What the hell has happened to Trent Reznor?
The Nine Inch Nails front man and only real member used to be a reclusive, pained, self-loathing, sad little man who channeled his pain and anguish into deeply complex industrial songs. Because of the careful and painful soul-searching required for a NIN album, he only used to release a complete album every five or six years.
Long gone is that Reznor.
After NIN released "With Teeth," Reznor became a changed man. No longer did he need five years to piece an album together. He wrote and recorded most of "Year Zero" in stadium greenrooms while touring for "With Teeth." No longer did he need to introvert himself and search his own tortured soul for album material. He went both politically and progressively artistic. "Year Zero" was bitingly political, but his progressive artistic side shines through in NIN's latest release.
In what will now forever be known as "pulling a Radiohead," NIN released an epic length instrumental album titled "Ghosts I - IV" (or Halo 26 for all you NIN superfans who are keeping track) for free on the Internet. No longer bogged down by the restrictions of a record label, NIN was able to put the four nine-track EPs that compile "Ghosts I - IV" up for free download on bit torrent sites across the Web. Reznor stated in a "readme" document within the download of "Ghosts I - IV" that the album was registered under a Creative Commons license and encouraged anyone who downloaded it to share it, post it, distribute it and whatever it.
Not only is the down-with-the-establishment way the album was released revolutionary, the music of "Ghosts I - IV" is a brand new wave for NIN as well. Recorded over a 10-week period in autumn 2007, "Ghosts I - IV" is further proof that Reznor is no longer the slow-working, pained, self-destructive shadow he used to be.
Although only instrumental, the music is incredibly complex. Both NIN fans and prog lovers like myself will find this album a pleasing piece.
The musical style of the album covers a wide range of genres and influences.
"1 Ghosts I" opens the album with a typical NIN piano chord progression that has an expertly produced and tuned synth drone barely audible under it. There are several similar tracks throughout the four discs.
Acoustic, electronic, distorted, clean, traditional, experimental, physical and virtual instruments and sounds all play within and without each other on tracks such as "3 Ghosts I," "22 Ghosts III" and others.
Prog metal shows up hard and heavy in what is probably my favorite track, "34 Ghosts IV." A Tool-reminiscent, distorted bass line plays heavily under a Robert Fripp-esque guitar solo that is a strange, but welcome departure from NIN's traditional sound.
Reznor hasn't dropped his roots altogether, but rather he is looking for new ways to make music now that he's a new man. The strangely funky, trademark NIN industrial grind can still be heard in tracks like "24 Ghosts III," "35 Ghosts IV" and "20 Ghosts III."
Reznor stated in an online news article that fans can look forward to an "exciting partnership and experience regarding this release." What exactly that means is open for discussion and argument until it happens. Reznor also stated that more "Ghosts" titles may be available in the future.
"Ghosts I - IV" is an artistic, progressive masterwork that furthers both the distribution revolution started by Radiohead, and the new musical ambitions of the reinvented Trent Reznor. "Ghosts I - IV" is NIN's third release in the last three years, ushering in a new determination by the band/collective to move toward the more progressive side of music.
With a sequel to "Year Zero" in the works, more "Ghosts" titles on the way and possibly a feature film, Reznor is ushering in a new age of music, art and counter culture. I'm just glad I'm here to see where this new wave takes us.
caseywelsch@dailynebraskan.com
is a member of the 
