Nine Inch Nails Remind Us Of Everything Good And Bad We Have Left On 'Ghosts V: Together'

Both of these new Nine Inch Nails albums are albums that I don’t feel that I should discuss in length. That’s not because I’m feeling lazy and these are challenging listens that I want to act like I understand without actually analyzing them, it’s because these are albums that create experiences that will vary from person to person. These albums tell stories that will be interpreted differently by everybody that hears them. The albums are incredible pieces of textured ambient music that say a lot with a little, and believe me when I say that’s quite an understatement. These are seemingly infinite records in the sense that you could interpret them in a million possible ways. You could write a million novels and record a million movies that line up perfectly with this music and never run out of ideas. Each set piece along both of these roller coasters is distinct and unique, yet will change colors and concepts for each person that listens to it. The stories and narratives etched into these albums feel non-tangible, like a musical chameleon packed with mysterious and dark secrets. I find it worth discussing what these records bring to the table on paper, but I’d rather keep my experience with them to myself so that anybody reading this who hasn’t listened yet will be able to craft their own story from their own imagination, free of influence.

Together, the first of the two records NIN dropped on March 26th, is the brighter and more optimistic of the two. That’s not saying much. While this one is certainly much more upbeat in comparison, this is not exactly children’s music. This album has a general vibe of paranoia and anxiety about it that struck me as something that was all too real. It’s audible nervous optimism, embodying the feeling of being excited about something but not wanting to get your hopes up out of fear you’ll just get hurt. It’s when you open your mouth in conversation with your friends to discuss something you’re excited about, but you stop before you speak because you’re worried they’ll dismiss your excitement as stupidity. There are bright moments on this album. There are bright moments in life, even during this crisis we are all living through right now. There are also 7 billion people waiting to see how this year will end with baited breath. This album’s atmosphere reaffirms all the uncertainty floating around in my own and everyone else’s minds right now, but it also reminds us that when we have nothing we still have each other. That is just scratching the surface of this album though, as it’s something that everyone will experience and interpret in their own wayaa. In order to truly understand this album, you’ll have to listen for yourself. - 8.8/10