NINE INCH NAILS / Pretty Hate Machine (2010 Remaster)

NIN’s debut (originally released in 1989) is all about mood. The simplistic construction can be torn apart very easily. It's built around minimalist synth, simplistic drum patterns, layered with electronic bass and occasional rock guitar. But that's semantics; the album is more than the sum of its parts. What really defines it is the dark angst that gains its strength from its stark honesty.
The 2010 remaster breathes new life into the ageing production. Without sacrificing too much in contrast, the bass gets a much-needed boost. It's naturally louder (because it's a modern remaster), but it seems also more purposeful, enabling the drums and synth to be rescued from the doldrums they were forced to exist in. I never enjoyed it on CD (I owned it on vinyl) but now I can.

Songs of Note: Head Like a Hole; Terrible Lie

4½ whispered confessions out of 5