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For his new side project How to Destroy Angels, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor moves out of the shadow of his legendary band, but only a little. Featuring his new wife Mariqueen Maandig (who used to be the vocalist in West Indian Girl) and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross, this techno-rock trio’s debut EP very much recalls the drama and tension of NIN’s best music. Consequently, How to Destroy Angels may not be particularly innovative, but it again demonstrates what a master at menacing atmosphere Reznor can be.
Similarities ... but Also Differences
When Reznor announced last year that Nine Inch Nails would be retiring as a touring unit, fans wondered whether that meant he was going to take a break from the band for a while to focus on other projects. Those questions were answered on February 1, 2010, when Reznor revealed that he was working with Maandig and Ross in an entirely new outfit. The band’s first EP, a six-track collection made available for free through the How to Destroy Angels website, suggests that while Reznor didn’t want to record under the NIN moniker this time around, he also didn’t want to deviate too much from that entity’s mixture of ferocious drum machines, bruising guitars and generally dyspeptic vibes. In interviews, Reznor has acknowledged the similarities between How to Destroy Angels and NIN, but while those comparisons are obvious it’s also fun to note the differences in the two bands.
A Woman's Touch
What most clearly separates these projects is Maandig’s presence as lead singer.
While Reznor’s vocals could give a Nine Inch Nails track a whispery unease, How to Destroy Angels draws much of its power from her sultry, subdued singing style, resulting in songs that hint at their underlying anxiety rather than directly assaulting the listener. This cold, calm malice comes through most clearly on the EP’s opening and closing tracks. On the Portishead-like clatter of “The Space in Between,” Maandig moans in an almost dehumanized way that is both creepy and hypnotic. And on the seven-minute finale, “A Drowning,” she sings the desperate lyrics with a dispassion that makes their hopelessness all the more upsetting. She may not be a fiery vocalist, but her ethereal voice gives these songs a beauty that Reznor would usually undercut with his harsher singing style.
A Mixture of Beauty and Menace
Any Nine Inch Nails fan can listen to How to Destroy Angels and pinpoint moments that echo earlier NIN songs. The jittery “BBB” has the same angst-ridden atmosphere as 1989’s Pretty Hate Machine, “Fur Lined” feels like a rewrite of “Only You” off of With Teeth, while “The Space in Between” recalls the drawn-out anguish of The Downward Spiral’s “Hurt.” But while the similarities may limit the EP’s freshness, it can also yield some nice surprises. For example, “Parasite” wouldn’t have felt out of place on The Downward Spiral with its industrial guitars and unsettling spirit, but considering that it’s a duet between Reznor and Maandig this vicious track begins to take on the air of an off-kilter love song, amplifying the dread and perversion that Reznor has brought to some of his strongest NIN tunes. Balancing the hostility of his earlier material with the instrumental gorgeousness of his later work like The Slip, How to Destroy Angels can be seen as an intriguing attempt to merge the two sides of his musical personality.
'How to Destroy Angels' – Bottom Line
At only six songs, How to Destroy Angels can’t help but feel a little incomplete, more an appetizer than a full meal. Still, with Reznor guiding the band’s musical vision and Maandig giving the songs a seductive feminine energy, this EP stands on its own merits. Reznor has said that future HTDA material will move further away from NIN’s trademark sound. If so, then How to Destroy Angels is a solid first step toward a new direction.
'How to Destroy Angels' – Best Tracks:
“Parasite” (Purchase/Download)“The Space in Between” (Purchase/Download)
“A Drowning” (Purchase/Download)
Release date – June 1, 2010
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