Make no mistake - what Radiohead did was revolutionary. But it was also a publicity stunt. Trent Reznor, on the other hand, has furthered this online musical revolution by turning his frustrations into a genuine act of rebellion ... and creating some beautiful music along the way.

Radiohead shocked the music world in 2007 with the set-your-own-price download of their album In Rainbows. The fact that they made a considerable sum of money from this project despite giving the option for listeners to take the music for free showed that, at least for top-tier artists, this is a model that could actually work.

However, I believe that even if Radiohead fans hadn't paid so much for In Rainbows, Reznor still would have used a similar distribution method for Ghosts I-IV. He was infuriated that Nine Inch Nails' 2007 album Year Zero had its price jacked up to a ridiculous amount in Australia due to the package's color-changing disc, something Reznor said cost only an extra 80 cents per album. Disgusted with the greed and cluelessness of the record industry, Reznor decided there would be no need to sign with a label this time. He would take matters into his own hands. In March of 2008, he released the latest Nine Inch Nails effort, a two-disc, all instrumental set entitled Ghosts I-IV.

Before the album hit stores, fans were able to choose from a variety of online purchasing methods. Nine songs were available for free, while a mere five dollars got you a download of every track plus a collection of photos and other extras. The site even offered a three-hundred dollar package that sold out quickly, showing just how many fanatical Nine Inch Nails there are. Clearly, Reznor's experiment worked.

But of course, innovation aside, the most important aspect of any album is the music itself, and Ghosts I-IV certainly comes through. If you don't skip over the instrumentals on The Fragile or Year Zero - and shame on you if you do - you'll enjoy Ghosts I-IV. Obviously this album is very different from past works because of the absence of vocals (and even song titles). But even without Reznor spewing vitriol through a microphone, these songs do have quite a bit of power. Sure, this is good music to play when you're looking to zone out to while relaxing, but several tracks are just as good to crank up when you need some energy.

The album opens softly with a couple dark, atmospheric piano tracks before a more industrial sound takes over. At first that sound is somewhat soft and creepy but later tracks produce a heavier sound like the grinding on "23," "35," and "4" that's interspersed with cool electric guitar riffs or the pounding beats of "8". "31" is easily the most rocking thanks to a heavy beat and driving guitars.

Most numbers give off an eerie vibe such as the one created by the xylophone on "6," the evil assembly line sounds of "10" and "19," or the deranged laughter in the background of "33." Some tracks, however, are downright fun, perfect examples being "16" and "18," which at times resemble the music from a crazy '80s Nintendo game. "24" brings us a fast-paced techno groove while retaining the intense Nine Inch Nails sound. The piano returns several times throughout the album, juxtaposing beauty with the heavier, industrial metal styles, making Ghosts I-IV a fun roller coaster ride through a haunted amusement park.

Many tracks have a familiar Nine Inch Nails vibe and easily could have been fleshed out into full songs, but I think Reznor was more interested in releasing something different in a different way rather than creating more hits. Ghosts I-IV certainly is not your average Nine Inch Nails album. Even with familiar sounds, its overall vibe is something new for this band, and its distribution method was something entirely new for the music world. With Ghosts I-IV, Trent Reznor has proven that he can make a major statement without ever saying a word.


Also from Nine Inch Nails:

Pretty Hate Machine
Broken
The Downward Spiral
With Teeth
Year Zero



Recommended: Yes