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The Downward Spiral (also known as Halo 8) is an LP by Nine Inch Nails released in 1994. The Downward Spiral is the eighth official Nine Inch Nails release and the band's third major release.

Some critics have stated that this album demonstrates Reznor's underlying pop music sensibility, and credit his ability to blend it with typically taboo themes (as seen in the catchy "Closer"). Other critics have cited a "calculated nihilism" as the album's main weakness, however, NIN frontman Trent Reznor has publicly stated that he has suffered from depression.

The Downward Spiral propelled NIN into much greater prominence, especially after the release of the popular second single, "Closer", which was released with a controversial video directed by Mark Romanek.

The Downward Spiral was recorded at Le Pig in Beverly Hills, California, a studio space located in the house where Sharon Tate was murdered by members of the Manson Family. Reznor has made conflicting statements regarding whether he knew of the house's history before choosing to record there.

The Downward Spiral served as basis for a remix album entitled Further Down the Spiral, released in 1995.

In 2001 Q magazine named The Downward Spiral as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums Of All Time. *

The song "Hurt" was famously covered by Johnny Cash a short while before his death in 2003, the video for which was also directed by Mark Romanek.

Releases

Tenth Anniversary Re-releases

On November 23, 2004, The Downward Spiral was re-released to celebrate its tenth anniversary. It is available in two versions: as a 2-disc hybrid SACD set and as a DualDisc (DVD-A on one side and CD on the reverse). The SACD version is known as The Downward Spiral: Deluxe Edition and the DVD-A version is known as The Downward Spiral: DualDisc.

Deluxe Edition

The SACD version consists of two discs. Disc one is a CD/SACD hybrid. It has the original album, digitally remastered, in SACD 5.1 surround and SACD stereo on one layer (only playable in SACD players) and regular CD stereo on the other layer (playable in normal CD players). Disc two consists of b-sides, soundtrack contributions, and previously-unreleased demos presented regular CD stereo only.

This version is labeled halo eight DE.

DualDisc

CD side
Contains the original album, digitally remastered. Playable on most regular CD players.
DVD side
  • 5.1 surround and stereo version of the original tracks, digitally remastered
  • The Downward Spiral Artwork (plays with the music in DVD-A players, viewable as a slideshow on DVD-Video players)
  • Music Videos
    • "Closer" (available in 5.1 surround and stereo)
    • "March of the Pigs" (stereo)
    • "Hurt" (stereo)
  • Discography, including selected bits of music from each album (starting with Broken) that run about a minute each

This version is labeled halo eight DVD-A.

Track listing

Original version

  1. "Mr Self Destruct" – 4:30
  2. "Piggy" – 4:24
  3. "Heresy" – 3:54
  4. "March of the Pigs" – 2:58
  5. "Closer" – 6:13
  6. "Ruiner" – 4:58
  7. "The Becoming" – 5:31
  8. "I Do Not Want This" – 5:41
  9. "Big Man With a Gun" – 1:36
  10. "A Warm Place" – 3:22
  11. "Eraser" – 4:54
  12. "Reptile" – 6:51
  13. "The Downward Spiral" – 3:57
  14. "Hurt" – 6:13

The Japanese version also has the Joy Division cover "Dead Souls", from the soundtrack to The Crow, between "Big Man With a Gun" and "A Warm Place".

Deluxe Edition

(disc 1)
  • identical to the original version, although technically improved: 1db louder mix overall, track anomalies fixed (sounds from previous tracks creeping up on start of tracks)
  • includes SACD layer

(disc 2)

  1. "Burn" (from the Natural Born Killers soundtrack) – 5:00
  2. "Closer (Precursor)" (from Closer to God) (remixed by Coil, Danny Hyde) – 7:16
  3. "Piggy (Nothing Can Stop Me Now)" (from Further Down the Spiral) (remixed by Rick Rubin) – 4:03
  4. "A Violet Fluid" (from March of the Pigs) – 1:04
  5. "Dead Souls" (from The Crow soundtrack) (originally by Joy Division) – 4:53
  6. "Hurt (Quiet)" (from Further Down the Spiral (US version)) (remixed by Trent Reznor) – 5:08
  7. "Closer to God" (from Closer to God) (remixed by Reznor, Sean Beavan, Brian Pollack) – 5:06
  8. "All the Pigs, All Lined Up" (from March of the Pigs) – 7:26
  9. "Memorabilia" – 7:22 (from Closer to God) (originally by Soft Cell)
  10. "The Downward Spiral (The Bottom)" (from Further Down the Spiral) (remixed by John Balance, Peter Christopherson, Drew McDowall, Hyde) – 7:32
  11. "Ruiner (Demo)" – 4:51
  12. "Liar (Reptile Demo)" – 6:57
  13. "Heresy (Demo)" – 4:00

Personnel

Chart Positions

Album

1994 The Downward Spiral The Billboard 200 No. 2 2004 The Downward Spiral The Billboard 200 No. 19

Singles

1994 Closer The Billboard Hot 100 No. 41 1994 March Of The Pigs The Billboard Hot 100 No. 59 1994 Closer Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 35 1994 Closer Modern Rock Tracks No. 11 1994 Closer To God Hot Dance Music/Club Play No. 29 1994 Closer To God Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales No. 29

Trivia

  • The drum loop in "Closer" comes from the intro of the song "Nightclubbing" by Iggy Pop. It is modified however (the 'heartbeat' motif is gone).
  • The song "Mr. Self Destruct" commences with a sample from the film THX 1138. It is taken from a scene in which the beating of man by a guard is depicted on a holographic television.
  • The looping female voice that appears on "Reptile" is a sample from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
  • The frantic drumming on the end of "Piggy" (where he repeats that "nothing can stop me now") is courtesy of Trent. This is currently his first and only attempt at live drumming on a record, and one of the few "live" drum performances on the album (Stephen Perkins on "I Do Not Want This" and Andy Kubiszewski on "The Downward Spiral"). He states that it was from him testing the mike setup in studio, but it sounded too cool not to put to record.

External links


Nine Inch Nails albums | 1994 albums | Concept albums | DualDisc albums | SACDs | Universal Deluxe Editions

The Downward Spiral | The Downward Spiral | ザ・ダウンワード・スパイラル | The Downward Spiral | The Downward Spiral

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "The Downward Spiral".

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