Review: Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero

Year Zero flows from song to song playing as a soundtrack for, as Trent Reznor has explained in recent interviews, "a film that doesn't exist" - an unsettling soundscape depicting a dystopian America in 2022, Year Zero. Even if you haven't been following the unfolding, never-ending maze of websites and searching for clues on NIN t-shirts and buttons since early February, you can still listen without missing the point (watching the "Survivalism" video should give enough of a clue for the uninitiated).

The argument can be made that Reznor is not necessarily treading new ground lyrically, but he has produced a record which shows his ability to push the Nine Inch Nails sound into new territory. There are sonic traces of Pretty Hate Machine and The Fragile throughout the album but instead of merely relying on some of the staples of the NIN-sound, Reznor pulls from influences as diverse as Aphex Twin ("The Great Destroyer") and Public Enemy ("My Violent Heart"). Lyrically, we find Reznor trading in the usual "I hate myself/you/money/god" for a more bombastic, anti-establishment tone (read: "I hate you capitalism/capitalist pigs/the moral right").

The album begins with the short violent blast of "Hyperpower!," an intro in the same vein as "Pilgrimage" from The Fragile, and quickly moves into the radio-friendly rock of "The Beginning of the End" and "Survivalism." "The Good Solider," "Vessel" and "Me, I'm Not" feature slinky, sexy beats as the storyline continues; somehow the sound makes the wages of war and finding yourself hooked on the fictional narcotic Parepin seem awfully seductive. "God Given" and "Meet Your Master" will have you questioning which side you're on. "The Greater Good" sports an eerie, heavy beat reminiscent of earlier tracks like The Fragile's "Complication" replete with Reznor's trademark whisper vocals. "Another Version of the Truth" segues to the imminent destruction of Reznor's stark alternate reality; the slow, piano and soft synth piece conveys a sense of hope in spite of the inevitable circumstances. The nuclear fright of "In This Twilight" finds the album's protagonist touching his love's hair for the last time and pondering "could I have been a better person?" The fitting closer "Zero Sum" turns on the fallout of heavy beats, blips, static and the haunting lyrics "shame on us...God have mercy on our dirty little hearts.../all we ever were just zeros and ones."

All in all, this is a solid effort as Reznor manages to bring his dystopian vision to life with a satisfying blend of politically-charged, moody lyricism and beats that are future-forward despite their old school homages. Longtime fans and newbies alike can enjoy and appreciate this effort. In many ways, the album works - whether you're listening in its entirety or only to select tracks. Nine Inch Nails finds itself on the short list for at least one Billboard Award or Grammy with every release so this one might be up something in the Hard or Modern Rock category.

Hits-

Vessel: Reznor's sexually charged delivery + slinky beat + political vitriol + rousing chorus = good fun.

Me, I'm Not: It wouldn't be a Reznor production without a sexy-beat-laden slow-burner and he certainly delivers here.

The Great Destroyer: Perhaps the nicest surprise on the album (that is, if you are a fan of electronica). Reznor's delivery poignantly tells the tale of a martyr (a suicide bomber? the mysterious "Hammer"? the man who pushes "the button"?) before the vox vocal soars and explodes into an Aphex Twin-esque industrial electronic rush.

Misses-

The Beginning of the End: Though noisy in spots, this is quite possibly the most radio-friendly track on the album. Reminiscent of "Getting Smaller" from With Teeth, but not nearly as effective here.

Capital G: The angst-ridden delivery shines but the opening is too much of a ringer for Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel."

The Warning: Although the song introduces "The Presence" into the storyline (rumor has it that you can see it in a spectrograph at the song's end), it just doesn't work.