How To Destroy Angels
How To Destroy Angels EP
Release Date: June 1, 2010
Length: 28:47
Genre: Industrial Metal
Label: The Null Corporation
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Those of you who were saddened by the departure of Nine Inch Nails (at least the touring installment) this past year don’t have to worry. Trent Reznor has quickly returned in full form with what totally feels like the next Nine Inch Nails studio release. Only this time it’s with a female singer (his wife, musician Mariqueen Maandig), longtime producer and collaborator Atticus Ross, and a new name: How To Destroy Angels.
The first of what is sure to be many releases from How To Destroy Angels is a self-titled, self-produced EP that, in true Reznor form as of late, was released completely free of charge on the band’s official website on June 1. And what’s better is the fact that it does not disappoint. That is of course, if you’re into darker ambience.
Every bit of this release screams the involvement of Reznor. The music is dark, foreboding and basically sounds like the soundtrack to an apocalypse of some sort. I’ve enjoyed witnessing the musical progression that Trent Reznor has taken over the years, and this release just continues that. However, I can already see that the one major complaint about this release will be its similarity to the music Reznor made under the Nine Inch Nails moniker. Some songs even seem to steal elements directly from Nine Inch Nails songs.
As soon as I heard the opening drum beat sequence to the song “Fur Lined,” I was immediately put in mind of the song “Only” from NIN’s 2005 release “With Teeth.” And at the 2:19 mark in the same song there is a synth part that almost directly coincides with a synth part from the song “The Hand That Feeds” from the same album. Either Reznor is out of ideas or maybe he’s just trying to keep a good thing going.
Second on the list of HTDA/NIN similarities is the funky/sexy beat of the song “BBB.” It’s hauntingly similar NIN’s “Closer.”
Continuing the trend of borrowing from himself, Reznor and company next bring to the table the EP’s first single, the song “The Believers.” Again, there’s another “Closer”-esque beat present, but this time a marimba is played much like it was throughout NIN’s second-to-last release, the completely instrumental and fabulous “Ghosts I-IV.”
Maandig’s vocals definitely aren’t anything to write home about, but they do a great job of fitting well with HTDA’s musical style. Her singing voice is simple yet intriguing, which is something to be appreciated because, let’s face it, does the world really need another over-the-top showy vocalist?
So far the How To Destroy Angels experience is short-lived. All we’re given here are six songs, clocking in at a combined 28:47. But if you haven’t grown tired of that yet then you’ll really enjoy this EP. And the presence of Maandig’s voice could go one of two ways: it will either leave you wishing that it was just Reznor singing, or appreciating his music as it coincides with a fresh vocal perspective. But it’s very clear that this is just a sampling of what is to come. Because at the rate Trent Reznor has released music over the last few years, I’m guessing we’ll hear from these guys again very soon.
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