8 Halos: An Introduction To Nine Inch Nails

By Sergio Bravo Jr. /

In preparation for Nine Inch nails' latest effort, Hesitation Marks, I feel it's important to go back and reflect on the eight studio albums that've been such an important aspect to not only the NIN discography, but to the lives of many fans. A halo is in reference to a numbering system that was introduced to help keep track of each album's release. For instance, the album Pretty Hate Machine can also be referred to as halo 2 because it was released after the single, Down In It. For almost twenty-five years, Trent Reznor has been pushing the boundaries of various genres of music, while maintaining the band's relevance. Each album has a certain quality to it that not only draws you in, but provides a cohesive narrative that is different things to different people. Each of the albums have been a labor of love for one person, and guided meditation for many others. With the introduction of each album, I'll list the albums strengths and/or weaknesses, and why they stand the test of time.