(Time to get pumped!)
I’ve never really taken Nine Inch Nails as a band to succeed well on an EP, they’re music usually strives the best within a strong, dark narrative. That being said though, the material on “Not The Actual Events” is pretty solid for what it’s worth. This EP starts off with the upbeat and chaotic “Branches/Bones”. It still has that semi-futuristic edge that Nine Inch Nails have been utilizing ever since the release of “Year Zero”. Outside of that though, this is more in the realm of a classic Nine Inch Nails sound. The production is a little on the glitchy side, and Trent’s lyrics are just as twisted as you would come to expect. However, I think the most shocking and most noticeable shift here is the huge step back this takes in the rock direction. For years now, Nine Inch Nails have slowly started pushing a little further into the realm of electronic music than metal. “Branches/Bones” however is seriously heavy, with Trent sounding lyrically and vocally very much like himself. As far as an intro goes, this is actually pretty damn effective. It’s as chaotic as you would hope, and Trent’s urgent performance is fantastic, as if his life depended on delivering these cryptic messages. Not to mention, while “Branches/Bones” for the most part is straight up industrial metal, that chorus is just catchy enough to stick with you. It’s short, but it’s seriously very effective. Up next is “Dear World”. The intro to this one is much more in the electronic ballpark, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s a sound they’ve proven they can handle. The opening monologue however is a little on the bizarre side. Even though it’s clearly Trent, it barely sounds like him. It basically comes off as Trent Reznor doing his very best computer voice impression, which is gimmicky as hell. To be honest, I feel like this entire passage would be so much more well done if Trent just stuck with his usual twisted vocal performance. It’s a shame that this passage even exists, because when the vocal performances do clean up later on in the track, they’re super impressive. The hook once again is just catchy enough to stick with you, but Trent continues to go back to these bizarre impressions once again. “Dear World” certainly isn’t terrible, but a track like this demands a narrative big time, and that’s just not here on this EP. Thankfully though the track has some really solid grooves and remains very dark. “She’s Gone Away” is up next, and as far as this EP goes this is the lowest point as far as I’m concerned. Thankfully, there’s still plenty to actually enjoy on this track. For one, that atmosphere is seriously on point. “She’s Gone Away’ is easily the most industrial sounding track I’ve heard from Nine Inch Nails in years. The instrumental is super sluggish, and is easily the most bleak sounding track of the bunch here. It’s the vocal performance here that brings everything down a few pegs. Now I understand on a sluggish industrial sounding track like this, I can’t expect any wild performance out of Trent. Call me crazy though, he just sounds a little uninterested here, even among this completely twisted atmosphere. As the instrumental goes on, it continues to be everything I want to hear from Nine Inch Nails this late into their career, even lyrically everything is on point. I just feel like Trent needs to pick up the damn pace.
I’ve never really taken Nine Inch Nails as a band to succeed well on an EP, they’re music usually strives the best within a strong, dark narrative. That being said though, the material on “Not The Actual Events” is pretty solid for what it’s worth. This EP starts off with the upbeat and chaotic “Branches/Bones”. It still has that semi-futuristic edge that Nine Inch Nails have been utilizing ever since the release of “Year Zero”. Outside of that though, this is more in the realm of a classic Nine Inch Nails sound. The production is a little on the glitchy side, and Trent’s lyrics are just as twisted as you would come to expect. However, I think the most shocking and most noticeable shift here is the huge step back this takes in the rock direction. For years now, Nine Inch Nails have slowly started pushing a little further into the realm of electronic music than metal. “Branches/Bones” however is seriously heavy, with Trent sounding lyrically and vocally very much like himself. As far as an intro goes, this is actually pretty damn effective. It’s as chaotic as you would hope, and Trent’s urgent performance is fantastic, as if his life depended on delivering these cryptic messages. Not to mention, while “Branches/Bones” for the most part is straight up industrial metal, that chorus is just catchy enough to stick with you. It’s short, but it’s seriously very effective. Up next is “Dear World”. The intro to this one is much more in the electronic ballpark, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s a sound they’ve proven they can handle. The opening monologue however is a little on the bizarre side. Even though it’s clearly Trent, it barely sounds like him. It basically comes off as Trent Reznor doing his very best computer voice impression, which is gimmicky as hell. To be honest, I feel like this entire passage would be so much more well done if Trent just stuck with his usual twisted vocal performance. It’s a shame that this passage even exists, because when the vocal performances do clean up later on in the track, they’re super impressive. The hook once again is just catchy enough to stick with you, but Trent continues to go back to these bizarre impressions once again. “Dear World” certainly isn’t terrible, but a track like this demands a narrative big time, and that’s just not here on this EP. Thankfully though the track has some really solid grooves and remains very dark. “She’s Gone Away” is up next, and as far as this EP goes this is the lowest point as far as I’m concerned. Thankfully, there’s still plenty to actually enjoy on this track. For one, that atmosphere is seriously on point. “She’s Gone Away’ is easily the most industrial sounding track I’ve heard from Nine Inch Nails in years. The instrumental is super sluggish, and is easily the most bleak sounding track of the bunch here. It’s the vocal performance here that brings everything down a few pegs. Now I understand on a sluggish industrial sounding track like this, I can’t expect any wild performance out of Trent. Call me crazy though, he just sounds a little uninterested here, even among this completely twisted atmosphere. As the instrumental goes on, it continues to be everything I want to hear from Nine Inch Nails this late into their career, even lyrically everything is on point. I just feel like Trent needs to pick up the damn pace.
Thankfully Nine Inch Nails put in a ton of great moments into the last two tracks here. First off, we have “The Idea of You”. If you seriously think NIN have gone a little soft, grab a listen to this track, there’s some serious meat on that riff. In all honest, “The Idea Of You” may be the most straightforward, heaviest track I’ve heard from NIN since “With Teeth”. While the riff may not be too game changing, it’s made that much more effective with Trent’s maniacal whispering and that lone delicate piano floating through the back. As far as a solid NIN track goes, “The Idea Of You” may be the complete package. The way the instrumental picks up just in time for the chorus is absolutely brilliant. And with the rumors that in 2017 we’re getting not one but two NIN projects, I seriously hope THIS is what we have as a base of it all. Not to be “THAT GUY” but this seriously sounds like the good ol’ days of NIN. Finally here we have “Burning Bright (Fiend On Fire)”. This one takes us back to a more sluggish pace, but that fantastic atmosphere of everything certainly comes with it. As far as that wonderful, hellish atmosphere that Nine Inch Nails mastered in the 90’s this is it to a T. Here, Trent’s vocal performance is genuinely interesting. He comes off almost as some wild sort of ringleader. I mean, it may be the ringleader for the darkest carnival in existence but he comes off as a ringleader nonetheless damnit. Lyrically this just keeps getting more twisted and better by the second, yet the chorus as simple as it is brings forth the slightest bit of hope for the twisted world of Nine Inch Nails. Like most of the rest of NIN’s discography, this EP isn’t going to be for everyone. But for diehard NIN fans this is a must listen. Slowly, we’re getting what we’ve craved for years, for NIN to go back to their darker and heavier roots. This EP has its more gimmicky moments and all, but it certainly has me more interested in whatever NIN is planning for 2017.
Rating: 7.5/10
Give A Listen To : "Burning Bright (Fiend On Fire)", "The Idea Of You", "Branches/Bones"
Overall Thoughts: For an artist like Nine Inch Nails who have never been that strong on EP's, this is actually really pretty solid. Sure, there are some gimmicky bits, and there are some moments that would be a little bit better with a strong narrative that a full length album would provide. But outside of that, the material here is pretty darn exciting for Nine Inch Nails fans. The material here is some of NIN's darkest and heaviest material since "With Teeth". It's incomplete sure, but it shows great promise for NIN in the coming year.
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