullshit that comes out of radio and the charts.

    To that person who said all the music sounds the same, you could get a job as a reviewer at Pitchfork Media since like them, you clearly don’t actually listen to the music you’re talking about.

    Of course I love the whole thing but while I don’t normally pick faults with Trent’s work (I don’t question genius) I did feel that 3 instrementals was just one too many after Ghosts, Corona Radiata should have had vocals, even hushed ones like in The Greater Good or The New Flesh.

    Lights gets me everytime, it reminds me alot of the title track from The Fragile which was my favorite song off that album.
    While it’s still not Year Zero part 2 it’s a great surprise and such a radical change after Ghosts and FREE with lyrics and great artwork.

  27. Trent is a true artist ( which there aren’t many around anymore ) so if you don’t appreciate it then thats just fine w/ me b/c art is something that not everyone can appreciate the same way. I, as a loyal fan for about 15 years, applaud Trent for the growth in his music and creativity in giving the fans more than what is expected from a “band”, which they really are not. While I don’t consider myself a dark or gloomy person I cant help but listen to his music everyday and be completely happy and introspective at the same time. By the way, The Slip is awesome from beginning to end.

  28. I think the reason so many people have a problem with this is two-fold. 1). it’s free and people have a tendency to think that they’re getting the leftovers when something’s free. 2). Trent has either been in a prolific phase or we’re just getting B-sides. Songs that didn’t make the cut with Year Zero. That’s nothing something that’s actually true in this case. I fully believe, intellectually, that Trent put as much energy into making The Slip as he did Year Zero, but our stupid consumer based minds are trained to think that if something is 1)FREE and 2)Released very soon (esp. when trent usually takes like 4 decades between albums) that it’s a bunch of crap. I like the album. It is growing on me with each listen the way a good album should.

  29. (edit) 5th sentence in on my comment should say “That’s NOT something …” instead of “That’s NOTHING something …” which makes no sense.

  30. NIN set the bar so friggin’ high with TDS, ever since then he’s been caught between topping TDS and reinventing himself. With this latest release on the heels of Ghosts, he’s decided to split the difference. Is The Slip NIN’s best work to date? No. But like Ghosts, it points to an aesthetic evolution in his music that I find to be both refreshing and challenging. It’s got its moments, it’s free (how can you beat that?) and it definitely keeps me interested in seeing what new ground he chooses to explore in his next release.

  31. ok i admit it some of the track werent good but hey what do you expect its free btw only 3 tracks sucked the rest rocked

  32. I don’t know if it’s the same with you… each time a new NIN album comes out, im exited to the maximum, and when I first hear it, it sucks. The second time, it sucks even more. The third time, I get it and I realize that it is a great as any other NIN album. I guess some of the haters and flamers and “disappointed hardcore fans” didn’t even take the time for a third listen before they went here to make a this-is-the-end-of-nin-post.

    (To be honest, with Ghost I-IV it took 5 or 6 times till I liked it, and after the 20th time I got bored again, but hey, this is NOT THE end, as we know now)

  33. Hi Trent. *waves*

    Well, I just want to say this: I bought Zeitgeist by Smashing Pumpkins, and then I found The Slip and downloaded it. The Slip reminded me more of In Rainbows, which I thought Radiohead did a great job on. Especially considering that it was free to download as well (although I did pay about $24.00 for it).

    The thing I noticed very quickly is that MUSIC THAT DOESN’T SUCK is being given away for free. Meanwhile, the formerly good bands are now putting out awful music and expecting you to pay for it.

    So, to reiterate: If you see good music out there, snap it up… Chances are, it will stand up to repeated plays and possibly become integrated into the background of your daily life. By contrast: if you see an album that costs 14.99… RUN!!! More likely than not, it will suck out loud, you will feel cheated, and you’ll never trust the concept of paying for music again, which means that you probably won’t even give my albums the once-over. Due to the bad rap DRM and traditional music business models, I have to ROT in a CONVENIENCE STORE every damn day of my life instead of getting paid to do what I love, which is making music and being compensated for my creativity.

    To that end, it’s probably too late for me. That said, I wish the rest of you luck (or the closest thing to it), and urge you to make music for the artistic value of it, and NOT THE MONEY.

    Thanks,

    Pram Maven

  34. Is it just me, or do NIN have the most immature fan following of any band? Sure, NIN have produced some great material. The Downward Spiral and The Fragile were superb albums. But this new online release is absolute horse-shit (echoplex, your least favourite track is probably the best track on the album oddly enough). I’m getting sick of those myopic NIN fans who worship Trent like some kind of occult god. And don’t even get me started on Last.FM charts… it seems like the sole purpose of some people’s existence is to get the worst album of the year up the charts.

    For the record I don’t hate NIN. Like I said, The Fragile and The Downward Spiral are truly great albums. Bands do grow old and tire out and run out of ideas musically. Yes what Trent is doing to change the landscape of the current music listening model is innovative, but the music seems to have suffered as a result of Trent being too preoccupied with trying to challenge the industry.

    PS – I wonder if trent released and album of random fart loops, how many NIN fans would hail it as an ‘artistic master-piece’.

  35. I’ve been listening to the whole album. It’s very solid. Strong songwriting. All you haters want your bands to put out the SAME album over and over. Boring. Let a group evolve… and evolve with them. Thank god The Beatles evolved. It changed the world.

    (and on another note — I can’t believe people are bitching about getting a FREE record. how about some gratitude?)

  36. You know, although it’s true that I would have preferred a heavier album, it’s still a fantastic album, even if it’s not “perfect” for my tastes. People need to recognize that artists evolve, and these changes may not always suit your tastes. Do I think (in my opinion) that Trent could have made a cooler album that I (emphasis on the I) would have liked more? Sure! But is this still an amazing album, musically speaking? Definitely! And was it TOTALLY FREE??? Yes! And could most people posting here have made a better album? Probably not. So go ahead and post opinions, good or bad, but don’t whine and bitch like little kids. Try providing interesting and useful feedback, whether you like the album or not. This album is still far more groundbreaking than any of the major releases put out by any of the major labels. If you think you can improve on what Trent is doing, then start making music and do it! Really, I mean it. Evolution always builds on what came before.

  37. I don’t know who wrote that review (the author gets no credit for his or her work?), but I would just like to ask that person one question:

    How on earth did you manage to make it all the way through an album review without a single comment on the lyrics? Do you imagine that artists just open up a dictionary, dump out some random words into a vocal track and call it a day?

    Oh, wait, I forgot… coherent meaning in entertainment is “so last-decade”… we don’t care about that any more, right?

    As for the rest of you yahoos…

    Huri: He’s never disappointed me, either. πŸ™‚

    joss: word.

    Irh, arjiana, alex O’Connor, jewishjake, Sad State, Metatron, jose, raovq, steve, and Vincent: I’m sorry you suffer from terminally poor taste. Hate to be the one to have to break it to you, but… okay, no I’m not. πŸ˜›

    Politics Apocalypse: You’re a shameless sucker of Satan’s c0x0r. Do that elsewhere — preferably behind closed doors.

    Will, Jackie, tien, Kaej, zac, Zeric, A-ZBuckeye, Jonathan, and ombor: nice to know I’m not the only one paying attention!

    Anon: you make probably the most damning point against the nay-sayers here. Trent does have the last laugh. And that gives you the last word.

  38. It’s okay music. I haven’t really heard all of it but it’s free so I really don’t have a bad opinion of it.

    Year Zero was available to download completely for free, but I went out and bought it anyway because I had to get the feeling of With Teeth out of my ears, and I guess I also wanted to support my favorite artist and hold the tangible album in my hands.

    It was great, and what made that album even better was that it was a concept album and inspired a lot of people out there to play that weird alternate reality website maze, searching for secret clues and figuring out this big conspiracy. It inspired so many people out there to get the AIR logo tattoo’ed on their arms, to fill Deviantart with fanart, to get people out there to really percieve the world as an alternate reality.

    There should be another one of those. Year Zero told a great story and Capital G was so goofy and bouncy that it’s great to listen to with friends. Year Zero ended on a cliffhanger, so we all thought there was going to be a sequel or a prequel to it. Everyone isn’t really feeling so hot for 2 hours of instrumental odyssey or twelve random songs put together. We want Year Zero again. That was the album that let everyone know NIN still cared about something, had a pulse, had opinions, felt something, made you want to get off the couch and actually try to fix yourself. It was motivational, it had a strong message.

    So please, Trent Reznor, for the children, make Year 0ne.

  39. If someone told me this was NIN 15 yrs on from The Downward Spiral I would of thought it was joke..

    Some of the last album ghosts was very nice but this is almost 99% crap and probably the worst album I’ve ever heard.

    No its not that Im some fan boy , its just the song writing / lyrics are crap and its sound like the rest is just filled in to make up for it..

    Discipline is prob 7 / 10

    but the rest 2- 3 / 10

    This album sounds more like a fuck you than thank you to fans

  40. What’s all this about PHM ? I’m not sure if most of you noticed, but it’s the ONE album that didn’t withstand the test of time. So what makes it so great ? Compared to Broken, TDS or The Fragile PHM sounds like a bad 80s trip. You wanna talk bad lyrics ? Listen to “That’s what I get”.

    Now, back on topic : The Slip. Yes, TDS was probably a better album. But this is basically the third album coming out in the last 14 months. If Reznor would take another 5 years to work on an album, like he did when making the Fragile, then maybe it would be less flawed. And sure, quality over quantity, but honestly, I don’t think Reznor is still working in order to please his audience. He’s making his music, and he’s having a great time while doing so (Ghosts I-IV is a recorded jam session, a curiosity in the NIN Genre as Reznor said himself – and well, The Slip, it’s FREE !!!!)

    This isn’t about a die-hard fanbase, or people sucking up. It’s about the artist, and he’s having fun, and playing around, and sharing the outcome with us. And I’m sure he really doesn’t give a rats ass if you people like it or not.

  41. It’s not about being a die hard fan, it’s about listening to something with an open mind and being able to take it in with criticism. I didn’t get into NIN till I heard fragile and had heard nothing about them till I heard Closer in 2001. Maybe I am ignorant in music and very selective but as a indie musician I feel for other musicians and can understand what Trent is doing. I listened to Manson and Korn growing up and now looking back on it I realize it is very repetitive and doesn’t really explore other themes, and I guess that is what they aim to do and live inside the box. The Deftones was another band I listened to and Limp Bizkit (excuse me for being part of the new metal scene ) however i’m not sure if this is true but I do remember Deftones singer Chino Marino saying in an interview that Korn singer John Davis needs to get over his past and move on it’s been long enough. People want to hold onto memories and if you think TDS and PHM are the best albums NIN has done then thats your opinion I however look at music with an open mind and heart and ask myself why i would continue painting a Van Gogh when there is now a Jackson Pollack, then why I would paint pollack when there is ….. you get the point. So in conclusion I say that if you hate “The Slip” that is fare enough but please do not get caught in a time rip and stay listening to TDS, or PHM. Free albums are a blessing i loved the new radiohead CD and Saul Williams was a gothic rap cd in disguise, so I don’t know for you complainers cd’s are too much or don’t have enough please tell me where is the line?

  42. Trent Reznor is giving this album to all of us. He has even offered free .mp3 downloads before. He encourages our generation to use our know how to wake people up! Albeit, I was disappointed upon hearing the album the first time through, with the exception of ‘Dicipline.’ However, I usually don’t like their recent albums until I have looked up the lyrics and then the songs begin to make a transformation to me as they develop a meaning. Google the lyrics, give it another listen.

    Trent’s album ‘Year Zero’ points you in a nice direction of where this album is headed idealogically much in the same way ‘The Slip’ reflects the previous ‘Ghosts’ album. He is experimenting…afterall this is Halo 27. He only has about 7 or 8 offical releases. The others…like this one, are likely just experiments. This one he happen to just give away.

    Personally, I like the direction Trent Reznor is headed. If you have any doubts…perhaps look up the internet movie ‘Zeitgheist’ on youtube. http://youtube.com/results?search_query=zeitgeist
    If you can’t find it there…because it is always being removed, go to google video.

    This album is more than just music…it is a battle hymn.

    Peace

  43. Maybe this was a marketing ploy to test on the public how much his new music is worth. Doesn’t really matter. For an artist who could walk into most music label offices and get instantly signed-on, this is straying away from the business as usual model. I wish more popular and independant artists would put their stuff up online first before making us buy the $15-30 CD that ends up as a coffee coaster or a ghetto christmas tree ornament. On top of that, the plethora of music formats is also a surprise.

    Artists need to stop kissing the butts of music industry executives that just want to be deep throated first and sue the downloaders second because he thinks he deserved another $200,000 car in his driveway.

    I’m dowloading the album now. I have no high hopes for enjoyment, but the viral marketing this created should be the new business model artists need to look towards for future revenue streams.

  44. a real good rocking track is 1,000,000.

    echoplex isn’t as good, but still a good song.

    and the third and final track i heard from the nin.com website, letting you… well… that was quite bad.

  45. Nin has never been about pleasing the fans… true art is meant to upset the balance of what is expected and what is inspired. All in all… I’m still a fan.

  46. you seem to forget that this is an album about /politics/, not teenage angst. as trent said before – β€œ…for the first time in my life, I wanted to break away from the idea of opening up my journal and transferring that into song lyrics.” i think that also transcends from Year Zero straight to The Slip.
    besides, if trent were still on drugs, his fanbase would still be complaining no matter what. don’t act like it wouldn’t be true.

  47. LMAO, YOU GUYS ARE ALLL MORONS!
    its simple if u dont like dont listen to it, nin and nin fans care nothing for what u think.yall are just bitching and complaing about how the music “sux” well dibshit if u can do better be my guest,BUT u cant can u u probably dont even know how to use a guitar,if NIN sucked SOOO bad how the hell r they able to afford to sell two great albums for free.
    better yet sell Ghosts I-V alone sold 750,000 the first week.
    Can you do that? i bet u cant.
    Why? you ask ,well because u sit around all day looking for music to complain about,because you have no life what so ever.
    oh but dont get mad theres other people like you. maybe u can get together and pretend like someone actually gives a shit about what ur saying.
    NINE INCH NAILS IS ONE OF THE GREATES INDUSTRIAL BANDS EVER!
    IF YOU DONT LIKE GO OUT AND DO BETTER,BUT DONT BE SUPRISED WHEN U FIND UR SHIT AT THE DOLLOR TREE.

  48. The Slip, in my opinion, is a very impressive piece of work. NIN has yet to disappoint me. I have been a huge fan since the early 90’s. My favorite albums are Year Zero and The Slip. I have every album and I know every song. I love the creative versatility of Trent Reznor. Many people have trouble understanding his intent. To me, he is a true artist and he will be around for years to come, and I will continue to purchase NIN albums!

  49. Seriously? Did I really used to listen to this guy? Did I not see this dude tear it up opening for a drugged out JAMC in 91? Did I not see NIN crush it when MM opened for them? What….the….fxck… happened? I admit I havent given them a listen for a while but I dropped back in hoping to find at least one strong track that transported me to a time when music like this was fresh. I dont know, I know Im not an artist like Reznor but I remember when NIN delivered lyrics like “God is dead and no one cares, if there is a hell Ill see you there”. Clearly NIN is dead, and I guess I dont really care if this is whats emitting from the grave.

  50. Just re-listening to this album now. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s not as sharp and bloody and immediate as some of the earlier work, but how could it ever be?

    People evolve and change, and life goes on. If Trent was still in the same place he was when writing “God is dead”, then he would be too.

    Go see them perform live. I’ve seen some of the big names, and NIN at the Brixton Academy was the best. The performance was solidly NIN, the stage show was brilliant, with clear sound and stunning lights, and the mix of the new and old material flowed fantastically.

    1. I saw them on their last tour, and it was an incredible show. Fantastic visuals!

      Reznor didn't interact with the audience much – probably because all of the visuals – but the show was still amazing.

  51. Dunno how u can complain at this album, its a free album, so people should not complain, and i admit it does a take a few listen to grow on u, but when u give it a chance it becomes one of nine inch nails best albums! its fucking amazing!

  52. Its unfortunate but a fact that this album and every album do far after The Fragile has been complete “holier then thow” crap, when Trent became confident again he stopped being able to write anything decent, instrumentally it’s simpler but still great but when that is mixed with horrible lyrics and the bands seemingly sloppy mixing (it always been like that). Over all The Slip is a major flop while Ghosts was decent (becuase it’s instrumental) and becuase I’m commenting on an older article How to Destroy Angels sucked. But hey he did a great job on the movie soundtracks.

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