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review of the downward spiral

One might dismiss the dark, autobiographical follow-up to 1989's Pretty Hate Machine - as self-indulgent bombast, but The Downward Spiral is too tight and lean, snarling at the end of its chain, to do so. Trent Reznor's broad songwriting spectrum and sheer range of volume compensate for his narrow emotional breadth, with eternally pissed off vocals hissing through Spiral's driving hard beats, guitar fuzz, synth, and touches of acoustic piano. Lyrical content prevents much radio airplay: Better grab a copy before Reznor kicks your ass and writes a song about it.