Nine Inch Nails have been all but off the radar since the release of their album Hesitation Marks two years ago, but according to nucleus Trent Reznor, that’s all about to change. Friday afternoon, while promoting the band’s forthcoming $300 art book on Twitter, the rocker dropped the news that the band will soon be back in action.
“New NIN coming in 2016,” Reznor wrote. “Other stuff, too.”
New NIN coming in 2016. Other stuff, too.
— Trent Reznor (@trent_reznor) December 18, 2015
Fans are undoubtedly curious about the direction in What Comes Next, given that Hesitation Marks was such a departure from the dark, angry juggernaut of Nails’ past. It was New Wave for the industrial grind, trading the rage and danger for a minimalist approach, programmed beats and… happiness. It was an unexpected and polarizing ride for longtime fans, but through strong songwriting, impeccable production and a determination not to rehash rage just for the sake of it, Reznor made the transition from grim & bitter screaming mess of aggression to a limitless, if slightly understated, atmosphere of digital ticks, blips and tension.
Hesitation Marks refers to the preliminary wounds made during a suicide attempt, the blade’s caress before going in for the kill. It’s an appropriate title for an album that shows little fang but plenty of menace beneath a hypnotically inventive surface. The next steps should be quite interesting.
Photo: Johnny Firecloud
