Sigil 04_: Welcome oblivion

[Wretchedest]

What about Not So Pretty Now? Oomf. I mean, hey, they can't all be best in class, right?

I wonder how many tracks on this album even have a guitar. None of them are particularly uptempo. Any live drums anywhere? I'm very glad this doesn't sound like a Nine Inch Nails album - although, in a way, it sounds more like what people who don't listen to Nine Inch Nails probably think Nine Inch Nails sounds like.

I said it in a Facebook comment on someone's post, I'll say it again here. I sincerely hope Trent Reznor continues to make music that pisses Nine Inch Nails fans off.

I'm not really sure where "safe" comes into play - what would daring be? A dubstep album? A double disc of instrumentals? A throwback to early 90s Lords of Acid? Moar yelling and faster beats? Unusual time signatures?

Selective comparisons aside, i think this is kind of mischaracterization of the camp that's sort of unimpressed with this thing.

Other than the lack of aggression, I think it does sound pretty Nailsy... like a natural evolution of the Year Zero sound. I think he's improved on that lot here. But it's definitely not "pissing off" any fans, except for the guy that keeps shouting during "Hurt." I like a lot of Trent's recent work, especially "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo." I thought he really stepped it up there, so it's not like I'm demanding a sequel to TDS or something.

So when I safe that it feels "safe" I'm saying that it feels within creative space that trent has already covered, maybe not doing enough to distance itself from Nine Inch Nails or other previous projects. It also feels very accessible over all.

The song that most breaks the mold here is "Ice Age," which has a lot going on in a relatively minimal song. It feels a little bit like new ground, and there's a lot of dynamism in it. It carries forward and steps up some of the funk advertised in the first HTDA ep, which seems to have gone away almost entirely. I realize that it's also pretty accessible, but it's a really odd song, especially in the greater context. The double dipping rubs me the wrong way, though.

Anyway I realize I'm in the minority with this, and I'm not really trying to ruin it for anyone, just throwing in my 2 cents.

[Leviathant]

I appreciate the response, and I hope I'm not coming across as "Your opinion sucks" with a post like that. The "pissed off" fans was more of a reference to Facebookers, rather than ETSers. Just because I wasn't into older HTDA and like this album doesn't mean everyone else has to suddenly like the new album

[sheepdean]

Just ordered the Vinyl version! #1566. . . Is it limited or something?

Nah that's just your order number. I was 127, I'm disappointed with myself that it wasn't lower :P

[ScreamingSlave]

could i please get a pm with the link to the no skips proper version

[Max Leo]

There were (basically) no lyrics with Ghosts or the soundtracks. How exactly did people connect those to Year Zero, which is a narrative-driven beast?

I'd swear that I remember how some people in nin.com wrote about how some Ghosts tracks sounded like "postapocalyptic soundscapes" and how maybe it was an instrumental continuation to YZ, seriously, this was when "Ghosts" was just released many yeas ago, I can't remember the thread/s where this was discussed, however I've found this (it's not the same stuff, but they talk about a YZ/Ghosts connection):

http://forum.nin.com/bb/read.php?9,1174499

And I remember all kinds of crazy theories for "Ghosts" and "The Slip", mostly because of YZ's ARG like bgalbraith has said. There were like a billion theories about The Slip's booklet (the symbols, the red line, the "Letting You"/AIR flag, etc...) and lyrics ("Letting You", "Lights In The Sky", "Demon Seed"... all of them had some kind of lyrical connections to YZ somehow).

I'm not saying that these albums are not connected, only Trent could say that, I guess, and a lot of the connections that some fans see are probably based in similar sounds, art designs and lyrics in everything that Trent has released during this 21st century.

If a fan notices the "zeros and ones" lyrics in "Speaking In Tongues", he'll probably think about YZ. The same with "The Beginning Of The End"/"The Beginning Is The End" in "The Loop Closes", or with Rob's glitchy artwork for almost every album (even for the ost ones, look at TSN's artwork), or with the noisy/glitchy sounds and beats produced by the TR/AR duo...

I sincerely hope that NIN's next album is very different to everything that Trent has released these last years, and not because I don't like it, but it might be good if he just took a new different and fresh direction, deeply analyzing his own lyrics to write something really different that nobody could connect to YZ or HTDA, asking Rob to leave the glitchy stuff a little bit or maybe asking him to work with somebody else's work like he did (I believe) with HTDA's first EP or TGWTDT's soundtrack with excellent and different results, and looking for a different new sound once again that is really really different to YZ/The Slip/HTDA (and I'm not saying that all he does lately sounds the same, but the first EP was compared to some of "The Slip" songs and to its sound, and the new LP has that glitchy/noisy/rhythmic sound that is partially similar to YZ's).

PS: I've just remembered how it was also discussed at nin.com how even "Niggy Tardust" could be connected to YZ somehow. XDDD

[Reaps]

Pre/Post apocalyptic chunes is what you'll get from now on, be it NIN or HTDA or whatever. The days of arms flip flopping and being stuck in a hole with piss and shit are gone. Least while he's a family man.

Love this album more than i ever thought i would, though it occured to me while i was skipping every track from the 'An Omen' EP, i kinda wish they never released the earlier EP and i got to hear the album as it is in full length for the first time rather than skipping songs that i'd heard a million times.. Still, it's a new album as fresh and vibrant that it has any right to be this far down the line. Awesome.

Multitracks please, remix.nin is badly in need of updating.

[gorast]

I just noticed the t-shirts will be delivered next week, ahead of the album, which means I get to wear the KIT artwork on my chest for a full week before the album hits my doorstep. I guess I won't get the Black Mirror shirt until the album is shipped, though, since that's in the first order I made yesterday with the album - small price to pay.

[Amnesiac]

Like what I'm hearing, but is there no paypal option for the HTDA store?

[steelnails95]

I love it! Dont understand why people havent mentioned the title track "Welcome Oblivion" more. My absolute favorite.

[steelnails95]

And is it just me or does Strings and Attractors" remind them of Depeche Mode...?

[ecirb]

So, sorry if I am late on this, but if you have itunes match, you can get the 256 AAC version by adding the mp3s, add to iCloud, then delete the songs from your library. You will then be able to download the 256 files off iCloud.

[gorast]

Yo, if that actually worked for you, it'd be rad of you to throw me a PM to replace the copies I have now, because I can't figure out how to do that.

[Merriweather]

Like what I'm hearing, but is there no paypal option for the HTDA store?

I squirreled away 30 bucks in my Paypal account specifically for this and I'm kind of bummed about that too. In between banks at the moment so I don't have a card to put it on.

[Substance242]

Hello, 1st post, but lurking in here for some time. :-)

I'll wait for the real thing to listen to, not interested in streaming or rips, but - ordering on howtodestroyangels.com, I noticed page where I was supposed to enter my card number was not encrypted. Seriously? Amazon.de then (which says March 1? we'll see).

(yes, there's no PayPal)

[BenAkenobi]

So, sorry if I am late on this, but if you have itunes match, you can get the 256 AAC version by adding the mp3s, add to iCloud, then delete the songs from your library. You will then be able to download the 256 files off iCloud.

if it's lossy transcode, why bother? i find it hard to believe you have nothing else to listen until release day... keep it fresh ppl, or you might end up like that guy

Reaps:
...
skipping every track from the 'An Omen' EP, i kinda wish they never released the earlier EP and i got to hear the album as it is in full length for the first time rather than skipping songs that i'd heard a million times...

[katara]

if it's lossy transcode, why bother? i find it hard to believe you have nothing else to listen until release day... keep it fresh ppl, or you might end up like that guy

This is why I'm not bothering to listen to either An omen_ or the dodgy album stream until I get the LP in a lossless format, preferably on CD.

[Ash512]

I love it! Dont understand why people havent mentioned the title track "Welcome Oblivion" more. My absolute favorite.

I'm with you on this one. Welcome oblivion is the standout to me. Very aggressive yet surprisingly catchy.
Recursive self-improvement is the one excess baggage to me... In many ways it has the same function as The loop closes : sort of a stretched out instrumental electro jam, except The loop closes is catchier and shorter/more effective. Hallowed ground is somewhat of an anticlimax as well, kind of like Ripe on The Fragile.

The rest of it, to me is really solid. The 10 first tracks perfectly flow into each other, stellar production as always, great hooks & melodies... It's an extremely coherent album, dare I say Trent's most coherent since TDS. It sounds like the all the experimental work on Ghosts, Social Network and Dragon Tattoo has been channeled into this complex new sound, but served in a more digestable pop format.

[simonn]

And is it just me or does Strings and Attractors" remind them of Depeche Mode...?

Not sure yet, but Recursive Self-Improvement reminded me of New Gold Dream-era Simple Minds on my one and only listen to date! And I love that album!

[Camille]

I have listened to the album three times now and I can't get rid of the feeling of being bored with it mid way through. I liked the E.P's, but there does not seem to be anything (yet) from the album that reaches out and grabs me. I don't dislike the songs, they sound good and all, i'm just getting a feeling like I can't be arsed with it.
I'll buy the cd on release day and play it properly on my hi-fi, maybe i'll change my mind about my current feelings.

[Ryan]

I have listened to the album three times now and I can't get rid of the feeling of being bored with it mid way through. I liked the E.P's, but there does not seem to be anything (yet) from the album that reaches out and grabs me. I don't dislike the songs, they sound good and all, i'm just getting a feeling like I can't be arsed with it.
I'll buy the cd on release day and play it properly on my hi-fi, maybe i'll change my mind about my current feelings.

I'm a bit like that too. Bleeps and bloops with Mariqueen sounding depressed, etc.

[ItsJustDave]

So, sorry if I am late on this, but if you have itunes match, you can get the 256 AAC version by adding the mp3s, add to iCloud, then delete the songs from your library. You will then be able to download the 256 files off iCloud.

In my experience, iTunes Match won't match against things that haven't been released yet. Which means it would end up uploading your versions to the cloud. Are you saying it's actually matching and skipping the upload?

[DVYDRNS]

Already tried that. Match uploaded my versions then re downloaded my version. No 256 version.

[UninTY]

I love it! Dont understand why people havent mentioned the title track "Welcome Oblivion" more. My absolute favorite.

I 100% agree. I can't stop listening to it!

[ecirb]

In my experience, iTunes Match won't match against things that haven't been released yet. Which means it would end up uploading your versions to the cloud. Are you saying it's actually matching and skipping the upload?

Yes, iTunes apparently already has the 256 version ready. I suppose I failed to mention that I have a different source for the 128 mp3s. I used HiDownload. Here is the Lineage:

Pitchfork Stream > hiDownload > FLV > FLV Extractor > mp3 > Manual tagging of mp3 > iTunes > Add to iCloud > Delete mp3 > Download 256:

[jrdsctt]

Any chance someone has a link to a rip of the album still? I would really appreciate it.

[Trains]

Right, this is a little off-topic but I wanted a second opinion. I pre-ordered the CD version of WO from the HTDA store and need to cancel it now (thought I had more £££ in the bank than it turns out I actually do...). I've emailed them twice using the email address stated on the site, asking to cancel my order and so far I've got nothing back. Has anyone had difficulty getting in contact with modlife? I wouldn't mind, but the money is still pending to come out of my account and I'm pretty hard up until next week. Any suggestions, other than to leave it a few days and see if they get in touch?

[sheepdean]

Really there's nothing you can do but wait, but I'd read the T&Cs to be sure it doesn't say "all transactions are final"

[laz001]

The stupid thing about people saying its too NIN is that its hard NOT to sound like NIN. Are there any instruments and styles that have NOT been covered by Trent at some point?

[Presideo]

This album feels like three acts to me; with what I perceive as fairly distinct changes in sonic moods. I love it. Act I: 1-4, Act II: 5-9, Act II: 10-13

I thought the same thing: Act: I - The Heavy / Act II - The Pop / Act III - The Experimentation (Side B of Bowie's 'Low' Revisited)

Solid album overall that greatly exceeded my expectations. The only gripe(s) I have is the tracklisting: putting the title-track early in the album felt like if you were to put "The Great Destroyer" earlier in Year Zero - it would have still been a great track, but would lose the impact it commanded near the end. Getting into the heavy stuff early, then following it up with pop-centric tracks felt like a weird move. Also, the last four tracks were pretty anti-climactic - "Recursive Self-Improvement" was completely unneeded and "The Loop Closes" wasn't exactly a welcome follow-up. "Hallowed Ground" was a nice way to end things, but nothing after "We Fade Away" packed much of a punch, and even that song felt redundant.

Tracklisting aside, I really enjoyed the album overall - 7/10. Fav. tracks: And The Sky Began To Scream, Welcome Oblivion, Strings and Attractors

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

Right, this is a little off-topic but I wanted a second opinion. I pre-ordered the CD version of WO from the HTDA store and need to cancel it now (thought I had more £££ in the bank than it turns out I actually do...). I've emailed them twice using the email address stated on the site, asking to cancel my order and so far I've got nothing back. Has anyone had difficulty getting in contact with modlife? I wouldn't mind, but the money is still pending to come out of my account and I'm pretty hard up until next week. Any suggestions, other than to leave it a few days and see if they get in touch?

Really there's nothing you can do but wait, but I'd read the T&Cs to be sure it doesn't say "all transactions are final"

You may even get lucky. I've had a few experiences with "all sales are final" where they were willing to cancel a transaction once I explained my situation. Sometimes "all sales are final" seems like it's mainly there to deter people from cancelling transactions left and right. Just try to get in contact with someone by phone or something, however ya can. If they can't help you, at least you tried. It's not like you can lose more money by trying, right?