Nine Inch Nails' new album "Hesitation Marks" is available for preorder in various formats (digital download, CD, vinyl). An interesting thing for the audiophiles here is that if you preorder the album through NIN's own store you get a free "audiophile mastered version" as well:
Hesitation Marks was mastered in two different ways - the standard, “loud” mastering (which is what you’ll find on the CD, on iTunes, and everywhere else), and also an alternate “audiophile” mastering, which we’re offering as a free download option for anyone who purchases the album through nin.com. For the majority of people, the standard version will be preferable and differences will be difficult to detect. Audiophiles with high-end equipment and an understanding of the mastering process might prefer the alternate version.
Reznor stresses that the standard version isn't necessarily inferior to the audiophile version, but that both masters offer a different aural experience. I think it would be interesting to hear the differences in both versions.
Yay for dynamic range! I think Trent Reznor is singlehandedly pushing back against record label moronics and can only hope that more artists take notice.
I preordered a while ago and also snagged a couple of exclusive pre-sale tickets to a show in October (I get early admission so I'll be right in front). Album is released Sept. 3rd, and it's supposed to be available for streaming on iTunes but can only play the single.
obsidian wrote:Plus, you get a choice of the following formats:
...
High Resolution 24 bit 48k wav
I have to say, I like this Reznor guy... he seems to know a thing or two about recording music.
At that point, I wonder why he didn't just do a full 24/96 release? I suppose most people's sound card's don't go that high... but if you're already appealing to audio nerds, they are more likely to have said gear.
Everything after The Fragile has failed to grab me on the first few listens. This one is no exception.
For the most part I have grown to enjoy the others before long, and there are a few tracks I really dig now. Maybe this one will grow on me in time as well...
I've finally given the album a listen and I don't think it's all that bad. It's a bit mediocre I guess. It does suffer a bit from two things though. First of all, there's too many songs on there. I'd like some songs to last longer to delve deeper into the emotional state the music brings with it. Most songs feel like they're over by the time you really get into it.
What makes this even worse is the second problem I have and that's that most songs start off sounding like very uninspired poppy techno songs. As the songs progress, layers get added and the mood usually swings towards the more brooding sound NIN's known for and they actually start sounding good. It's almost like he's trying to draw a more mainstream audience into the song with a feint move only to then expose them to more traditional NIN sounds.
So what it comes down to is that there's some great ideas and sounds on there, but you've got these 4 - 5 minute songs which take like a minute, maybe a minute and a half to come up to speed. What's left is three and a half minutes of enjoyable song, which is too short to really hook into you and draw you into the flow.
Copy of A is pretty cool. The hemiola really makes it (that's the synth pattern that makes it feel like the timing is being thrown off). I love how for the intro, the length of notes in the synth part is elongated and the higher frequencies are brought out, and as it transitions to the verse, even though the synth part (hemiola) doesn't change, the length of notes shortens and the frequencies die down, giving it a duller sound. This is how to interject real musicality in something as plain as a sine wave. Even if you don't know a lot of facts about music or music theory, your brain knows what's going on, and this is what makes the track listenable. Very cool and very smart.
Also All Time Low. The guitar part in the verse is really cool, and the whole thing has this dark funk to it that I like. Chorus chords are cool, and the reverb-laden lead guitar in it creates a cool mood. The chorus almost feels like really dark Peter Gabriel. edit: Forgot to mention the extremely NES Final Fantasy-esque outro. One of the coolest moments on the album, if not quite NIN-ish.
Running sounds like Trent is channeling Thom Yorke, either Atoms For Peace or The Eraser. The Very rhythm-driven, and harmonically sparse, but not hard-hitting. Not a favorite track, for me, but one worth mentioning because it feels so Thom-influenced. At least to my ear.
Not sure why they separated track 1 from Copy of A. Not sure why they separated the final track from While I'm Still Here. I think the last track is one of the cooler moments on the album and should've been showcased in While I'm Still Here.
Not a bad album, but disappointingly, I'm not sure any tracks on it are great. But what else is new? There hasn't been a fully-great NIN album since Downward Spiral, in my opinion.
This line only remake is total rubbish I've ever seen!!! Fuck off!!! --CZghost
Nine Inch Nails Tension 2013 show in Toronto. I got special nin.com member pre-sale tickets with early admission so I was standing right in front of the stage. They dropped a veil of LED lights which acted like giant transparent displays in front, between and behind the band.
Copy of A
1,000,000
Terrible Lie
March of the Pigs
The Frail
The Wretched
All Time Low
Disappointed
Came Back Haunted
Find My Way
Various Methods of Escape
Into the Void
Survivalism
Running
A Warm Place
Somewhat Damaged
Wish
Only
The Hand That Feeds
Head Like a Hole
Encore:
Even Deeper
In This Twilight
While I'm Still Here
Black Noise
Hurt
