The Fragile is next bud, it's Downward Spiral 2.0 sonically. If Downward Spiral is the descent into addiction and madness, The Fragile is the long road to recovery.
And then the fact that it also could get flipped on it's head like with Johnny Cash's version that takes it in a whole different direction that's just as fantastic as the original. Reznor's writing is just flawless.
I always imagine Hurt to be the protagonists suicide note that you as the listener are reading after his death, and the way the album ends is almost like the shock you would get from discovering that about someone
Yeah Hurt is always the track that scares the fuck out of people, not because of how it sounds, but because of those loud massive sounds that I believe is a gunshot, which indicates the suicide after that sorrowfilled note. Fantastic album.
I'm afraid of Americans is one of my favorite tracks! Trent also did some stuff with the late great Gary Numan and Numans 2011 song "When the sky bleeds he comes" sounds like Trent was involved.
You're completely right with your "Reptile is Closer 2" theory. This is the main character lashing out and isolating himself from someone that he once needed to satisfy his hedonism, but his destruction tore him away from them. The way I always took it, was "this is the last person he had, and now that they're gone, he can hit the bottom."
It would be so fucking cool to watch you review The Fragile. If you loved TDS, then you will definitely love that one. All NIN albums are worth a listen but The Fragile, especially.
The Fragile is easily my favorite album of all time, but honestly there isn't a single NIN project that I don't think he would love based on this reaction
@@flowersbloom4262from what I’ve read (I was 1 in ‘94) A Warm Place was a pretty big deal as it was a complete departure from his usual style. To quote a commenter on another website “it was considered Trent’s most beautiful song.”
For years, I thought Big Man With a Gun was the weakest track, and out of place. But more recently I feel it's like the moment the protagonist has the psychotic break and sees himself as a kind of tragic antihero, going around killing and raping and having a good time doing it. Then followed by A Warm Place which I used to think was a positive vibe, but really is incredibly dark if the protagonist is feeling good after everything that's come before. Just my interpretation :)
I never made this connection before watching this video but I think you're right. A Warm Place is a moment of bliss after having satisfied his darkest impulses, and Eraser is the pain and torment after he realizes the gravity of what he has done.
I always thought that his spiral towards the violence of Big Man started in Piggy, he fought it in I do not want this, gave in and was at peace by A Warm Place, then started regretting it at the end of reptile, leading to his suicide by the end of the album.
From what reznor said himself, big man with a gun is somewhat of a parody of rap music of the time, whilst also being more of a mental and psychological and mental thing as opposed to literal.
Yeah, to me the song is the "breaking point" of the album, before this track the protagonist still has a chance to escape and to heal, but during Big Man With a Gun he does something so vile he couldn't psychologically or morally recover (presumably raping somebody), with every song after that being a faster and faster spiral into insanity before he kills himself.
The reason why I think Hurt is so much more open and somber and not as “busy” is because, well, he’s dead. He’s not a mortal anymore. He’s a consciousness stuck in a dead body in a casket 6 feet under. Hell, maybe not even in a casket considering he fucked over everyone he loved or cared for. To me it’s his reflection on who he was and what he did. The whole “I seriously fucked up” kind of mentality. “I hurt myself today” was him, in a sense, finally admitting to the shit he’s done. He didn’t just hurt himself, he killed himself, and destroyed the lives of others. It’s absolutely horrible, melancholic, depressing, traumatizing, and sadly realistic for many people who might go through this in real life. I heard a good bit of people say this album helped them get off drug addiction as well.
I Do Not Want This - 0:48 Big Man With A Gun - 3:47 A Warm Place - 4:47 Eraser - 6:08 Help Brad Get Away From Himself - 8:19 Reptile / Closer 2: Electric Boogaloo - 8:24 The Downward Spiral - 11:33 Hurt - 14:11
I think everyone jumps when they hear Hurt for the first time lol. I was 14 years old when I first listened to the album. I didn't really understand completely what I was listening to, but I certainly do now, much more than I would like to, but I think a lot of us can say that. Great reaction! Thanks
Reptile is my favourite. So good. But, don't sleep on A Warm Place! Trent is a master of Ambient and that is one of his best pieces. Anyway, Brad, thank you so much for giving this album a chance. Even though I literally just listened to it a week ago, it's one of the most important albums for me.
@@tearupnationinc.7199 "Seeds from a thousand others drip down from within." "Oh, my beautiful liar." This is probably either about a very unfaithful woman or seeking comfort from prostitutes, knowing in the back of your mind that it's all a lie and you're the thousandth in line to partake.
F*ckin nailed it, Buddy. No pun intended. Most insightful review I’ve seen. You got the concept and I appreciate that. Keep goin dude. Your style of reaction/review is entertaining and thoughtful.
Hurt is one of the best album closers ever. Even when I listen to it now I shudder at the sudden, violent sounds at the end. To me it also sounds really ugly and messy, like the sound you would hear when you discover someone's bloody, dead body. I think that shocked reaction from the listener is completely intended in that regard. People debate whether or not the protagonist in this album actually dies at the end. And, even though it's just a detail in one song, the way Reznor ends Hurt with that raw, terrible noise makes me believe that they don't survive.
Am I the only person who totally loves "I Do Not Want This"? I like the spoken word parts and I find outro captivating. I also like the contrast between sad piano and loud guitar, though it's a bit of cliché. Also, I sometimes listen to "A Big Man with a Gun" outside of the whole record, it has this weird , mad feeling. "A Warm Place" is beautiful because it slowly fades into "Eraser". The transition is so smooth, you can't tell when chill turns into Hell. I feel like "Eraser" is goth inspired in some ways. The tribalistic drums sound like something out off The Cure's "Pornography". "Reptile" is my least favourite track off TDS. I enjoy the laughter in the background. I like the sound of snakes crawling, but the guitar feels like... Masculine cliché, if that makes sense? Cock rock in a way. Though I believe it's intentional, considering the lyrics. Also, I love the hysterical screaming in the end, it turns an album that sounded like 9/10 in the beginning of "Reptile" to pure 10/10. "The Downward spiral" introduced me to screams as a part of tune. Before this I thought screams can only be vocals. Also, the second half of TDS is better than the first one. "Hurt" is a perfect ending, because it leaves you with questions. Also, it's the most personal of the bunch according to Reznor himself. I can definitely see why a lot of people think that it's his best. I personally don't think it's the best song on TDS, but one of the bests, for sure. Also, if we're talking about tearjerkers in NIN's discography "The Great Below" does that job better, in my opinion. Thank you, TDS for introducing me to industrial and listening to music in albums instead of separate tracks! The first time music made my jaw drop. It also helped me through my first girlfriend's death. The pain resonated with me and I could understand the mindset behind her drug addiction and mental health issues.
The spoken word in I do not want this is my favourite part of the album sometimes, and the rawness of the vocals (or as brad said simple) represents the protagonists introspective clarity for once.
@@ruairimusic2747 I feel this way too. I think that the second one has more nihilistic vibe to it, which speaks to me more, but the first one is cool as well.
It may be the most perfect album ever made. Trent rezner is a lyrical and musical genius. He uses notes and sounds that nobody else whatever think about using. I was lucky enough to be alive when this album was released and I am envious of you hearing it for the first time because I wish I could go back and hear it for the first time. All these years later it is still one of my all-time favorite albums. It is so rich and complex and layered, you can literally listen this album a thousand times and still pick up new things in every song. New notes new sounds you never realized were there , possibly different meanings because it's so symbolic a lot of it is Open to interpretation, but you listening it to the first time and understanding of this well is pretty amazing. Good job
This is one of the few albums that I wish I could hear for the first time again, and seeing you react to it makes me wish I was in your shoes. I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
There are a lot of people here suggesting that if you liked The Downward Spiral, then you should definitely check out The Fragile, and I'd just like to point out that these albums are incredibly different. They have completely different sounds and I feel that The Downward Spiral is clearly more overtly thematic while The Fragile feels more like a group of songs that fit well together, but don't tell a clear story. I prefer The Fragile, but from my life experiences, most people seem to prefer The Downward Spiral, or even Pretty Hate Machine or Broken.
I mean, it's not exactly The Downward Spiral 2, but they aren't THAT different. It's also pretty much undisputed that The Fragile is in the top 3 NIN albums at the very least, whereas Pretty Hate Machine has its fair share of critics, so The Fragile is the next logical step for most people.
laughed out loud at the description of Reptile's beat as something repulsive that belongs in a garbage bag. Bang on the money. Glad you love the album, it's such an incredible experience
That wall of sound that Reptile hits you with is one of the most incredible things to hear, especially live. Also, 15:10 happens to me every time I listen to the song lol. I always forget it's coming.
It's a double lp but I highly recommend his album the fragile, for an album over 2 times the average length of most metal albums never once feels like a slog and has some of his best tracks all the way thru
I wouldn't call "The Fragile" industrial metal. It has its heavy spots, but most of the album flirts with more post-rock vibe. Also, I clearly hear some 80s German industrial influence on spots (listen to Grunsdstück by Einsterzunde Neubauten)
@@zhenia2511 This is one of my favorite things about NIN. Trent's work in the '90s, though lauded as an original work of industrial rock, is really just dark, progressive synth pop. Trent wears his influences on his sleeve. From Bowie and Waters, to Skinny Puppy and Einstürzende Neubauten. Which makes it absolutely fascinating to discover those influences. To quote TS Eliot, “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole of feeling which is unique, utterly different than that from which it is torn.”
@@Revilik Yeah, pretty much. It looks hilarious right now that people back in the heyday were mad about NIN not being real industrial, when Reznor said a lot of times that he doesn't think his music is industrial too. It's a weird part of human nature: people obsess with labels they invented themselves and get mad over these labels, gatekeep this particular thing. And I'm not necessarily talking about music,no. Just about the whole urge to classify everything and then be upset over life not fitting in the made-up classification.
@@user-lv6mu8er9z I suppose, one could argue that its dream pop/shoegaze shining through. The Cure's fuzzy guitars were vital to the genre: it's pretty obvious when you compare "Pornography's" darker moments to lighter parts of MBV's "Loveless". Think, it stems from there on NIN record too.
eraser, a warm place, and the downward spiral didn't connect with me the first few times i listened to TDS, but as i got older and mental health problems and random remembering of past abuses came about, i immediately began to understand the feelings behind those tracks and NIN on an emotional level and not just a mental and physical level.........the first half of TDS holds your hand more and sounds like other music that you're familiar with than the 2nd half.....but there's a subtlety on the 2nd half that is more real and pervasive than when he's shouting angrily...... this is an album that gets better with each listen. once you know all the lyrics, you start hearing feelings you can relate to in the layers of sound
That Nine Inch Nails album! Are you telling me that a reviewer just happens to give an album a 9+ like that and never react to any other of the artist's projects? No! He orchestrated it! Bradley! He listened to a Chocolate Starfish! And I liked it! And I shouldn't have. I gave every reaction my own like! What was I thinking? He'll never change. He'll never change! Ever since he gave Downward Spiral a 9, always the same! Couldn't react to other Nine Inch Nails albums! But not our Bradley! Couldn't be precious Bradley! Reacting to Island Boys! And he gets to be a critic!? What a sick joke! I should've stopped him when I had the chance! And you - you have to stop him!
a warm place is beautiful, honestly so gorgeous, and the song actually samples david bowie's instrumental Crystal Japan, another beautiful track. also, david bowie had a huge influence on this album with his experimental low album, and then bowie would end up being influenced by this album for his more industrial mid late 90s stuff.
Also because of a dispute with the record label Trent Reznor gave his fans the green light to pirate it, not that I would condone such activities, Im just putting it out there...
Fantano says that Reptile and Closer are two of the best pop songs of 1994. Third is Green Day: Basket Case. But seriously, I think if I had to pick, Reptile might be my favorite from side 2.
Also not to be a nerd, but the actual 3 best pop songs of 1994, for me, are: 1.Lisa Germano - Cry Wolf 2.Magnetic Fields - Lonely Highway or Country Song and 3.Low - Words, all 10/10 songs and the first 2 are two of my favorite pop tracks of the 90s decade overall also.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but Year Zero is my favorite full-length by NIN. It's the album where he flexes his sound design the most, and as a fan of Trent's more synth-based, noisy-as-hell stuff, I eat it up. The Broken EP is my absolute favorite of theirs though - probably the heaviest, most chaotic material in their catalogue, but with a lot of the push and pull that you liked about TDS and some incredibly catchy songwriting
A Warm Place is my favorite NIN track of all time. It takes me back to the womb, back to the warm waters where I came from and where I feel I most belong.
This is why u gotta listen to Coil Brad!! They recorded an album at Trent Reznor’s studio in 1993 that they worked on up until the band dissolved in 2005. It’s called Backwards and listening to it you can hear the reciprocal influence NIN and Coil had on each other. They also remixed some stuff from Trent on the albums on Fixed and Recoiled :)
@@zhenia2511 I agree completely! I just feel like the Backwards stuff is a good starting point if you know you like NIN’s brand of Industrial since it was made in the same studio.
@@corinnacybele I guess so. But there a lot of ways to start your Coil journey: their acid house record "Love's secret domain" is surprisingly accessible. I also think that industrial pop sound of "Horse Rotovator" is very easy to get into.
@@zhenia2511 Very true! I even think Live in Moscow might be a good place to start, as the visual aspect of Coil is almost as important as the Musickal
@@corinnacybele Surely, considering the fact that Sleazy is a photographer and a designer (His photography is underappreciated, it looked addictively sickening). I also think that their "Tainted Love" cover is a good starting point this way, cuz' it's the best version of the song and has one of the most beautiful musical videos ever.
whats funny about big man with a gun, is that it was a parody of the misogyny of gangsta rap at the time. and then the song ended up being used as an example of misogynistic rap music, and trent ended up disliking the track because of it
you should definitely listen to the fragile next, it’s my favourite nin album by far, and it has some of their best tracks. (also make sure you include “the new flesh” and “10 miles high” which were lp exclusive tracks, for some reason)
the album that made me a Nine Inch Nails fan 🤘 it's a bit of a different vibe, but it's amazing through and through. as for 10 Miles High and The New Flesh, iirc Trent Reznor wasn't 100% sure on including them on the album, but when they were working on the track layout for the vinyl release, the songs didn't flow together the way he wanted (or something to that effect); so he took 10MH and TNF off the back-burner to help with the flow of the record. the final song on the vinyl release was also changed: on the CD release, the song is called Ripe (With Decay) and essentially has two different halves; the vinyl release is just called Ripe, and is only the first half. the casette release had its own little addition as well. the song Please had an extended outro called The Appendage, and was included to make the A-side of tape 2 longer than the B-side, so people wouldn't flip the casette halfway through Starfuckers Inc (and yes, Brad, there is a song... called Starfuckers Inc). I've never heard of another album having such wild variation between releases as this album. it's so varied, that before the Spotify days, I created a custom The Fragile album for my iPod, including 10MH and TNF (torrented, of course, because finding a physical copy of the vinyl is next to impossible), and my own custom edit of Please/The Appendage, where I remastered The Appendage to sound less lofi and as close to CD-quality as I possibly could
@@ideitbawxproductions1880 it's a shame that there's no true "definitive" version of the fragile, the new flesh and +appendage in particular are really good nin deep cuts that aren't on streaming services to my knowledge (at least not spotify)
@@chamele0nday I think one of the singles for We're In This Together is on Spotify. I know one of them had 10MH and TNF on it (there were 3 released altogether, but I don't remember which one). as far as The Appendage, I'm pretty sure it's only on cassette. I've never seen it listed anywhere else
@@chamele0nday i made a 3 hour version of the album with the deviations tracks in 320kbps mp3 if you want it, make sure to play it with a gapless media player tho
Well done Brad reacting and analysing TDS. I've seen many react or analyse, but it's rare for someone who hasn't heard it to do both so well. Thank you! 🙌
I've always read Hurt to actually be the suicide more than Downward. I read Downward as his inner voice telling him how it will feel and setting him up but Hurt is both the note and the suicide. That final bang on Hurt to me always sounded like a gunshot. I personally think that's where the protagonist ends his life
It’s great to see hurt get the respect it deserves as a song completely divorced from meme culture. I think Johnny Cash’s cover works infinitely better as a stand alone song as it changes the theme to looking back at his life, but the NIN version is possibly the best conclusion to any album I’ve ever heard. It works perfectly in the context of the whole experience and is a masterpiece.
Been following Trent and NIN since head like a hole hit LA radio in 90. Saw him at a tiny shithole in Hollywood with about 8 freaks. Still have a 1991 Now I am nothing tour shirt I cherish. Saw him at Lollapalooza and again around 2012 at Morongo casino and lost my voice from singing along
A band I'd recommend is Godflesh (ignore the edgy name) specifically the album Streetcleaner. It's more industrial but this time industrial metal. It kinda sounds like Filth by The Swans
Godflesh is an insanely tame name by metal standards. Also everything they make is insane. Justin K Broadrick has a number of other side projects as well such as JK FLesh, Greymachine, Pale Sketcher, etc, but one of the best ones is Jesu which is a shoegaze inspired affair.
Everyone reacting with how it isn't that edgy of a name for metal, yeah not for metal. But for someone who doesn't listen to too much metal, Godflesh is a bit more then something like slipknot or system of a down.
i understand your criticism for i do not want this. in fact i think the chorus is just okay to me. but it's my favorite. the chord progression is so fkn creepy, and the crunchy drums are so perfectly textured. as if kenny segal and jpegmafia tried mixing the drums together or something. but i love the becoming and eraserhead the most along w that song
if you want to hear another incredible very descolate and emotionally wrenching album popular with doomers, check out have a nice life deathconsciousness
I agree about the fragile. Also thanks so much for actually listening to the music. So many people just nod their head and say “I like this” and call it a day. Props for caring.
Listen to it in 5.1 , it might be the best audio experience ever? Great insights, its great seeing someone listen to an album i've listened to a 1000 times, for the first time. Then The Fragile!
Not only do you have to listen to the fragile next but you have to watch the music video for Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt I know alot of NIN fans get mad when you bring it up but Cash’s version takes in in a different direction than Trent’s Trent wrote it from the perspective of a young man looking towards and going through hard times Cash takes it and turns it into the perspective of an Old Man reflecting back on his hard life
Honestly I don’t like Cash’s version. I feel like, especially in the context of this album, Reznor really emphasizes the grimness, and the griminess, of his mental state in his version. Cash’s version is just more diluted and shallow IMO.
I’ve owned this album and listened to it as a fan since about 2004 and my dumbass never knew it was a concept album until about a year ago . I just always would listen and think “god DAMN this Trent Reznor is unhinged . Crazy we still have him on earth .” Lol
Loved your review, I have been watching you for a little while and have been really impressed at your analysis and ability to articulate your thoughts. I would recommend looking up some Woodstock 94 footage of nin( especially reptile and happiness in slavery). It's pretty wild seeing reznor and company covered in mud making all the noise for a ton of people. Also I wouldn't get my hopes up for the fragile, I know most people in the comments seem to dig it but I think you will be disappointed in it after the downward spiral. Not to say that it is a bad album, but The Downward Spiral is amazing and the fragile is just pretty good.
A 9+ ?!?! So you hate the album then.?!? Jokes jokes.. Sincerely though, I was very impressed on certain details that you picked up immediately, details that take most people some time to fully grasp what Trent Reznor was expressing. Nine Inch Nails reaction videos is like a new genre and you're the Fleming Minyan of that genre. Great video I'm subscribing.
I strongly strongly strongly strongly suggest you watch their 1994 woodstock performance. it's the energy of this album put into performance and visuals. so dirty, disgusting and raw
The Fragile is next bud, it's Downward Spiral 2.0 sonically. If Downward Spiral is the descent into addiction and madness, The Fragile is the long road to recovery.
I remember the day I bought the Fragile early on in my senior year. Agree totally here.
The road to recovery except if you got stomped on your way to your goal right before you got to the end
I don’t know if id say it’s TDS 2.0 it has a highly varied instrumentation compared to TDS without spoiling anything.
Reptile nin is the best.
I've never been able to get through The Fragile even though I love TDS
Hurt might be one of the best closers to an album ever made, flawless track from front to back
And then the fact that it also could get flipped on it's head like with Johnny Cash's version that takes it in a whole different direction that's just as fantastic as the original. Reznor's writing is just flawless.
@@samuelsteiner3854 true
I always imagine Hurt to be the protagonists suicide note that you as the listener are reading after his death, and the way the album ends is almost like the shock you would get from discovering that about someone
I always thought it was suppossed to represent a gunshot as he shot himself
To me I always imagined hurt to be the narrator themself, in the casket, in the ground, just realizing in some form somehow “I seriously fucked up”
@@chain12bb the gunshot happened in the song before that on the title track.
“He put the gun into his face, BANG!”
Yes, Downward Spiral was the suicide, and Hurt Is the consequences of that. Like the last moment of reflexión that comes too late
The Downward Spiral was The Ruiner talking to Satan about the protagonist’s suicide I think
Yeah Hurt is always the track that scares the fuck out of people, not because of how it sounds, but because of those loud massive sounds that I believe is a gunshot, which indicates the suicide after that sorrowfilled note. Fantastic album.
NIN went on tour with Bowie in like 94/95 and they did some songs together and their performance of Reptile is pure serotonin
I'm afraid of Americans is one of my favorite tracks! Trent also did some stuff with the late great Gary Numan and Numans 2011 song "When the sky bleeds he comes" sounds like Trent was involved.
Excuse me???? David Bowie? I need this right fucking now
That was such a good concert, loved seeing them sing together
I was listening to the entire album while playing Minecraft, and some of the songs started to sync up. It was a holy experience.
i laughed at this comment so hard but 100% understand it
or Unholy.
Drugs too
nice pfp
If youre an anime fan, you should listen to it while watching End of Evangelion.
You're completely right with your "Reptile is Closer 2" theory. This is the main character lashing out and isolating himself from someone that he once needed to satisfy his hedonism, but his destruction tore him away from them. The way I always took it, was "this is the last person he had, and now that they're gone, he can hit the bottom."
The character progresses here to exteriorizing blame for his predation
It would be so fucking cool to watch you review The Fragile. If you loved TDS, then you will definitely love that one. All NIN albums are worth a listen but The Fragile, especially.
The Fragile is easily my favorite album of all time, but honestly there isn't a single NIN project that I don't think he would love based on this reaction
A Warm Place is probably my favorite track and one of the biggest flexes I’ve ever heard from an artist
I absolutely agree, I’m interested in what you mean by flex tho cuz it’s def something tr does more of after tds
@@flowersbloom4262from what I’ve read (I was 1 in ‘94) A Warm Place was a pretty big deal as it was a complete departure from his usual style. To quote a commenter on another website “it was considered Trent’s most beautiful song.”
For years, I thought Big Man With a Gun was the weakest track, and out of place. But more recently I feel it's like the moment the protagonist has the psychotic break and sees himself as a kind of tragic antihero, going around killing and raping and having a good time doing it. Then followed by A Warm Place which I used to think was a positive vibe, but really is incredibly dark if the protagonist is feeling good after everything that's come before. Just my interpretation :)
I never made this connection before watching this video but I think you're right. A Warm Place is a moment of bliss after having satisfied his darkest impulses, and Eraser is the pain and torment after he realizes the gravity of what he has done.
I always thought that his spiral towards the violence of Big Man started in Piggy, he fought it in I do not want this, gave in and was at peace by A Warm Place, then started regretting it at the end of reptile, leading to his suicide by the end of the album.
@@flowersbloom4262 I would say he regrets it by the end of Eraser, where he's screaming "kill me" over and over
From what reznor said himself, big man with a gun is somewhat of a parody of rap music of the time, whilst also being more of a mental and psychological and mental thing as opposed to literal.
Yeah, to me the song is the "breaking point" of the album, before this track the protagonist still has a chance to escape and to heal, but during Big Man With a Gun he does something so vile he couldn't psychologically or morally recover (presumably raping somebody), with every song after that being a faster and faster spiral into insanity before he kills himself.
The reason why I think Hurt is so much more open and somber and not as “busy” is because, well, he’s dead.
He’s not a mortal anymore. He’s a consciousness stuck in a dead body in a casket 6 feet under. Hell, maybe not even in a casket considering he fucked over everyone he loved or cared for.
To me it’s his reflection on who he was and what he did. The whole “I seriously fucked up” kind of mentality. “I hurt myself today” was him, in a sense, finally admitting to the shit he’s done. He didn’t just hurt himself, he killed himself, and destroyed the lives of others.
It’s absolutely horrible, melancholic, depressing, traumatizing, and sadly realistic for many people who might go through this in real life.
I heard a good bit of people say this album helped them get off drug addiction as well.
I Do Not Want This - 0:48
Big Man With A Gun - 3:47
A Warm Place - 4:47
Eraser - 6:08
Help Brad Get Away From Himself - 8:19
Reptile / Closer 2: Electric Boogaloo - 8:24
The Downward Spiral - 11:33
Hurt - 14:11
I'm dead at your "Reptile" description.
Me and the homies only listen to help brad get away from himself
reptile is fkin terminator type beat
I think everyone jumps when they hear Hurt for the first time lol. I was 14 years old when I first listened to the album. I didn't really understand completely what I was listening to, but I certainly do now, much more than I would like to, but I think a lot of us can say that. Great reaction! Thanks
Reptile is my favourite. So good. But, don't sleep on A Warm Place! Trent is a master of Ambient and that is one of his best pieces. Anyway, Brad, thank you so much for giving this album a chance. Even though I literally just listened to it a week ago, it's one of the most important albums for me.
I 💕 this song to it help me make my comic book I love the meaning of using a woman to suppressed your beast.
Agreed man
@@tearupnationinc.7199 "Seeds from a thousand others drip down from within."
"Oh, my beautiful liar."
This is probably either about a very unfaithful woman or seeking comfort from prostitutes, knowing in the back of your mind that it's all a lie and you're the thousandth in line to partake.
Based
15:12 LMAOOOOOOOO
NO BUT THAT WAS EXACTLY MY FIRST REACTION LOL
A Warm Place is, no exaggeration, the most beautiful song I know. It fucking pulls at my heart every time I hear it.
F*ckin nailed it, Buddy. No pun intended. Most insightful review I’ve seen. You got the concept and I appreciate that. Keep goin dude. Your style of reaction/review is entertaining and thoughtful.
Hurt is one of the best album closers ever. Even when I listen to it now I shudder at the sudden, violent sounds at the end. To me it also sounds really ugly and messy, like the sound you would hear when you discover someone's bloody, dead body. I think that shocked reaction from the listener is completely intended in that regard. People debate whether or not the protagonist in this album actually dies at the end. And, even though it's just a detail in one song, the way Reznor ends Hurt with that raw, terrible noise makes me believe that they don't survive.
Am I the only person who totally loves "I Do Not Want This"? I like the spoken word parts and I find outro captivating. I also like the contrast between sad piano and loud guitar, though it's a bit of cliché.
Also, I sometimes listen to "A Big Man with a Gun" outside of the whole record, it has this weird , mad feeling.
"A Warm Place" is beautiful because it slowly fades into "Eraser". The transition is so smooth, you can't tell when chill turns into Hell.
I feel like "Eraser" is goth inspired in some ways. The tribalistic drums sound like something out off The Cure's "Pornography".
"Reptile" is my least favourite track off TDS. I enjoy the laughter in the background. I like the sound of snakes crawling, but the guitar feels like... Masculine cliché, if that makes sense? Cock rock in a way. Though I believe it's intentional, considering the lyrics. Also, I love the hysterical screaming in the end, it turns an album that sounded like 9/10 in the beginning of "Reptile" to pure 10/10.
"The Downward spiral" introduced me to screams as a part of tune. Before this I thought screams can only be vocals. Also, the second half of TDS is better than the first one.
"Hurt" is a perfect ending, because it leaves you with questions. Also, it's the most personal of the bunch according to Reznor himself. I can definitely see why a lot of people think that it's his best. I personally don't think it's the best song on TDS, but one of the bests, for sure. Also, if we're talking about tearjerkers in NIN's discography "The Great Below" does that job better, in my opinion.
Thank you, TDS for introducing me to industrial and listening to music in albums instead of separate tracks! The first time music made my jaw drop. It also helped me through my first girlfriend's death. The pain resonated with me and I could understand the mindset behind her drug addiction and mental health issues.
The spoken word in I do not want this is my favourite part of the album sometimes, and the rawness of the vocals (or as brad said simple) represents the protagonists introspective clarity for once.
@@ruairimusic2747 I feel this way too. I think that the second one has more nihilistic vibe to it, which speaks to me more, but the first one is cool as well.
по фактам👍
@@robbie7959 I'm Ukrainian and I do speak Russian, but why do you suddenly speak it, when you're in English comment section?
@@zhenia2511 i’m sorry if that bothers you :]
It may be the most perfect album ever made. Trent rezner is a lyrical and musical genius. He uses notes and sounds that nobody else whatever think about using. I was lucky enough to be alive when this album was released and I am envious of you hearing it for the first time because I wish I could go back and hear it for the first time. All these years later it is still one of my all-time favorite albums. It is so rich and complex and layered, you can literally listen this album a thousand times and still pick up new things in every song. New notes new sounds you never realized were there , possibly different meanings because it's so symbolic a lot of it is Open to interpretation, but you listening it to the first time and understanding of this well is pretty amazing. Good job
This is one of the few albums that I wish I could hear for the first time again, and seeing you react to it makes me wish I was in your shoes.
I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
There are a lot of people here suggesting that if you liked The Downward Spiral, then you should definitely check out The Fragile, and I'd just like to point out that these albums are incredibly different. They have completely different sounds and I feel that The Downward Spiral is clearly more overtly thematic while The Fragile feels more like a group of songs that fit well together, but don't tell a clear story. I prefer The Fragile, but from my life experiences, most people seem to prefer The Downward Spiral, or even Pretty Hate Machine or Broken.
I mean, it's not exactly The Downward Spiral 2, but they aren't THAT different. It's also pretty much undisputed that The Fragile is in the top 3 NIN albums at the very least, whereas Pretty Hate Machine has its fair share of critics, so The Fragile is the next logical step for most people.
laughed out loud at the description of Reptile's beat as something repulsive that belongs in a garbage bag. Bang on the money. Glad you love the album, it's such an incredible experience
7:13 speaking of bugs, the black stuff on the album cover of tds is a mixture made of dead bugs and other gunk
Eraser is by far the best song that I’ve heard that represents inner rage.
If eraser is internal rage reptile is the external version
That wall of sound that Reptile hits you with is one of the most incredible things to hear, especially live.
Also, 15:10 happens to me every time I listen to the song lol. I always forget it's coming.
If I could start again a million miles away, I would keep myself. I would find a way.
Jeeeebus.... I think Trent Reznor would really apppreciate this review.
You properly get it.
100%
It's a double lp but I highly recommend his album the fragile, for an album over 2 times the average length of most metal albums never once feels like a slog and has some of his best tracks all the way thru
I wouldn't call "The Fragile" industrial metal. It has its heavy spots, but most of the album flirts with more post-rock vibe. Also, I clearly hear some 80s German industrial influence on spots (listen to Grunsdstück by Einsterzunde Neubauten)
@@zhenia2511 This is one of my favorite things about NIN. Trent's work in the '90s, though lauded as an original work of industrial rock, is really just dark, progressive synth pop. Trent wears his influences on his sleeve. From Bowie and Waters, to Skinny Puppy and Einstürzende Neubauten. Which makes it absolutely fascinating to discover those influences. To quote TS Eliot, “Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different. The good poet welds his theft into a whole of feeling which is unique, utterly different than that from which it is torn.”
@@Revilik Yeah, pretty much. It looks hilarious right now that people back in the heyday were mad about NIN not being real industrial, when Reznor said a lot of times that he doesn't think his music is industrial too. It's a weird part of human nature: people obsess with labels they invented themselves and get mad over these labels, gatekeep this particular thing. And I'm not necessarily talking about music,no. Just about the whole urge to classify everything and then be upset over life not fitting in the made-up classification.
@@zhenia2511
A lot of the guitar on The Fragile kind of sounds like the heavier, more psychedelic parts of The Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me too
@@user-lv6mu8er9z I suppose, one could argue that its dream pop/shoegaze shining through. The Cure's fuzzy guitars were vital to the genre: it's pretty obvious when you compare "Pornography's" darker moments to lighter parts of MBV's "Loveless". Think, it stems from there on NIN record too.
eraser, a warm place, and the downward spiral didn't connect with me the first few times i listened to TDS, but as i got older and mental health problems and random remembering of past abuses came about, i immediately began to understand the feelings behind those tracks and NIN on an emotional level and not just a mental and physical level.........the first half of TDS holds your hand more and sounds like other music that you're familiar with than the 2nd half.....but there's a subtlety on the 2nd half that is more real and pervasive than when he's shouting angrily......
this is an album that gets better with each listen. once you know all the lyrics, you start hearing feelings you can relate to in the layers of sound
That Nine Inch Nails album! Are you telling me that a reviewer just happens to give an album a 9+ like that and never react to any other of the artist's projects? No! He orchestrated it! Bradley! He listened to a Chocolate Starfish! And I liked it! And I shouldn't have. I gave every reaction my own like! What was I thinking? He'll never change. He'll never change! Ever since he gave Downward Spiral a 9, always the same! Couldn't react to other Nine Inch Nails albums! But not our Bradley! Couldn't be precious Bradley! Reacting to Island Boys! And he gets to be a critic!? What a sick joke! I should've stopped him when I had the chance! And you - you have to stop him!
a warm place is beautiful, honestly so gorgeous, and the song actually samples david bowie's instrumental Crystal Japan, another beautiful track. also, david bowie had a huge influence on this album with his experimental low album, and then bowie would end up being influenced by this album for his more industrial mid late 90s stuff.
Year Zero isn't a very popular NIN album but it's a favorite of mine. Whether you do a review or not I recommend you listen to it.
Year Zero wasn't popular? maybe I'm wrong here but it sold big numbers in Canada at least
Love this album!
One of the best
Also because of a dispute with the record label Trent Reznor gave his fans the green light to pirate it, not that I would condone such activities, Im just putting it out there...
Definitely in my top 3 in NIN discography
15:12. that was exactly my reaction when I first heard the song.
Yup! EVERYONE has this reaction and it’s fucking great! I remember mine. 😂😂
Fantano says that Reptile and Closer are two of the best pop songs of 1994. Third is Green Day: Basket Case. But seriously, I think if I had to pick, Reptile might be my favorite from side 2.
Also not to be a nerd, but the actual 3 best pop songs of 1994, for me, are: 1.Lisa Germano - Cry Wolf 2.Magnetic Fields - Lonely Highway or Country Song and 3.Low - Words, all 10/10 songs and the first 2 are two of my favorite pop tracks of the 90s decade overall also.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but Year Zero is my favorite full-length by NIN. It's the album where he flexes his sound design the most, and as a fan of Trent's more synth-based, noisy-as-hell stuff, I eat it up. The Broken EP is my absolute favorite of theirs though - probably the heaviest, most chaotic material in their catalogue, but with a lot of the push and pull that you liked about TDS and some incredibly catchy songwriting
Broken is my favorite project too. Mostly for the singles. Trent should’ve made a full industrial punk album
You can thank Richard Patrick for that. He encouraged Trent to go heavier after PHM.
That is indeed a very, VERY unpopular opinion lol. But Gosh bless...
@@michaelhaydenbell I don't think it's THAT unpopular lol, Year Zero is well regarded
Capital G bangs
Love your energy and confidence in these last two reactions
Stggggg I was checking ur channel for this video everyday since u posted part one😅
A Warm Place is my favorite NIN track of all time. It takes me back to the womb, back to the warm waters where I came from and where I feel I most belong.
Sometimes I curl up in fetal position and listen to it. Great song
@@steampoweredpines omg same
You must like AphexTwin then
@@joeldukes303 You're goddamned right.
This is why u gotta listen to Coil Brad!! They recorded an album at Trent Reznor’s studio in 1993 that they worked on up until the band dissolved in 2005. It’s called Backwards and listening to it you can hear the reciprocal influence NIN and Coil had on each other. They also remixed some stuff from Trent on the albums on Fixed and Recoiled :)
You should listen to Coil outside of NIN context. Coil is way older and more influential within the general industrial music realm.
@@zhenia2511 I agree completely! I just feel like the Backwards stuff is a good starting point if you know you like NIN’s brand of Industrial since it was made in the same studio.
@@corinnacybele I guess so. But there a lot of ways to start your Coil journey: their acid house record "Love's secret domain" is surprisingly accessible. I also think that industrial pop sound of "Horse Rotovator" is very easy to get into.
@@zhenia2511 Very true! I even think Live in Moscow might be a good place to start, as the visual aspect of Coil is almost as important as the Musickal
@@corinnacybele Surely, considering the fact that Sleazy is a photographer and a designer (His photography is underappreciated, it looked addictively sickening). I also think that their "Tainted Love" cover is a good starting point this way, cuz' it's the best version of the song and has one of the most beautiful musical videos ever.
I do not want this is honestly my favourite deep cut on this album, its SO UNDERRATED
whats funny about big man with a gun, is that it was a parody of the misogyny of gangsta rap at the time. and then the song ended up being used as an example of misogynistic rap music, and trent ended up disliking the track because of it
I suggested this 8 months ago, and then again 4 months ago, because I KNEW he would love the crap out of this album. It is so incredible.
Great analysis through and through, glad you got to experience it and enjoyed it. Kudos!
Listening to Reptile makes me feel genuinely disgusted. I love it.
im glad you jumped at the end of hurt lmao, me too. goddamn that is so unexpected
One of those albums that made me cry, 9.8/10
Best album of the last 40 years. Pure cinema. Even NIN couldn't pull it off again.
you should definitely listen to the fragile next, it’s my favourite nin album by far, and it has some of their best tracks. (also make sure you include “the new flesh” and “10 miles high” which were lp exclusive tracks, for some reason)
Nice username that’s a really good Aphex song
the album that made me a Nine Inch Nails fan 🤘 it's a bit of a different vibe, but it's amazing through and through.
as for 10 Miles High and The New Flesh, iirc Trent Reznor wasn't 100% sure on including them on the album, but when they were working on the track layout for the vinyl release, the songs didn't flow together the way he wanted (or something to that effect); so he took 10MH and TNF off the back-burner to help with the flow of the record. the final song on the vinyl release was also changed: on the CD release, the song is called Ripe (With Decay) and essentially has two different halves; the vinyl release is just called Ripe, and is only the first half.
the casette release had its own little addition as well. the song Please had an extended outro called The Appendage, and was included to make the A-side of tape 2 longer than the B-side, so people wouldn't flip the casette halfway through Starfuckers Inc (and yes, Brad, there is a song... called Starfuckers Inc).
I've never heard of another album having such wild variation between releases as this album. it's so varied, that before the Spotify days, I created a custom The Fragile album for my iPod, including 10MH and TNF (torrented, of course, because finding a physical copy of the vinyl is next to impossible), and my own custom edit of Please/The Appendage, where I remastered The Appendage to sound less lofi and as close to CD-quality as I possibly could
@@ideitbawxproductions1880 it's a shame that there's no true "definitive" version of the fragile, the new flesh and +appendage in particular are really good nin deep cuts that aren't on streaming services to my knowledge (at least not spotify)
@@chamele0nday I think one of the singles for We're In This Together is on Spotify. I know one of them had 10MH and TNF on it (there were 3 released altogether, but I don't remember which one). as far as The Appendage, I'm pretty sure it's only on cassette. I've never seen it listed anywhere else
@@chamele0nday i made a 3 hour version of the album with the deviations tracks in 320kbps mp3 if you want it, make sure to play it with a gapless media player tho
Well done Brad reacting and analysing TDS. I've seen many react or analyse, but it's rare for someone who hasn't heard it to do both so well. Thank you! 🙌
I've always read Hurt to actually be the suicide more than Downward. I read Downward as his inner voice telling him how it will feel and setting him up but Hurt is both the note and the suicide. That final bang on Hurt to me always sounded like a gunshot. I personally think that's where the protagonist ends his life
Big Reznor fan, thank you for reacting.
goated pfp
@@soccslactate820 Thank you.
It’s great to see hurt get the respect it deserves as a song completely divorced from meme culture. I think Johnny Cash’s cover works infinitely better as a stand alone song as it changes the theme to looking back at his life, but the NIN version is possibly the best conclusion to any album I’ve ever heard. It works perfectly in the context of the whole experience and is a masterpiece.
it doesn’t surprise me that Brad likes this album considering his love for Sountracks for the Blind
Is this the first album reaction where he gave every single song a smiley ball?
I think so
I think like clockwork also
I dug this review. I read in interviews Trent wanted this to be viewed as one piece of art. So good job breaking it in two lol j/k... Amazing album!
LETS GOO WE LOVE YOU BRAD!!
The downward spiral really is an eldritch abomination and it’s perfect
Man I forgot how intense and awesome Reptile is
Reptile is a 10/10 song holy shit
glad you loved the album as much as I do Brad, a really meaningful listen overall
Man I'm really glad you checked this out and enjoyed it, thanks Brad it was a lot of fun to watch
Fantastic review(s)! The fact that you brought up The Microphones "The Glow" Pt. 2 made me really happy. Subscribed!
nah why is this video with this title specifically in my recommended now 💀
“kodak type beat but not kodak black, kodak camera” brad that took me OUT
This album grows with every listen. I bought it in the nineties and still discover new stuff.
The track Eraser alone has so many layers, it’s crazy.
Been following Trent and NIN since head like a hole hit LA radio in 90. Saw him at a tiny shithole in Hollywood with about 8 freaks. Still have a 1991 Now I am nothing tour shirt I cherish. Saw him at Lollapalooza and again around 2012 at Morongo casino and lost my voice from singing along
A band I'd recommend is Godflesh (ignore the edgy name) specifically the album Streetcleaner. It's more industrial but this time industrial metal. It kinda sounds like Filth by The Swans
Took me a few listens but amazing album
All metal bands have got edgy names. It doesn't make music worse.
Godflesh is an insanely tame name by metal standards.
Also everything they make is insane.
Justin K Broadrick has a number of other side projects as well such as JK FLesh, Greymachine, Pale Sketcher, etc, but one of the best ones is Jesu which is a shoegaze inspired affair.
godflesh is an edgy name?????
Everyone reacting with how it isn't that edgy of a name for metal, yeah not for metal. But for someone who doesn't listen to too much metal, Godflesh is a bit more then something like slipknot or system of a down.
The Fragile would be a great video. It's got so many amazing tracks.
Glad I got to watch this vid for before I went into work. Great work as always Bradly
the soundtrack of my younger self . btw my favorite reaction " By Far !!!
it's mars volta time bradley, deloused in the comatorium will spend you
Hahaha, I died when Hurt scared him. Sooo good. This is an absolute beast of an album.
i understand your criticism for i do not want this. in fact i think the chorus is just okay to me. but it's my favorite. the chord progression is so fkn creepy, and the crunchy drums are so perfectly textured. as if kenny segal and jpegmafia tried mixing the drums together or something. but i love the becoming and eraserhead the most along w that song
oh and the title track 100%
Man, u really have to listen to The Fragile as well, it's quite a long journey, but it's so worth it imo
This was probably my favorite reaction you've done so far! (of the ones I've seen)
A Warm Place - when you feel elevated by life and reconciled with death
if you want to hear another incredible very descolate and emotionally wrenching album popular with doomers, check out have a nice life deathconsciousness
I think he's already heard it
I think he already has it at a 100 on his aoty
I agree about the fragile. Also thanks so much for actually listening to the music. So many people just nod their head and say “I like this” and call it a day. Props for caring.
Would anyone else love Brad to comment on their Woodstock show?
I'm so excited watching you be excited about this album. Great review, my man.
Listen to it in 5.1 , it might be the best audio experience ever? Great insights, its great seeing someone listen to an album i've listened to a 1000 times, for the first time. Then The Fragile!
18:42 Brad's heartwrenching realization.
Not only do you have to listen to the fragile next but you have to watch the music video for Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt
I know alot of NIN fans get mad when you bring it up but Cash’s version takes in in a different direction than Trent’s
Trent wrote it from the perspective of a young man looking towards and going through hard times
Cash takes it and turns it into the perspective of an Old Man reflecting back on his hard life
Honestly I don’t like Cash’s version. I feel like, especially in the context of this album, Reznor really emphasizes the grimness, and the griminess, of his mental state in his version. Cash’s version is just more diluted and shallow IMO.
You have to listen to Prick, which Trent helped produce. Very underrated. Prick to Nine Inch Nails is like the mentor overshadowed by his pupil.
Loved the way you reviewed this album.
Would like to see your take on Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West
I agree 100%
You are wildly entertaining while sincerely delving into the material. YOU get a 9+ sir. Downward Spiral gets a 10.
a warm place is by far my favorite song off this album
I listened to part 1 in the shower and it just so happens that I’m in the shower now. Divine intervention Brad
I’ve owned this album and listened to it as a fan since about 2004 and my dumbass never knew it was a concept album until about a year ago . I just always would listen and think “god DAMN this Trent Reznor is unhinged . Crazy we still have him on earth .” Lol
The downward spiral walked so the caretaker everywhere at the end of time could run
Loved your review, I have been watching you for a little while and have been really impressed at your analysis and ability to articulate your thoughts. I would recommend looking up some Woodstock 94 footage of nin( especially reptile and happiness in slavery). It's pretty wild seeing reznor and company covered in mud making all the noise for a ton of people. Also I wouldn't get my hopes up for the fragile, I know most people in the comments seem to dig it but I think you will be disappointed in it after the downward spiral. Not to say that it is a bad album, but The Downward Spiral is amazing and the fragile is just pretty good.
A 9+ ?!?! So you hate the album then.?!? Jokes jokes..
Sincerely though, I was very impressed on certain details that you picked up immediately, details that take most people some time to fully grasp what Trent Reznor was expressing. Nine Inch Nails reaction videos is like a new genre and you're the Fleming Minyan of that genre. Great video I'm subscribing.
One of the best albums ever made, so visceral.
It's a bugger of an album to fall asleep to, the final chords of Hurt jerk me awake every time haha
Brooo he said “terminator type beat” brah that had me dyinggg 😂😂😂
The protagonist lives on in the album Hesitation Marks.
Shoutout to the Neil Cicierega outro ("Rollercloser").
You NEED to hear The Fragile
I strongly strongly strongly strongly suggest you watch their 1994 woodstock performance. it's the energy of this album put into performance and visuals. so dirty, disgusting and raw