"Mr. Self Destruct" is the first track off 1994's The Downward Spiral. The short NinWiki concept and interpretations section about this album is particularly worth reading. The album intentionally explores a range of musical styles.

The middle of the song is very quiet. Trent has stated in at least one interview that sometimes if he is embarrassed ( Read more... )

[accidentally posted this to my LJ instead of meta_reznor yesterday... so moved it over today]

"Underneath the Skin" is a mostly-instrumental track. Trent shouts "reptile!" a couple of times. It incorporates some electronic and dub sounds.

"Reptile" live in 2006 with Trent, Atticus Ross, Peter Murphy, Jeordie White.

Click to view

"A Violet Fluid" is a short track, only 1:03. Kind of atmostpheric, no vocals. No idea what fluids are violet.

Here is the only video I could find for this, a 25-second snippet with some time-lapse clouds. Random, I know. The rest of the song pretty much sounds like this snippet.

Click to view

"All the Pigs, All Lined Up" is a MotP remix. It sounds really weird, and after reading about it I found out why. Remember how MotP has a wacky time signature? AtPALU doesn't. It's 4/4 time. It also has more electronic sounds, a cheering crowd, and Trent repeating "don't you feel a whole lot better." The end features a noisy breakbeat that reminds ( Read more... )

Happy First Birthday, meta_reznor


( Read more... )

"Reptilian" is a remix of "Reptile." It has more techno-influenced beats (I almost want to say trip hop) and lacks the beeping intro. I'll save lyric discussion for "Reptile" itself.

AFAIK "Reptilian" hasn't been performed live, so here is Peter Murphy singing "Reptile" in Worcester, Mass (video by LJ's own antisocialxgrl).

Click to view

"March of the Pigs" is the first track on the single by the same name. It has an unusual time signature - "alternating three measures of 7/8 time with one measure of 4/4 time in the verses" according to NinWiki. During concerts, this song lets the pit know it's mosh o'clock.

Two videos were made for this song. The first, shot in a wet, red cave-like ( Read more... )

"Screaming Slave" is the last track on Fixed. A bunch of people have mixing credit on this: Reznor, Vrenna, Bill Kennedy, Sean Beavan (of the band 8mm) Martin Brumbach, and Bob Flanagan.

This remix makes "Happiness in Slavery" sound like a Disney theme song. It's brutal, disjointed, disconcerting, full of static and screams. Not all of it is ( Read more... )

Not content with merely using it as a song lyric, Trent Reznor released a remix entitled "Fist Fuck." It was mixed by J.G. Thirlwell. The track is disorienting, combining sampled kitsch with angry drums and guitar and a squeaking mattress.

Click to view

"Throw This Away" combines lyrics from "Last" ("I want you to take me/break me/throw me away") with lyrics from "Suck" ("I am so dirty on the inside"). The song starts out with an eerie synthesized woodwind-like noise and gradually adds bass and other elements until it crescendoes at about 3:30. A backbeat and guitar come in to finish out the last ( Read more... )