Album review: How to Destroy Angels' 'How to Destroy Angels'

Post-NIN, Angels kick up goth beat

Last year Trent Reznor announced that he was retiring Nine Inch Nails, his groundbreaking industrial-rock outfit, as a touring band. This six-song EP by How to Destroy Angels — a new trio featuring Reznor, his wife Mariqeen Maandig and frequent Reznor collaborator Atticus Ross — suggests that the NIN drawdown had less to do with Reznor's road fatigue and more to do with a return to the pleasures of recording: With its tick-tocking death-disco beats and its precisely designed blasts of digital fuzz, "How to Destroy Angels" might be the best-sounding work Reznor has ever done. Few musicians get as much feeling out of electronic equipment as he does.

Yet as songs go, tracks such as "The Space in Between," "Fur-Lined" and the seven-minute "A Drowning" rank among Reznor's least compelling; even with Maandig's appealingly breathy vocals, they often seem like outtakes from NIN's recent instrumental set, "Ghosts I-IV." One exception is "BBB," in which Maandig (a former member of L.A.'s West Indian Girl) coos, "Listen to the sound of my big black boots," over a funky electro-goth groove punctuated by what appears to be a group of foot soldiers on the move. It's the rare moment that combines Reznor's old tune-craft with some of his old humor.

— Mikael Wood

How to Destroy Angels
"How to Destroy Angels"
(The Null Corporation)
Two and a half stars

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Comments

[Disappointed]

In the past, I viewed Reznor as a musical genius. On this EP, he doesn't even come near his former glory. The offering is mediocre at best and the music feels old and dated. The fake trying-to-be sexy whisper vocals kills it for me, too. While, I admire his bravery in forging into other realms, I really think he needs to find someone that isn't tone deaf.

[Matt]

"Might be the best-sounding work Reznor has ever done" yet "least compelling." Which paragraph is your review?

[seven]

I loved the EP. And I thought A Drowning was particularly strong.

[Bryan]

I am not so sure what all the negative reviews are about...I just listened to the EP for the first time and found it fantastic. I guess once you have been in the business for a while, expectations are through the roof?

[isjoe10]

I think this whole project is wrong. From the music down to the logo, product, website, etc. I keep waiting for them to impress me and I just have given up. I read an article where a NIN tech. said that Trent will give you just enough rope where you can either succeed or hang yourself. So wtf is going on here? I almost feel sorry for them. And to uses his NIN fame to hawk this crap? So awful. I wonder if he just does not care about the reviews because I have been hearing from my music pals in L.A. that this is a joke. One pal said that he is starting to make Manson look good. Such a shame.

[Tonya Harrod]

This EP was sooo bad. Mariqueen can't sing and she's a BORE to listen to. oh, these little girls who think they're rock stars crack me up. it's like they're playing dress up on Halloween. Chrissie Hynde would mop the floor with this one. Looks like they let the little kid design the album cover too. Cheap labor, I guess.

[Bill Williams]

Sorry to be a hater, but this sounds like bad karaoke.

[billyjackblack]

How to Destroy Angels? More like how to destroy insomnia. Sounds very rehashed (Downward Spiral and Ghosts, to be specific). -F grade

[krystal]

I heard it and bought it I really like the tracks I am not sure what the others on here like but this is not your top 40 music that the music companys want you to hear, This is much better