Review Summary: Industrial metal at its crazy, angsty best.
In the early 90’s, NIN was simply the underground brainchild of Trent Reznor, who wrote and recorded 99% of their material completely on his own. Though
Pretty Hate Machine had taken a large step towards reviving industrial,
(while being very little more than an electro-pop album complemented by an odd spattering of samples here and there) it was not until 1992’s
Broken EP that Reznor showed his real industrial side and expanded his songwriting capabilities to produce something that could be considered a masterpiece.
Broken fades in with a somewhat disjointed intro in the form of
Pinion, giving very little hint of what is to come. It draws the listener in to pay close attention to the short distorted guitar patterns and delicate wind-like sounds surrounding them, producing the feeling of being in tunnel.
What comes next is very nearly the best song in the entire NIN catalogue, and a perfect example of NIN’s progression from pop to angst-in-a-CD case, in the best way possible.
Wish sets the tempo for the album immediately, a solid and slightly muted tom beat on the drums giving grounds for fast-paced, aggressive singing to interplay with a near-explosive guitar line, continuing through the catchiness of the chorus right up until the bridge, where atmospheric whispers and a slightly stumbled drumbeat are interrupted by Reznor with what could almost be described as a roar, bringing back the pace and anger of the song for another explosion, another chorus and a slightly altered riff, cutting off in the final 10 seconds to end it all.
The rest of the album may never manage to reach the heights of
Wish completely, but parts of it come pretty damn close. Many of the songs come in the same vein of anger, distorted guitar and crazed singing, such as the very next song,
Last. The catchy chorus, explosive riffage and angsty lyrics all make a return without sounding recycled, but it’s all too much of the same to warrant a 5, this trend also being carried on by
Gave Up. To a certain extent, the Adam and the Ants cover,
Physical (You’re So) is the same, the main difference being the vocals, which are much calmer (for the first 1/3 of the song, at least,) and very sexual, to fit the lyrics. The chorus is also more uplifting, but overall the song retains many of the same elements as the 3 songs mentioned so far.
Help Me I’m In Hell breaks the aggression of the first 2 proper songs as a short, under 2 minute instrumental. The muted guitar line and melodic elements are very quiet, giving the impression of looking into a void, but what follows this particular track turns out to be the second best song on the EP.
Happiness In Slavery isn’t going to change anyone’s view of Reznor’s early lyrics as slightly childish, but they do have a certain beauty to them. New electronica elements are introduced on this song, as is a more varied drumbeat. Reznor’s voice ranges from an emotional whisper to a crazed shriek and the riffs are just as aggressive but far from overpowering.
Gave Up and
Suck can both be seen as similar songs to this one.
If I had to pick just one element that shines on the album, it’s the production. Every instrument is given a very fresh sound, perfect for displaying anger, and Reznor is certainly not afraid of creating soundscapes – In the aforementioned
Welcome To Hell, the atmosphere it creates is largely down to the swirling mass of samples in the background. The mix is perfect, focusing on the right instruments at the right times, never sounds rushed or flat. The biggest element of production, naturally, is the sampling used throughout. Many of the samples are electrical buzzes, adding to the same sense of aggression created by the guitars. At first, the most notable samples are the more atmospheric ones, such as the whispers and wind-like effects, but further listens reveal much more depth and many subtle touches that make this EP something very close to addictive.
Overall, this is a good starting point for more experienced music listeners wanting to get into NIN, and a welcome addition to anyone’s collection. It may not quite achieve the title of a classic, but very few flaws are present, as even the track ordering does its job at keeping the songs flowing and interesting. Short, explosive, headbanging fun has never felt quite so genuine as on here.
Recommended Tracks:
Wish
Happiness In Slavery
Gave Up
