Wow. Really, wow. You can tell Trent Reznor has been laying off the drugs and drink lately, his work ethic is unmatched to anyone in the music business. Two albums barely 2 months apart, released without record labels, now thats what being a music artist does to adapt to the illegal download-savvy culture of the 21st century.

“The Slip” is NIN’s newest effort released on Monday, and available here for anyone with a valid e-mail address absolutely 100% free, is a continuation of some of the ideas and themes set out in Year Zero, whether or not it is indeed a genuine sequel, or prequel, will probably be made more clear when Trent believes it to be the right time for it. Opening segue “999,999″ and “1,000,000″ are vicious, angry and ugly tracks. Indeed, there is a lot of anger floating around this album, with dirty guitars, razor sharp drum beats and odd samples creating a very claustrophobic atmosphere for the opening of this album. “Discipline” is a fantastic track, been openly available for a fortnight now, reminding one of the catchiness of “The Hand That Feeds” in its pop sensibilities.

This album is around 300% better upon it’s second listen as well. The same way “Year Zero” was not as instantly brilliant the first time around, the hooks and catchy melodies embedded in the darkness are so very Nine Inch Nails. I said previously that we were expecting Year Zero part 2 with this album, and i’m still unsure if this is definately it’s predecessor but it is definately connected. Anyone who downloaded the album for their IPod will discover that artwork and lyrics appear on their mp3 player, and the AIR logo is visible as the artwork for one of the tracks.

There are themes of isolation, despair and apocalypse running throughout this album. “Echoplex” especially holds Reznor in what sounds like an isolated place, and the instrumental tracks “Corona Radiata” and “The Four Of Us Are Dying” bring you to very strange places when you close your eyes, like listening to the fallout from a nuclear bomb. “Lights In The Sky” is a beautiful piano track, vocals whispered by Trent in a gorgeous lullaby, not really like anything else he has done before.

All in all, “The Slip” is a very good, if very strange, NIN release. The concept is not as crystal clear as previous releases, and will probably make more sense in the whole Year Zero world Trent has planned for us. I am in awe of this artist. There aren’t many left in music nowadays.

[OxKing]

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