Trent Reznor Re-visits The Downward Spiral: Nine Inch Nails - "Came Back Haunted" (Columbia)
Trent Reznor abruptly disbanded his pride and joy, Nine Inch Nails, nearly 5 years ago now; Rumblings of a re-formed band reunion started to trickle out just few months ago and in almost one fall swoop, Pitchfork uploaded 3 separate stories late last night... album title/release date, a "leaked" radio single, and a 50-date world tour trek. Since splitting up NIN, Reznor formed another band with Atticus Ross and his wife, How to Destroy Angels_ (2010) and composed a few acclaimed film soundtracks for The Social Network/Girl with The Dragon Tattoo. I guess you could say that my hippy cousin-turned-lawyer Adam turned me onto NIN, who I always associated with the weird Goth kids in grade school, about 8-10 years ago. Starting with their new albums @ the time, Dave Grohl-assisted With Teeth and Year Zero, I slowly delved backwards into Trent Reznor's lengthy discography; a few of my personal favourites include The Downward Spiral, Further Down The Spiral, Still, The Fragile, and "I'm Afraid of Americans" with David Bowie. Although, I must say, for no apparent reason, I never really got into NIN's latest albums, Ghost I-IV and The Slip (2008).
"Came Back Haunted" is already being widely regarded as a triumphant return to Nine Inch Nails' mid-90's-early 2000's often dance-able brand of aggro-Industrail Rock. NIN's revived touring line-up now includes Robin Finck, Alessandro Cortini, Ilan Rubin, Josh Eustis, and in-studio multi-instrumnetalist Adrian Belew (King Crimson). Trent Reznor recently lamented to Billboard, "For the last year I've been secretly working nonstop with Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder on a new, full-length Nine Inch Nails record, which I am happy to say is finished and frankly, fucking great." It can all be summed up, more or less, with one semi-cryptic late night Tweet: "halo twenty eight: hesitation marks. 9.03.13." In support of Hesitation Marks (Columbia Records), Nine Inch Nails are planning to head out on a MASSIVE North American "Tension 2013" tour spanning from Sept. 28-Nov. 25th with alternating openers Explosions In The Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.