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How to Destroy Angels
How to Destroy Angels
How to Destroy Angels
Genres: Pop, Rock
 
The first post NIN project of Trent Reznor featuring vocals from wife and ex-West Indian Girl Mariqueen Maandig and his regular collaborator Atticus Ros

     
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All Artists: How to Destroy Angels
Title: How to Destroy Angels
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: The Null Corporation
Original Release Date: 1/1/2010
Re-Release Date: 7/6/2010
Album Type: EP
Genres: Pop, Rock
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 766929950122

Synopsis

Album Description
The first post NIN project of Trent Reznor featuring vocals from wife and ex-West Indian Girl Mariqueen Maandig and his regular collaborator Atticus Ros

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CD Reviews

A good debut, room for improvement...
Richard Shaheen | San Antonio, TX | 07/06/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)

"If there is one thing I was hoping for with the release of the eponymous EP from How To Destroy Angels it was for something completely beyond the norm for Trent Reznor. I'm a HUGE Nine Inch Nails fan, so as far as I am concerned, anything the man touches is solid gold (and I haven't been let down yet). HTDA is no exception; it's a quality record from a quality group of musicians. My only complaint would be that it does sound a little too NIN-ish. Some of these tracks sound like they could have been b-sides or unreleased tracks from Year Zero, which wouldn't have been a bad thing if this was a Nails release. It sounds as though Trent is trying to get out of his comfort zone here but just can't seem to get all the way out. Some tracks are stellar standouts that offer a lot of hope that some amazing things are in the works; "Fur Lined" in particular has a very unique feel that sets it apart from Reznor's previous work. "The Space In Between" is a bit out there for him, but still manages to toe that line of comfortability. The addition of Mariqueen Maandig-Reznor certainly adds an interesting element to the equation, her vocals are haunting and breathy which does wonders for the music; Reznor singing would have not made quite the impact.



All in all, this is a good record; not a great one, but a good one. If Trent and company can find a way to get themselves out of their comfort zone, they could deliver a truly amazing album."
An excellent blend of old (NIN) and new
Jeff Loudon | Nashville, TN | 07/08/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)

"When Trent Reznor played his final Nine Inch Nails show in September of 2009, fans knew it wouldn't be the last they saw of Reznor. Named after a single by the 80s electronic group Coil, Reznor formed How to Destroy Angels with his wife, Mariqueen Maandig and former Nine Inch Nails producer, Atticus Ross. The lead single, "A Drowning" was released in May and now a six song EP is available to download free of charge from the band's website with a high quality download available for a modest two dollars. Trent Reznor is no stranger to giving his music away for free. In fact, Nine Inch Nails' last record was available from the band's website at no cost as well.



How to Destroy Angels opens with "The Space in Between," a song vaguely reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins' darkened single "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning." Slowly building throughout the track until coming to a very abrupt end, Maandig's vocals are casually introduced and fit perfectly into the mix. With the exception of a few backup harmony vocals and whispers, Reznor's trademark voice is traded in for that of his wife with extremely positive results. Maandig's calm and quiet singing echoes the dark mood conveyed by the music which rattles the brain with heavy bass, thumping drums, and distorted guitar like the best of Nine Inch Nails.



The album's third track, "Fur Lined," is, in a way, the perfect description of Trent Reznor's new sound. The song opens with the most nostalgic drum and bass line to Nine Inch Nails. When Maandig's vocals enter, they are distant and distorted, sounding very much out of place. Reznor fans may find themselves wondering just how great the song could be with his harsh vocals and tortured screams. When the chorus enters, however, an additional high hat rhythm enters, changing the mood just enough to create an opening for Maandig to really shine. The remaining instrumentation presses on, but that slight change is all that is needed to really make the pieces come together, like finding the last edge piece of a puzzle before continuing with the center.



Reznor and company do an excellent job of mixing the past with the future to string longtime fans of Nine Inch Nails along for the ride without clinging to the security blanket of past success. How to Destroy Angels, though available for free, is worth the CD or high resolution download price if you really want to hear the music. The reign of Nine Inch Nails may be over, but this record proves Reznor still has a great deal to show our ears.



Similar Artists: Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins



Track Suggestion: "A Drowning""
"Try to fill the spaces in between."
Matt Jacobs | Trumansburg, NY | 06/25/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the self-titled debut EP by How to Destroy Angels, a group formed by Trent Reznor, his wife Mariqueen Maandig, and producer Atticus Ross. It sort of sounds like Nine Inch Nails release The Slip if a woman was singing. It will be released physically early next month, but you can still download it online for free if you want. So yeah, it's pretty enjoyable electronic/industrial stuff, and it's hard to go wrong when you don't have to pay. My two favorite tracks happen to be the opener and closer, "The Space in Between" and "A Drowning". The former has a perfect, ominous sound countered by Mariqueen's pleasant voice that nicely introduces you to their style, and the latter has a nice build up and release for the record's climax. The other tracks are totally fine too, with my third favorite probably being "The Believers". I'm not sure how dedicated any of them really are to the future of this project, but their first effort is fairly strong and might be worth some further development."