Halo 19: With Teeth
2005's EP, With Teeth, was a return after yet another hiatus. After what was a period of sobering up and moving forward for Reznor, it was already assumed that expectations were too high and that it would be impossible to follow up what was accomplished with The Fragile. The idea of another concept album was scrapped and what was released was an exploration of various genres of rock. Some of it was political, and some of it was self-reflective. All in all, it's a very different approach to what was then, a new direction for Nine Inch Nails. It was a noble attempt and a very accessible album in its own right. Admittedly, WT is my least favorite album when it comes to NIN. I like how raw the recordings are and that they're straightforward, but at the time, I missed the complexities that came along with the previous albums. There are some great tracks on this album, don't get me wrong. It's just not my cup of tea. I believe in this case, what mattered most was that Reznor was healthy and ready to move forward. I don't think the album should be dismissed, but rather listened to with an open mind.