Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994)

   "The Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails was probably one of the most influental albums of the '90s. A remarkable masterpiece that determined the late direction of many related genres.
   The most exciting feauture of the early NIN albums is that they are far different from each other, but still there is something common in them that's leaving no doubts about that all came from the same source. That's what happened on "The Downward Spiral", the same diversity appeared in one album. All songs could be sorted to a different style, having a different impression, but still one by one they are the essential parts of a great whole, and introducing a method how a disturbed personality goes deeper into consuming itself. This self-torment goes through on personal desires, disappointments, anger, greed, depression, pain, and of course self-destruction. The way how simple rhytmic noises, repetitive industry sounds and primitive melodies building on each other and creating an exciting main view, is definitely a genuine feature of the album. It shows that even the tiniest components could have important role in the main musical view if everything is well composed. What else could be the most genious aspect of musical minimalism, if not to show how to tell more by less? Exactly that made "The Downward Spiral" an everlasting classic: complexity by simplicity.