The Downward Spiral positioned Trent Reznor as industrial's own Phil
Spector, painting detailed, layered soundscapes from a wide tonal palette.
Not only did he fully integrated the crashing metal guitars of Broken, but
several newfound elements — expanded song structures, odd time
signatures, shifting arrangements filled with novel sounds, tremendous
textural variety — can be traced to the influence of progressive rock. So
can the painstaking attention devoted to pacing and contrast — The
Downward Spiral is full of striking sonic juxtapositions and sudden about-
faces in tone, which make for a fascinating listen. More important than
craft in turning Reznor into a full-fledged rock star, however, was his
brooding persona. Grunge had the mainstream salivating over melodramatic
angst, which...
|
