“Slave Screams” accurately comprehends the phoniness of conformity for conformity’s sake (“Wish”).
Trent Reznor’s despair is not merely an unimpassioned commentary on the state of youth. It’s real, personal hopelessness that says there’s “nothing more f—ed up” than “putting faith in god” [sic]. Ultimately, he concludes that momentary hedonistic escape (“let me inside of you . . . this is for right now”) on “Last,” or self-hatred (“gonna smash myself”) on “Gave Up” are preferable to insufferable angst.
Nine Inch Nails is part of the “industrial” movement, which typically relies on the metal-tinged, sample-laden dance music often associated with underground clubs. This expletive-filled, angry music could lead some young fans to self-destructive ends. A very poor choice.
