When Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor announced in 2009 that his flagship musical project would be quiet for a while, the news struck fans like a railroad spike to the heart. The group had long been kings of aggressive electronic rock, but even during the band’s hiatus, Reznor didn’t necessarily leave the throne.
He kept himself busy recording two film soundtracks with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross — “The Social Network” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” — and releasing two EPs and a full-length album with a new group, How to Destroy Angels.
A strange feeling resulted when it was revealed that Nine Inch Nails would come back with a new album in 2013. The world was supposed to feel as though their savior had returned, but with his continuing “extracurricular” activity, it felt like he had never left. What was all the fuss about? So Reznor decided to make more music under a name he used to use — whether it’s NIN, How to Destroy Angels or plain old Trent Reznor, what’s the difference?
The difference is that his output with NIN is markedly more aggressive and driving than the material from his other monikers. This is likely due to the larger body of work as part of NIN and the fact that everything else can easily be regarded as a side project, but the products of Reznor’s main project are always strongest, and “Hesitation Marks” isn’t going to be the album to break that trend.
The seeds of “Hesitation Marks” are “Satellite” and “Everything,” both of which were originally written as tack-on tracks for a NIN greatest hits album. Instead, the sessions turned out to be more fruitful than originally anticipated, enough so to have arguably brought about the return of NIN.
The fact that the latter of the two tracks was a catalyst for an entire album is not surprising. It’s fresh and it’s different, but ultimately, it is still Nine Inch Nails, albeit with a The Cure-like jangly guitar line that doesn’t take away from the raw power of the song, propelled by Reznor’s curiously John Mayer-like vocals.
While “Everything” is a candidate for album highlight, it’s not necessarily representative of its peer songs. While “Everything” is upbeat and downright poppy, most of the rest of “Hesitation Marks” is marked by a dark, electronic vibe that would almost feel sexy if it didn’t have such an unsettling, on-the-edge-of-your-seat energy.
Some media sources reported that this album was a less aggressive turn for NIN, and while that’s true of certain songs — like “All Time Low,” which is a juicy cut of straight funk — for the most part, “Hesitation Marks” has a feeling that falls somewhere between aggressive and intimidating — like the burly bouncer people may suspect of having a criminal record. Either way, there’s a clear force there that’s not to be messed with.
It is a good sign that Reznor was confident enough in his new material to release it under the Nine Inch Nails name. Or perhaps he writes his material in the mindset of whatever project he’s decided on in advance, and NIN gives him confidence to make bold, hard-edged material that is more rounded than anything else he pumps out.
The album title alludes to wounds received from testing a blade on yourself before attempting suicide or self-harm, so perhaps it represents Reznor not being as ready to leave NIN behind as he thought he was. It’s fun to work within a new mindset, but in the end, sticking with the familiar may be the easiest and most productive course.
Grade: A-