"HERESY" - Nine Inch Nails musical analysis | The Downward Spiral

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  • Опубликовано: 10 янв 2025

Комментарии • 788

  • @iximusic
    @iximusic  7 месяцев назад +2

    For song & album requests and to support my channel and musical projects, please consider joining my Patreon (I can't monetize my videos): www.patreon.com/iximusic 🙌 You can also commission me to analyze your original music or do a piano cover. 🎹 And I teach private & group lessons, do film/video game scoring, and music transcriptions 🎶 TIPS: www.buymeacoffee.com/iximusic 💄

  • @canibaloxide
    @canibaloxide 3 года назад +137

    I've proably listend to this album more than any other in my life and here you come along and change the way I think about it...love this channel

  • @RafaelKassier
    @RafaelKassier 3 года назад +40

    I think the rhythmic ambiguity at the beginning of this song is one of the most powerful elements in the whole album, and certainly one of the things that I still remember from listening to it back in the day

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +4

      🤘

    • @RafaelKassier
      @RafaelKassier 3 года назад +4

      @@iximusic maybe I am just a sucker for them polyrhythms?

  • @Fitzroy_Fox
    @Fitzroy_Fox 3 года назад +45

    Been a loyal, faithful NIN fan since 1995.
    Gotta say.. my head just exploded. Trent Reznor really is a musical genius. I can't love this enough.

  • @ghostblue82
    @ghostblue82 3 года назад +59

    There is nothing more satisfying than intellectualizing the sounds of my favorite album of all time.

  • @berlinesquelove1360
    @berlinesquelove1360 3 года назад +72

    The whole album sounds like a struggle between the organic vs the mechanical, both lyrically and musically/tonally. By Heresy, it seems like the protagonist (who has already been dealt a romantic blow in Piggy) is possibly having an existential crisis/trying to rebel against the cosmos in reaction to it allowing him to be hurt. He does this by impulsively breaking down his foundations starting with his religion, but in consequence, he turns more mechanical with each piece he loses, this being echoed in the track list as later songs gradually lend more space to mechanical sounds/production and less space to warmer and more organic sounds.
    I feel like the album personifies the nihilistic or self-destructive' urge for this sort of rebellion in the first track.
    And the 'mechanical' might reference not only the future and tech, but also the primal, reptile brain driving us from beneath the surface. I don't think there's a more mechanical sounding track than Reptile.
    Really like the extra edits and attention to detail in this vid!

    • @Toddy9cent
      @Toddy9cent Год назад +1

      A friend comments: argh, it sounds like "collapsed houses", (he's German - me too! 🤔) It shows how close his feelings are to Trent's reality, which he "transmits/describes" through music added to the text. All the disturbing factors, the confusion outside of himself, influence his vision until, overwhelmed/controlled/focused, he only perceives sadness and gives up, he reaches "the bottom", followed by the journey over the border to ETERNITY.
      "The Downward Spiral" is Musical Art, i.m.E. a Masterpiece.

  • @horriblepizza4647
    @horriblepizza4647 2 года назад +19

    In the context of the album, I like to emphasize the line "if there is a hell, I'll see you there". He's talking about how he knows where he's headed, whether he takes hell literally or not. Basically, he's accepted despair and the idea that god has abandoned him.
    Alternatively, this song could be another character entirely. It could be one of several implied characters, like Piggy or the ruiner. In which case, they are telling the protagonist that his god is dead, that is to say his life is over, and no one cares. He has already lost everything, and what ensues for the rest of the album is just and epilogue to that.

    • @Charlie_Azrael
      @Charlie_Azrael Год назад +1

      I've always heard that line as "I'll see to it that you go to hell." He's so angry, so wronged in his mind, that he wants to destroy whoever opposes him no matter how much it costs him. Think of it like "Can anybody find me somebody to love by" from Queen.

    • @Charlie_Azrael
      @Charlie_Azrael Год назад +2

      I've always heard that line as "I'll see to it that you go to hell." He's so angry, so wronged in his mind, that he wants to destroy whoever opposes him no matter how much it costs him. Think of it like "Can anybody find me somebody to love by" from Queen.

  • @soaribb32
    @soaribb32 Год назад +5

    3:10 you know what this layer sounds like to me? People stomping their feet. Like soldiers marching. Given the topic, it makes sense.

  • @josh5459
    @josh5459 3 года назад +20

    The Da NINci Code is starting to unravel with each video for TDS. Thanks so much for dissecting this. Absolutely incredible to watch!

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +7

      Haha love that, Da NINci code!!

  • @humanbeingmusicofficial
    @humanbeingmusicofficial 3 года назад +22

    You break down Trent's music with so much eloquence and I am addicted.

  • @CasaPinedoDeluque
    @CasaPinedoDeluque 3 года назад +65

    "There's still much farther to fall..."
    The whole video was amazing, but that ending was just perfect.

  • @icharuswing
    @icharuswing 3 года назад +156

    Marilyn Manson spent his entire career trying to emulate this song

    • @braxtongrundy4625
      @braxtongrundy4625 Год назад

      What do you mean

    • @triplebarreldarrel
      @triplebarreldarrel Год назад +1

      ​@braxtongrundy4625 nothing offensive I'm sure 😂

    • @soaribb32
      @soaribb32 10 месяцев назад +6

      Still couldn't sound this badass

    • @preciousmousse
      @preciousmousse 6 месяцев назад +1

      No, him and and Trent had similar views and different aesthetical approaches. It's just you guys forgetting that you are not Trent for a few moments and therefore trying to bring Manson down 'cause these guys had a beef lol.

    • @kmcandre
      @kmcandre 4 месяца назад

      Closest he got was his line "I never really hated the one true God, but the God of the people I hated." In the song Beautiful People. MM is an awful showman, he was too drunk/high to sing and was a mess when I saw him with Rob Zombie years ago in Lincoln NE

  • @nakedraidenn
    @nakedraidenn 3 года назад +11

    I love what you're doing, and it is great to have someone analyze this album with intellect rather than just saying "It rocks."
    I think what makes The Downward Spiral so great is that the music can't be dated. Like, a lot of the music from the '90s you listen to and you're like, "Yeah, this is a '90s song."
    50 years from now, when you put on The Downward Spiral, it's not going to feel like an album from way back then. It'll still feel fresh... even though it sounds so broken.

    • @Toddy9cent
      @Toddy9cent Год назад

      Good* music describe FEELINGS, they don't change, over TIME, BORDERS and NATIONALITY, no words necessary, ONE LOOK, everybody knows where you are.
      Only a few can't, because a genetic handicap, thinkable reason for less empathy. Autism? Sociopathy?
      *detailed, authentic

  • @vanilla_milkshake
    @vanilla_milkshake 3 года назад +96

    I never noticed all the different variations of the Downward Spiral theme in all those songs. I'm shook.

    • @zalafinari
      @zalafinari 3 года назад +16

      Same here. Having heard this album countless times but having missed such integral parts of the music/album it's really cool to have someone with "better ears" able to act as a musical guide.

    • @Hooliganius
      @Hooliganius 3 года назад +9

      If you're a fan of this album, I highly recommend finding the surround sound remasters he released for the 25yr anniversary. You'll hear new stuff every time.

    • @MarcDJulien
      @MarcDJulien 3 года назад +1

      Same...

    • @seanmtactical6069
      @seanmtactical6069 3 года назад +4

      I've always recognized the theme variations, but I'm completely devoid of musical training or understanding. It's like listening to the Brandenburg concertos by Bach. There is an underlying repeating theme, but I have no way of relating what I'm hearing or feeling. But that's the thing about music, you don't have to have training it to appreciate it.

    • @zalafinari
      @zalafinari 3 года назад

      @@seanmtactical6069 Similarly, I listen to a lot of music with lyrics in languages I don't know. You can appreciate how something is conveyed without know exactly what they are conveying. There's just additional layers of meaning, insight, and appreciation.

  • @keithgreer1730
    @keithgreer1730 3 года назад +1

    I struggled for YEARS with that "dead" down beat in the opening; it was always torture as a drummer, and for some reason it just never clicked. I LOVE that you point it out straight away. It's interesting how the song really changes once you're hearing it the "right" away. It's one of my favorite tracks because of that odd "off" feeling you have constantly even though the drums anchor it most of the way through. You're videos on NINs shit are amazing! Thank you...

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      Ha that sounds nerve wracking. 🥁 I strangely enjoy that feeling, that moment when your sense of the downbeat totally shifts!

  • @tlniec
    @tlniec 3 года назад +33

    Beyond the analysis itself (great, as usual), I appreciate how you are making The Downward Spiral series of videos feel like a cohesive whole - much like the album itself does.

  • @ghork3202
    @ghork3202 3 года назад +36

    IMO, the first quarter of TDS describes the protagonist's falling out with society. His significant other or love interests (Piggy), religion and morality (Heresy), and people in general (March of the Pigs)

    • @dawnerickson7199
      @dawnerickson7199 3 года назад +4

      Personally I believe the pigs are his addiction.... doesn't it make you feel better? The pigs have won tonight. They can all sleep soundly. And everything is alright.

    • @ghork3202
      @ghork3202 3 года назад +2

      @@dawnerickson7199 I kinda see it as a double meaning. From Reznor's personal perspective the pigs are the audience themselves, always wanting more from him and cheering on his destruction. And it's all a method for him to channel how he feels. "All the pigs are all lined up, I give you all that you want, take the skin and peel it back"

    • @SwamSmokey
      @SwamSmokey 3 года назад

      That's pretty much how I've always seen it too. The first few songs seem to be about self-alienation.

    • @neilkristjansson8477
      @neilkristjansson8477 3 года назад +8

      I always referred to the first half of the album (everything from Mr Self Destruct to Closer) as the manic section, and everything after (Ruiner to The Downward Spiral) as the depressive, big comedown where you realize all the things you did in your mania have ruined the things around you. A Warm Place is my favorite track because it's such a perfect example of a moment of reflection that, regardless of whether you've experienced anything else the protagonist has, you can relate to. We've all found ourselves on the other end of some sort of self destructive behavior and realized what we've done.
      But yeah I feel you're also right. With each passing song, the protagonist is essentially shedding another layer of his humanity -- starting by severing his connections to the outside world and slowly making his way to the people and ideas closest to him, ultimately severing himself from the world by putting a gun into his face.
      Bang. So much blood for such a tiny little hole.

    • @Vladdamyre
      @Vladdamyre 3 года назад +1

      @@neilkristjansson8477 Yeah, the album as a whole can be seen as a persons "slow" descent into self destruction and depression, with songs being about his attempts to cope or cure this problem. you could say that Heresy is what happened when he tried it with religion, closer is sex, Ruiner is Drugs/People (depends on how you look at the song), Reptile being his last attempt but its just putting the blame for it all on someone else, where as in the downward spiral he accepts that he did it all to himself, it's all his fault, so he ends it all as he cant live with the guilt or himself. You could say that some of the other songs are about his reaction to the effects of all the stuff he has done to himself and others...especially The Becoming/ I do not want this... those 2 songs seem like a "i have fucked up so much that i don't know what to do other then to get away from it all"

  • @spiritsuit7846
    @spiritsuit7846 3 года назад +4

    Marilyn Manson was discovered and initiated into stardom by Trent Reznor who produced the first album (some say collaborated on heavily) by Trent. Reznor is a true musician who has expanded and diversified. Manson's music has continued to maintain the sonic influence of that original collaboration however. So it's MM that sounds like DS era NIN, not the other way around. Being a NIN fan since the late 80's- the time in the 90's of mainstream acceptance and the move from Industrial to Goth came with a Diva attitude primarily due to the MM success. I think this is why Trent and Marilyn fell out and remain on negative terms to this day.
    I know the overall themes are obvious and Trent has made note there it's partially a comment about AIDS, but in relationship to his total discography I feel there is a double meaning of 'Rock is dead'. This time in the 90's was related to biblical self-translating evangelicals decrying rock as evil and Tipper Gore having senate trails for musical censorship. "if there is a hell I'll see you there". Meanwhile, many of the television evangelicals leading this movement were being caught in major scandals and several of them even serving jail terms for felonies. Hence "drowning in his own hypocrisy". Coming from a small very conservative coal mining town in western Pennsylvania Trent had the original voice of angst against much of the hypocritical cultural for many listeners. In many ways he is similar to Sting in that aspect both in background, unique musical interpretation, and in the need to escape a life where your future is set by the blue collar work ideal or be damned.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +2

      Yes, thank you! I realize now that I didn't really contextualize my comparison, I was just like "there are similarities, the end."
      Thanks for your thoughts on the meaning.

  • @UCNXonline
    @UCNXonline Год назад +3

    Fun fact: The kick drum is sampled from a Lead Into Gold song, the solo project from Paul Barker of Ministry. The snare used in "Reptile" and "Happiness in Slavery" is as well.

  • @nickygrillet786
    @nickygrillet786 2 года назад +5

    Uuuurgh it never misses.. Every time i listen to one of their track thinking that i know it's great, i get slapped in the face and get reminded just how great it is. And again you explain this in fantastic way, both on a technical way and on the emotional significance. I have a lot of admiration for people being able to put words on feelings! Thanks a lot for that!

  • @Autocratik
    @Autocratik 3 года назад +17

    Another fantastic video. Brilliant stuff. As a fan of NIN since the beginning, it's great to learn new details about the tracks. I hope Trent Reznor sees these videos and smiles to himself with a "ah, someone noticed I did that".

  • @LabRatWarfare
    @LabRatWarfare 3 года назад +26

    IXI, this breakdown is amazing, the details you catch and the way you explain everything is just so damn good!! I really enjoyed this video and it brings me even more appreciation for this song, thank you for doing this!! And if you ever run out of NIN songs... may I suggest Skinny Puppy?! 😎🐀

  • @johnmchugh8049
    @johnmchugh8049 2 года назад +5

    How do you not have a million viewers yet ?! Your videos are amazing ! Thank you for sharing your research, analysis, and thoughts on NIN

  • @Walsh_entertainment
    @Walsh_entertainment 2 года назад +9

    This was one of my favorite songs on the album but after hearing that “will you die for this” part I am now extremely haunted by this lmao

  • @TonyMichaels166
    @TonyMichaels166 3 месяца назад +1

    That synth intro gives me chills every single time.

  • @Gn_Arnold
    @Gn_Arnold 3 года назад +12

    This channel is about to blow up!
    So happy I discovered it, these song breakdowns are on-par IF NOT BETTER that Rick Beatos!
    Keep up the amazing work!

  • @mun_e_makrpsn1328
    @mun_e_makrpsn1328 3 года назад +67

    You don’t know how far you’ve fallen, not until you reach the bottom. That’s why you can’t recognize it towards the beginning of the album

    • @twistypink6317
      @twistypink6317 3 года назад +12

      I now know, the depths I reach are limitless

    • @lueysixty-six7300
      @lueysixty-six7300 3 года назад +6

      @@twistypink6317 Thought he lost everything;
      And then he lost a whole lot more

    • @TheSonomaorganics
      @TheSonomaorganics 3 года назад +1

      @@lueysixty-six7300 Has. I’m. And

  • @pumpkin-head-and-me
    @pumpkin-head-and-me 3 года назад +8

    Amazing. Your breakdowns really shine a light on how complex, unsettling and beautiful Trent's work is. Keep this channel going - don't stop, can't stop! lol

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      Nothing can stop me now!

  • @asdrugrohl
    @asdrugrohl 3 года назад +66

    I love how MM is a Trigger Warning. He went from being a weird ass, offensive guy with make up on, to being one of the biggest names in goth culture to being a weird ass, offensive guy with make up on 😂

    • @pointsbeingmade7996
      @pointsbeingmade7996 3 года назад +6

      Full circle mean yet true in a sense. As long as that Guy is him its ok!

    • @davinsosa1438
      @davinsosa1438 3 года назад

      Hahaha

    • @Stray7
      @Stray7 3 года назад +10

      So basically, our first impressions of him were right all along...MM was *always* a PoS, we just couldn't always see him for what he was.

    • @pointsbeingmade7996
      @pointsbeingmade7996 3 года назад +5

      @@Stray7 that sentiment says more about the person stating it.

  • @noshok7436
    @noshok7436 3 года назад +6

    I've never seen someone breakdown and analyze every aspect of a song so intricately and thoroughly like you do, and it's even better that you do it all to NIN. Keep up the great work.

  • @AndrewKarczewski
    @AndrewKarczewski Год назад +2

    Ixi, I love your Nine Inch Nails / Trent Reznor Breakdowns! Thanks 🙂

  • @vhampyre01
    @vhampyre01 3 года назад +2

    I really enjoy how you speak of the music in a personified way (the bluesy guitar is having a conversation with the gents). Trent's choices are so purposeful, much more than I ever realized or appreciated until I started watching your analysis videos.

  • @ATClute76
    @ATClute76 3 года назад +13

    Having been raised in a very Christian household this track assaulted me. I ejected the cd from my car and littered.
    Then, I bought the album again.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +3

      Haha wow! Y'all have history.

  • @echothirteen
    @echothirteen 3 года назад +5

    WOW! Outstanding. This is your most well rounded and thorough video yet. Definitely my favorite so far

  • @richiecaldicott7336
    @richiecaldicott7336 3 года назад +5

    Thanks for breaking down one of my favourite NIN tracks and making me appreciate it all the better. The "will you die for this" line always jumped out of the mix for me. The crowds were there too but I always interpreted the percussion as being like jack-boots marching before that sudden burst of Heresy's last chorus. Love your videos! :)

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +3

      Yeahhh! I feel that Pilgrimage flavor...Wow so you always heard it? It was a surprise to me. I thought maybe I heard him moaning "your god is dead" in the bridge but it was all in my head 😈

  • @tylermoore1748
    @tylermoore1748 3 года назад +4

    Man, I hadn't noticed the theme in this one. Or the "Will you die for this" bits. Nice deep dive on this one.
    Heresy always kinda felt like a Pretty Hate Machine type track, but with a much darker tone and lyrics.

  • @MMc-kt2kx
    @MMc-kt2kx 3 года назад +41

    My older sister took me to my first concert in 1994. I was 12 and it was the downward spiral tour. I feel like going to this concert is like what it must of been like to see Led Zeppelin in the 70’s.

    • @ianlongshore
      @ianlongshore 3 года назад +5

      I would agree

    • @dislodge
      @dislodge 3 года назад +5

      My first concert in 1994 as well. Did you also see Marilyn Manson and The Jim Rose Circus Sideshow?

    • @MMc-kt2kx
      @MMc-kt2kx 3 года назад +3

      @@dislodge Not lucky enough to see Manson back then, but the Jim Rose Circus blew my brain up. After the show we met one of the performers in the crowd who was covered head to toe with tattoo puzzle pieces.

    • @ianlongshore
      @ianlongshore 3 года назад

      @@dislodge No I was born in 2000

    • @lionaudio
      @lionaudio 3 года назад +1

      My first concert as well! I've seen them 8 times in my life. Each time has been amazing

  • @tomasshannon6537
    @tomasshannon6537 3 года назад +2

    these are crazy awesome. thanks so much for putting these together. your angle and way of explaining things is excellent and really conveys your passion for this music.

  • @kaicanyonellis
    @kaicanyonellis 3 года назад +3

    Love that you've found a way to isolate tracks through surround sound mixes. That's such a cool discovery. Though I'll always love the artistry involved in you listening to the full mix and having to use a ton of intuition to figure out what's probably going on.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      You too can be magical! If I haven't shared this with you already: www.nindestruct.com/remix.html

    • @kaicanyonellis
      @kaicanyonellis 3 года назад +1

      @@iximusic whoa!!! A gold mine!!

  • @skylerwhite3427
    @skylerwhite3427 3 года назад +5

    I really admire your passion for trent’s work. Listening to you break down his songs gives me a feeling very similar to what i felt when I listened to TDS for the first time. I don’t have a music theory background like you so, of course, I must read between the lines at times but you’ve made me realize now that there’s sooo much depth to the art hidden below the surface. Some of the things you mention it seems, potentially, he added just to amuse himself, idk. But it’s beautiful, in a very dark and fucked up way; and everything has its place. Thank you for your insight and knowledge

  • @DarioCotti
    @DarioCotti 3 года назад +2

    18:10 that's the same melody found in Satellites. It's also somewhat similar in Various Methods of Escape

  • @professornotoAmbition
    @professornotoAmbition 3 года назад +24

    Ruiner is my favorite on the album. Hope we hear your thoughts on that

    • @apairofpetducks6203
      @apairofpetducks6203 3 года назад +1

      Same same same

    • @SmokeyMcPotProductions
      @SmokeyMcPotProductions 3 года назад +2

      Yessum, I’d especially love to hear her breakdown the guitar solo part... the way the lazy bassline, guitar, then drums all eventually come together give me chills every single time.
      I’d also love to hear her breakdown Becoming, a close runner up to Ruiner (IMO anyway)...

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +7

      April 12th is Ruiner day.

    • @dwaynes8880
      @dwaynes8880 3 года назад +2

      @@iximusic ...

  • @gobblegobble831
    @gobblegobble831 2 года назад +3

    Whoa! The leader/follower theme coming through in the actual composition itself is genius. I don't know that I ever would have put that together on my own

  • @darkvirtue7432
    @darkvirtue7432 3 года назад +2

    "Will you die for this?" I have never heard this before!

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +2

      Me neither, thought it wast just groaning and moaning! The gift that keeps on giving. Or the spiral that keeps on spiraling...

  • @night_speed
    @night_speed 3 года назад +19

    Good ol' Danny "Brad Pitt" Lohner. There's a great interview from 95 with Trent and Bowie making fun of the fact that Danny looked like Brad Pitt. He walks away embarrassed.

  • @secretseasauce
    @secretseasauce 3 года назад +2

    Thank you for everything you do. Your love and enthusiasm for music and sound is so amazing. It inspires me to do more and learn more.

  • @TheIslandDivision
    @TheIslandDivision 3 года назад +2

    Halfway though your intro, I have a feeling I just found a new favourite RUclips channel...
    The "Christy-anity" angle, opens up a whole new meaning that passed right over my head.
    Thanks, this was awesome!

  • @endimyongms6901
    @endimyongms6901 Год назад +1

    Been listening to this album for more than a decade and I'm learning so much from these!! Amazing job.

  • @CricketStyleJ
    @CricketStyleJ 3 года назад +15

    I think it fits in with the album's concept because it's an expression of nihilism and alienation. It's a piece of character development.

    • @Vladdamyre
      @Vladdamyre 3 года назад +6

      You can view many of the songs as different coping mechanisms of the main character for their depression.. Heresy being Religion, Closer being Sex, Ruiner being Drugs/Other people/cult, Reptile being assigning blame to others, and we get to the end in The downward spiral.

    • @Toddy9cent
      @Toddy9cent Год назад

      @@Vladdamyre Completely NEW aspects! “The Bottom”, the first track that touched me musically. My first language is German, it usually happens that the music arouses my interest, not "commercial/pleasing", but rather I feel parts of the music connect us...Great, the mystical tones he uses to build the soundscape!
      Next, HERESY...do you believe in miracles..NOT REALLY...

  • @marclacerte4870
    @marclacerte4870 3 года назад +2

    I listened to The Downward Spiral a lot throughout the years, to every NIN album in fact, and keep up finding new stuff I haven't heard. Since I stumbled in your channel you made me discover even more stuff hidden in the layers of the music. Thanks!!

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      I'm still finding new stuff. Even after I analyze the song and make the video. Thank you, Trent, for all the layers!

  • @KillingMrFusion
    @KillingMrFusion Год назад +2

    Yep, mind blown at 16:38! I always wondered where those printed lyrics fit! Thank you!!!

  • @dirtypicksmusic
    @dirtypicksmusic 3 года назад +1

    Love your NIN videos. Really fun and interesting analysis. Keep it up please!

  • @rexytube
    @rexytube 3 года назад +1

    Your entire analysis is fantastic, but it was the bit at the end about the TDS theme that blew my mind. So much of this stuff is perceived by your subconscious, obviously, but you spelling it out the way you did was so rad. It's like "of COURSE that's the theme, of course!" but you never realize it while listening, even after decades. Thank you!

  • @joshuasigman
    @joshuasigman 3 года назад +17

    This is such a good series. As a 90's goth teen who grew up to be a music theory nerd, this is one of my favorite things on RUclips right now.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      🙏 The combination could not be more perfect.

  • @bmofano
    @bmofano 3 года назад +3

    Omg I love u, you're pointing out to me how my favourite band are so good. You're amazing

  • @thenothing2786
    @thenothing2786 3 года назад +59

    Ok I’ll get a little real here; I have a deep spiritual relationship with God and... I love this song. It is very very important to me. I grew up in a very culty “Christian” church. They were horrible. The church leaders used “Christianity” to create power imbalances, to control our actions, and encouraged us to be judgmental and hateful to people outside our “church”. Years after I walked away I started exploring a relationship with God without any outside influences, I found a deeply loving spirit that accepted me and loved me. That is the One True God. i don’t know if hell exists but if it does, it’s not for the people that don’t “except jesus as their lord and savior” it’s for the fucking pieces of shit that purposely pervert his words for their own gain. Well! That was fun! Love ya ixi.

  • @zacharyferris206
    @zacharyferris206 2 месяца назад +2

    i know I'm late but i always saw this song as the "ruiner" or "Mr. Self Destruct" parading the streets yelling "god is dead" just to spread hate and confusion on their spiral down

  • @Feldon666
    @Feldon666 3 года назад +5

    This is one of the songs that got me into NIN. I actually think it's a good song to introduce someone to NIN and Trents music. It has the "predictability" as you say, but still that sound that is unmistakenly Trent from this era. Love it. You showed me even more layers than I have discovered myself, and I have listened a LOT to this song!
    Thank you again for your effort of deconstructing my favorite band!

  • @MaXaNoMaLoUs
    @MaXaNoMaLoUs 3 года назад +8

    This beat reminds me of Happiness in Slavery. My mind keeps starting the lyrics with “Slave screams!!” Soo amazed and proud of Trent staying relevant through the years, utilizing what makes him great over and over, never tied down to genre or instrument

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +2

      When I was younger I thought he was screaming "SLIGHT SCRAAAPES" and I was like...hmm. haha
      He's got so much integrity and puts the art first. So glad he's getting recognition as a composer lately.

  • @cameroncortel8650
    @cameroncortel8650 3 года назад +27

    This is actually my favorite from the album.

  • @fjasps
    @fjasps 3 года назад +2

    I love watching your videos. Listening to you dissect these songs is akin to literary appreciation class, only better. You are awesome!! Thank you so much for your videos!

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      Thank you! 🙌 Glad you're enjoying them.

  • @toms4384
    @toms4384 3 года назад +3

    The guitars remind you of Marilyn Manson? Makes sense as Trent produced MMs early (and best) albums.

  • @cameroncortel8650
    @cameroncortel8650 3 года назад +11

    I think the song is about him doing a couple of things. First, he is starting to drift away from what is "holy" and "righteous" and becoming more "evil". Second, he is rebelling against religion, and rebelling away from that. Part of him wants to be a sheep, wants to be complacent, while the other part wants to control.

  • @demonovationable
    @demonovationable 3 года назад +1

    You're channel is like Genius but for the music instead of just the lyrics, so cool.

  • @unpoppablebubble
    @unpoppablebubble 3 года назад +2

    Brilliant video, I'm enjoying this TDS series so far, really love that you explore each part of these songs and I find it really interesting hearing your analysis on it thanks for making these and I look forward to the rest

  • @justinjoyce3047
    @justinjoyce3047 3 года назад +1

    Today I discovered a channel apparently designed exactly for me. This seemingly cool and kinda quirky person doing in depth analysis of one of my favorite groups. Instant subscribe.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      Yes, I made it for you!

    • @justinjoyce3047
      @justinjoyce3047 3 года назад

      @@iximusic And I appreciate it! Since then I've watched a number of your videos, you are doing a great job and are very engaging! Music theory nerds UNITE!! :)

  • @rodrigolaporte274
    @rodrigolaporte274 3 года назад +1

    I was waiting for this analysis since you hinted about it on a previous video! and whoa! what a ride!!!! totally awesome!

  • @siluetadepolvo
    @siluetadepolvo 3 года назад +5

    This one's always been one of my favourite Spiral tracks. The perfect soundtrack for a discotheque full of leather. I also found out not so much time ago that the 'bluesy' interlude guitar reminds me a lot of Martin Gore. Your musical analysis and your take on the lyrics were great Ixi!

  • @justinhendren
    @justinhendren 3 года назад +1

    While working some mixes together I found that 'Happiness in Slavery' from Broken and Fixed (the remix) seems to follow the exact same tempo, and probably had some of its elements borrowed to make 'Heresy'.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      Yeah same tempo, similar feel!

  • @SamyaprasaDasa
    @SamyaprasaDasa 3 года назад +4

    Happy to see this is a regular series!
    I agree that Heresy is a great track - it's one that definitely stood out to me on hearing it. Like you, I was amazed that Trent was 'getting away with' such a furious denial of religion. Re: this song and its place in the album protagonist's personal downward spiral, consider the context of Nietzsche's famous 'God is dead' statement. Many have considered that, in context, Nietzsche was practically lamenting the loss of God in our modern societies, of an accepted, absolute moral center, of intrinsic meaning, of a transcendent reality. Historically, there has been a profound shift away from religion and spirituality and into the deterministic and materialistic perspectives that are popular today.
    Without transcendence, with nothing to hold onto outside of whatever meaning we personally and temporarily ascribe to reality, society begins to disintegrate. The individual is then unmoored from the concept (what to speak of an actual experience of!) a spiritual journey, and pushed into an isolated existence in which one has to fend entirely for themselves. Our protagonist is lamenting this loss. He's angry, but that anger is rooted in his sense of what he has lost: he wishes there were people who lived up to spiritual ideals. He sees hypocritical systems of mere religious control and wishes there was sustenance to be had within. He wants to be part of something transcendent... and in its absence, without even the support system of blind following, he falls further, cursing those who let him down along the way.
    The anger of Heresy is rooted in his personal lament. He wishes it didn't have to be this way. It's another cry for help. I think you nailed it when you talked about how the album's melodic theme appears here, but not yet in its fully realized form. He has further to fall.
    The emotional tone of Heresy reminds me of Tool's 'Eulogy', another scathing critique of religious hypocrisy. As someone who has had a strong attraction to spirituality his whole life, this one hits close to home. I'm a Hare Krishna monk now and never happier, but for years the hypocrisy and shallowness of spiritual options available to me was a source of great pain.
    Keep 'em coming! :)

  • @mr_selfdestruct
    @mr_selfdestruct 3 года назад +3

    When I first heard this song as a 15 year old who was an outcast and punching bag to anybody in school, the lyrics to this song always felt personal to me like, the God whos dead thats mentioned was the authority who were failing me. Nobody cared about me or my feelings, or that I wanted to die, "And no-one cares."
    TDS was there for me though, thank you Trent.

  • @groverXIII
    @groverXIII 3 года назад +6

    Goddamn, what a breakdown. I've always known that there was a lot to this song (and the entire Downward Spiral album) that I was dimly aware of but could never quite put my finger on. Heresy always felt like such a bleak, rage-filled, nihilistic song, even to the point that it stood out in an album full of bleak tunes. I've always liked the contrast between the Broken EP and The Downward Spiral, where Broken was angry but felt somewhat unrestrained and unhinged, while The Downward Spiral feels like its rage is more mechanical and controlled, and Heresy embodies that perfectly.

  • @AhYesIndeedItsFunTime
    @AhYesIndeedItsFunTime 3 года назад +2

    You are so smart! I love it. Thank you for doing these. They are always a treat.

  • @suncrestreef9557
    @suncrestreef9557 3 года назад +4

    Oh my god...I've never listened to it with a metronome. That totally changed the whole sound and my realization of its rhythm! This is definitely another one of my favorite NIN songs. Thanks for another great breakdown video!

  • @thisisisabella3634
    @thisisisabella3634 3 года назад +81

    "almost imperceptible" is a theme for NIN songs.

    • @moliver_xxii
      @moliver_xxii 3 года назад

      what do you mean ?

    • @thisisisabella3634
      @thisisisabella3634 3 года назад +2

      @@moliver_xxii Lots of subliminals in the music.

    • @namastenurse
      @namastenurse 3 года назад +3

      A subtle continuity that is at the same time dissonant. A juxtaposition and yet not really. Beautiful; yet, horribly so.

    • @thisisisabella3634
      @thisisisabella3634 3 года назад

      @@namastenurse That's one way to put it yes.

  • @kanerosnov
    @kanerosnov 3 года назад +1

    Amazing analysis. I'm loving watching your videos and gaining some additional appreciation for the way Trent has organized and composed this! Learning is beautiful. Thanks!

  • @Adventuredad207
    @Adventuredad207 3 года назад +1

    Mind blown! I definitely noticed that motif running throughout the album. So good! So happy I’ve stumbled upon your videos!

  • @Guy_Fawkes_News
    @Guy_Fawkes_News 3 года назад +38

    And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. Friedrich Nietzsche

  • @RossGreenough
    @RossGreenough 3 года назад +19

    I did always like Heresy... Re: how it relates to the protagonist's downward spiral:
    Narratively, I'd say THIS part of the album is the protagonist cutting himself off from religion, irrevocably. There's more depth to it, of course, but that's the easily accessible surface stuff.
    Fits with the thematic stuff it plays off from in Mr Self Destruct (religion's message clear/denial guilt and fear). MrSD shows disgust for religion; Heresy rejects it entirely.
    Also, the specific mentions re: the AIDS crisis (made a virus/kill off all the swine) fit well with Closer, later in the album. Sex is as much a theme in TDS as violence is. Sex in this part of the 90s? Could get you killed. And it would be religious leaders who celebrate your death. Heresy is a direct rebuke of that philosophy. A candid "fuck you" to the religious right of the day... that part of the song, at least, remains sadly topical.
    I also kinda like that Heresy isn't about regret. There's no "religion could have saved me" saccharine nonsense here. Just straight up "Your God Is Dead" ubermench mentality as he embraces all the stuff religion labelled as Damned. It's meant to be absolute, final and destructive towards whatever framework of faith the protagonist had prior to his downward spiral.
    A flaming torch, thrown on the pyre, and THIS is the song in his head as he burns his faith to the ground.

    • @pointsbeingmade7996
      @pointsbeingmade7996 3 года назад +3

      Loved this interpret. The individual is quite smart yet smarter with feedback of 2-3 when an agenda is spiken for by millions it becomes corrupted and distorted the original intent.

  • @seanclements3783
    @seanclements3783 3 года назад +3

    This song right here… this is the one that changed the course of my life for sure! First NIN song I heard by them, and one of the first songs to really grab and resonate with me

  • @tackyproduct
    @tackyproduct 3 года назад +1

    I’m so happy to have found this channel. Assuming you actually do a video for every track from the album, this may be the definitive video analysis on the Downward Spiral. I wish every album analysis was this extensive.

  • @pighut
    @pighut 3 года назад +1

    Wow, this is easily my new favorite RUclips channel ever. Please never stop!!!

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад

      Nothing can stop me now! 🙌

  • @ScoutGamerKill
    @ScoutGamerKill 3 года назад +2

    Dude! You are the coolest! Your Analysis is fantastic! Can’t wait to see and hear more!!!

  • @beefshackles
    @beefshackles 3 года назад +1

    I love everything about your video. I LOVE this song. You break NIN down exactly to the finest detail. The time, effort and love you have put into this is appreciated and really I look forward to watching everything you do in future.

  • @ChristianMacInnis
    @ChristianMacInnis 3 года назад +1

    ixi, You've done it again! I can't wait to watch this. Keep this up! You're amazing.

  • @mastertimb
    @mastertimb 3 года назад +1

    I love your NIN deep dive videos so much! Thank you for making these.

  • @zachw2538
    @zachw2538 3 года назад +1

    I think most if not all of the tracks on the downward spiral have variations on the theme you mentioned, i don't know the exact notes of the piano line in "hurt" off the top of my head but i know it has a similar descending motif with 8th notes instead of quarter notes. You likely noticed he did something similar on The Fragile, but with several different themes to provide variations (ie the piano intro of the wretched is also an arranged version of the chorus to the fragile with little tweaks)

  • @tlkshowhst
    @tlkshowhst 3 года назад +3

    Wow. This makes me appreciate this album even more... And it's already one of my favorites.

  • @lovedeathdisco
    @lovedeathdisco 3 года назад +5

    that was brilliant. despite understanding, i will probably forever be rhythmically displaced. you're certainly the right girl for this job!

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад

      Haha yeah I've got songs like that too. Thanks for the kind words!

  • @BabyLouie22
    @BabyLouie22 3 года назад +1

    Trent has some VCR tapes out there with a few uncut videos from some of his albums. It starts out with Pinion. The tapes that are out there have subtle differences so Trent would know who "leaked" them. But they are "snuff" films. They go around in 1st person view find a guy and end up tying him up and begin mutilating him through blurred images and go back and forth with uncut music videos of Happiness In Slavery, Heresy, Piston, and others, until the blurred video images of the guy being mutilated ends up with his body entrails and private area being severally picked apart... it's not for the faint of heart... but of course, it's Trent's idea and there is a director and film animator, so it isn't real but it was my 1st view of a "snuff" film movie. I had a copy back when I was a teen but my uncle took it and now he has it. It's something you need to see if you are truly into the Downward Spiral, and other music he put out during that time.

  • @fl00d69
    @fl00d69 3 года назад +3

    "Djenting guitars is one of the most satisfying sounds, I think known to humankind."
    _Ixi, 2021_
    AGREED!!

  • @Michael-wp2bp
    @Michael-wp2bp 3 года назад +1

    What a find this channel is! Absolutely awesome!

  • @cscarp4503
    @cscarp4503 3 года назад +1

    My favorite off this record. Thank you for giving it so much attention. Great video!

  • @johnnyeproductions
    @johnnyeproductions 3 года назад +2

    I loved the isolated parts here... never knew there was THAT much going on in that bridge! Crazy! I love these deep dives so much! Trent is a God, a musical genius

  • @BenjiBenning1
    @BenjiBenning1 3 года назад +1

    LOVE this!!! i've listened to these songs literally hundreds of times, Heresy the most i believe as it was always one of my favorites. And you've just pointed out things here that i've either never noticed(??), or have always wondered about but had no way of digging deeper into it! And the downward spiral theme in Piggy and here, mind blown!! Time to binge this whole series!!

  • @darkdjen
    @darkdjen 3 года назад +2

    Both Downward Spiral and Antichrist Superstar dialogue with Nietzsche's ideas. Despite the well-known problems between Trent and Manson, it is interesting, in terms of theme, to analyze both albums together because in both works the character seeks to push himself to the limit and reach different places. DWS ends with "Hurt" and ASS (ups) ends with "The man that you fear". I don't think I have discovered something new, or explore a point of view that has not been said before, but I found it interesting.

  • @Thecrooms
    @Thecrooms 3 года назад +1

    My Favorite song from this album, Thank you for that amazing breakdown!

  • @FPStexan
    @FPStexan 3 года назад +6

    The character seems to reject god, but later on the 4 minutes, 19 seconds into "I do not want this", he describes wanting the ability to be omnipotent (wanting to know everything, wanting to be everywhere, etc).

    • @lashtal
      @lashtal 3 года назад +1

      The Reluctant Hero in a sense?

    • @claymccoy
      @claymccoy 3 года назад +1

      "DON"T YOU TELL ME HOW I FEEL!!!!"

  • @SmokeyMcPotProductions
    @SmokeyMcPotProductions 3 года назад +3

    Your attention to detail and musical knowledge makes these breakdowns just that much more enjoyable to watch. I also love that you use the stems // multitracks for the examples... I’m sure this helps the more casual // non-musician fans understand what you’re referring to. This series has quickly become a favorite of mine on RUclips, and I very much look forward to future installments!
    I’m gonna lose my shit if you end up exploring The Fragile, arguably my favorite record(s) as it was released when I was in HS, back when life was easy and music was everything. I know you’ve covered a couple songs already, but would love to see more... in the meantime I’m loving this TDS exploration. Regardless, keep doing what you’re doing girl 👍🏽

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      I've got plans for The Fragile! Not a whole series like this but I have sooo many from The Fragile on my analysis list. Like almost all. Plus a video just about the recurring themes alone!

    • @SmokeyMcPotProductions
      @SmokeyMcPotProductions 3 года назад

      @@iximusic oooooo that’s funny you mention it, because I was wondering if you would cover the reoccurring melodies that randomly pop up throughout the whole record, much like the reoccurring TDS melody you touched on here. Regardless, I’m excited you’ve already thought it out. I can’t imagine it being simple tying to choose ONE song to cover on each video since there’s just so many great ones to choose from... do you pick them randomly or do you have a “system” of sorts?

  • @brettdarling8902
    @brettdarling8902 3 года назад +1

    You, madam, are a delight. Your videos are always a major 3rd in the tritone of my day.

    • @iximusic
      @iximusic  3 года назад +1

      Oh! I'm still giggling. This is amazing 😂