Nine Inch Nails
Year Zero

Release Date: 2007 | Tracklist

It is hard to believe Trent Reznor has been doing this nearly 20 years. Between NIN's first full length release in 1989, Pretty Hate Machine, numerous albums of odds and ends, live performances, and the explosion of the now classic "The Downward Spiral" LP, Reznor has dazzled us with his musical brilliance, annoyed us with his angst, surprised us with his humanity, and shocked us with his dark vision. Some would say he disappointed with the lean and somewhat uninspired (to the ears of some listeners at least) "With Teeth" album. Not a bad effort, but coming nearly six years after the commercially under performing and hard to digest double disc The Fragile, many were hoping for something with a bit more imagination and bite. "Year Zero," for loyal and casual fans alike delivers that bite.

Perhaps recognizing the amount of time he takes between full original releases (typically five years since TDS) along with his dark genius reputation raises expectations for greatness beyond reason, Reznor wasted no time in bringing Year Zero to the masses. Coming just two years after the release of With Teeth Reznor has called the album a work of "inspiration" that fell into place out of some doodling on a laptop. Doodling led to an idea, an idea turned into framework for songs, and both finally came together as a total work. Easier said then done? Perhaps. But on Year Zero it sounds as natural as waking up in the morning.

While Reznor has had no problem alienating a listener or two in the past, on Year Zero its obvious from the beginning he wants to draw those same listeners in from the start. From the martial drum intro that begins the brief album opener "HYPERPOWER" to the "My Sharona" like drum intro of "The Beginning Of The End" the record grabs you from the start and simply never lets go. All of Reznor's tried and true tricks are on display from the start from his rock god guitar roar to his electronica synth droning to the solid thump and thwack of his industrial inspired percussion, all delivered with the painstaking precision we have come to expect from the NIN team. And also with heart and close attention to texture and conventional songwriting structure, which in the past has been pushed back somewhat in favor of hit and miss experimentation and careening blind rage.

The first half of Year Zero is clearly crafted to draw you into its world with an emphasis on hooks and even a funky vibe (not to say funk, per se) not found on a NIN album since perhaps The Downward Spiral. The groove of songs like "The Good Soldier" with its cool electronic soulfulness never give way to a whisper to a scream style rage one might expect and instead holds its steady groove throughout before flowing into the next track, the industrial chant of "Vessel," which while harder in tone and rife with the sort of electronic noise Reznor is known for maintains itself very well throughout, never digressing from it's set pattern or musical theme. It simply pulls you in and keeps you in. And in you remain, never with a thought of "what the hell is this" or an inkling to hit the skip button from hearing it all before. This is interesting music as is the usual from this artist, but it is also vastly entertaining and not at all alienating. Indeed rather then repulse on Year Zero Reznor seeks to attract and seduce you into his vision, and he succeeds on any and all levels.

One of the reasons for all this success may be on account Trent had an external road map to follow rather then simply his own sense of artistic direction and often tangled emotions, demons, and immediate concerns. Year Zero is a "story" album set in a not so distant future where a religious dictatorship has taken over the U.S. with signs of the apocalypse all around, and it's not Trent's first idea of a concept album. With Teeth was initially moving in that direction but with more personal overtones and more convoluted and pretentious undertones. Year Zero on the other hand is pleasantly void of Reznor's personal side and although it is his vision it is nothing new, but instead readily familiar. In fact it would be fair to say it borders on cliche with lyrics about mind control, dogma, and oppression of body and spirit throughout. But if all that sounds like a bit much to you, not to worry, as its all done very well and squarely hits its mark. And thankfully for those of us less interested in Trent's somewhat second hand story and more interested in how it affected his creative focus and music making you can enjoy Year Zero while keeping the "concept" squarely on the back burner.

So having drawn you in with the strong rock hook and setting up a nice groove on the first half of the album, the rest of the going here is much the same as Reznor relaxes into what seems familiar but newly tailored clothing for the rest of the proceedings, giving us dark electronica such as the foreboding "The Warning" and the aggressive funky chant of the buoyant "God Given". In fact this may be the first NIN album since The Downward Spiral that inspires not just visions of a dark place and time (emotional and otherwise) but also strong visions of some creative dance oriented remixes geared toward the dark underbelly of after hours clubs everywhere. Perhaps from his time spent with Bowie in the late '90's or simply by recalling his own long ago inspirations, Reznor's sense of groove and style (yes, he has one) is in full effect on Year Zero, and it makes for a full, richly textured, and ultimately uniform listening experience we can not only enjoy upon several listenings but one that will grow after many more, as well.

Perhaps the fact this is a concept album helped Reznor loosen up a little. And while usually bringing what is inside to the outside, on Year Zero Reznor instead looks outside, brings it in, and spits it out not based on his own feelings, but as a thing unto itself, therefore freeing himself of the whiny torture that has plagued some NIN recordings and freeing the listener to make whatever they damn well please of it, concept or no. Make no mistake this is NIN as usual, but it's an effortless, inspired, and unaffected Trent Reznor the likes of which we may not have had the pleasure of knowing for almost a decade and a half. And Year Zero has the sound of year one all over again. Or at least 1994. And it's no doubt all the better for it.

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3.8 excellent

Rank: #99 for 2007