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 --
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 had always been
's stock in trade. The left-field hit "Closer" made him a postmodern shaman for the '90s, obsessed with exposing the dark side he saw behind even the most innocuous facades. In fact, his theatrics on
-- all the preening self-absorption and serpentine sexuality -- seemed directly descended from
Jim Morrison
. Yet
's nihilism often seemed like a reaction against some repressively extreme standard of purity, so the depravity he wallowed in didn't necessarily seem that depraved. That's part of the reason why, in spite of its many virtues,
falls just short of being the masterpiece it wants to be. For one thing, fascination with texture occasionally dissolves the hooky songwriting that fueled
Pretty Hate Machine
. But more than that,
's unflinching bleakness was beginning to seem like a carefully calibrated posture; his increasing musical sophistication points up the lyrical holding pattern. Having said that, the album ends on an affecting emotional peak -- "Hurt" mingles drama and introspection in a way
had never quite managed before. It's evidence of depth behind the charisma that deservedly made him a star. ~ Steve Huey