How to Destroy Angels

When I saw what could possibly be the last Nine Inch Nails concert I'd ever see back in September of 2008, I was a more than a little morose. I had been a fan of NIN since middle school, and had been lucky enough to see Nine Inch Nails on several occasions over the last few years. This part of my life was coming to an end and I was a bit bummed. On the other hand, I was very excited as I and other fans considered the question of what Trent Reznor might do next. After almost two years, we now have our answer.

How To Destroy Angels is the new group featuring Mariqueen Maandig, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross. While Trent is well-known to most mainstream music fans, Mariqueen and Atticus might not be. A composer and producer, Atticus Ross has been one of the influences on post-Fragile Nine Inch Nails, helping to produce all of NIN's albums since. Mariqueen Maandig is formerly of the band West Indian Girl, and married Trent Reznor just after Nine Inch Nails went on hiatus.

So what does all this mean for the self-titled EP that just dropped on Tuesday? How to Destroy Angels initially sounds very similar to the more cacophonous parts of Year Zero, including the track "BBB" and especially "Parasite". The later tracks are much more melodic, but Parasite is definitely the most challenging. That said, Mariqueen's ethereal voice is a pleasingly stark contrast to the heavy beats and riffs delivered by Atticus and Trent, most particularly in my favorite track of "A Drowning". There are many clear references and inspirations from previous Ross/Reznor colaborations. "Fur Lined" invokes memories of "Only" from With Teeth and "Demon Seed" from The Slip, and "The Believers" is like a Ghost brought back to life.

Finally there's "The Space Between", which deserves mention not only as the opening track of the album but as the song for which the first video was made. The song itself introduces the listener to the group's modus operandi: Heavy and deliberate electronic music versus a beautiful female voice. All that's well and good until you see the video, which is astounding-looking and is what sold me on this group. The video is subtle at first, but stayed with me long after my first viewing. Director Rupert Sanders takes a simple idea and progressively adds layers of dread to a song that is clearly building to a rising climax. The video is outstanding, and is easily the best way to introduce someone new to the group.

After all this, the direction of the group is one that I very much want to go in. Once again I find myself asking, as I did almost two years ago, "What are they going to do next?"

How To Destroy Angels: The Space in Between [HD] from How To Destroy Angels on Vimeo.