Description
Nine Inch Nails – Bad Witch – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
Nine Inch Nails’ Bad Witch (2018) is the ninth studio release by the industrial rock band led by Trent Reznor. This album completes a trilogy that began with the EPs Not the Actual Events (2016) and Add Violence (2017). Unlike those two releases, Bad Witch is a full-length album, though it is relatively short at only 30 minutes. It represents a departure from the purely industrial rock and electronic sounds that defined much of Nine Inch Nails’ earlier work, incorporating elements of jazz, dark ambient, and experimental music while maintaining the band’s signature intensity.
Bad Witch received attention for its abrasive, aggressive sound and thematic exploration of political and societal decay, as well as personal struggle. It also marks a notable shift in Nine Inch Nails’ evolving sound, further pushing the boundaries of Reznor’s experimental tendencies.
While Bad Witch still has the dark, industrial sound that Nine Inch Nails is known for, it incorporates surprising new elements, including free jazz-inspired saxophone and more abstract, ambient soundscapes. Reznor’s use of unconventional textures and rhythms makes the album a sonic departure from his earlier work, while retaining the intensity and emotional depth that defines the Nine Inch Nails sound. The album is filled with abrasive, distorted soundscapes, with Reznor utilizing noisy, aggressive instrumentation to create a sense of dissonance and unease. This sonic harshness mirrors the chaotic and unsettling themes explored in the lyrics.
Reznor and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross incorporate dark ambient and electronic music elements, layering atmospheric textures over industrial beats and harsh synths. This adds to the album’s haunting, dystopian feel.
Key Tracks
“Shit Mirror”: The opening track is a fast, aggressive burst of industrial rock energy. It features distorted guitars, pounding drums, and Reznor’s intense vocal delivery. The song feels urgent and confrontational, setting the tone for the rest of the album with its mix of anger and disillusionment.
“Ahead of Ourselves”: This track is a chaotic, high-energy assault, with distorted beats and frantic synths driving the song forward. Lyrically, it deals with themes of self-destruction and societal collapse, reflecting Reznor’s commentary on modern life. The frantic pace and aggressive production make it one of the more intense tracks on the album.
“Play the Goddamned Part”: One of the most experimental tracks on the album, “Play the Goddamned Part” features dissonant saxophone riffs, an eerie atmosphere, and a sparse, almost improvised feel. The track is instrumental and leans heavily into the avant-garde jazz influence, showing a different side of Nine Inch Nails’ musical palette.
“God Break Down the Door”: This song stands out for its prominent saxophone parts and Reznor’s vocal delivery, which draws inspiration from David Bowie, especially from his Blackstar era. The track is a fusion of industrial rock, jazz, and electronic music, blending chaotic noise with haunting melodies. Its dense, layered production gives it a hypnotic, otherworldly quality.
“Over and Out”: The closing track is atmospheric and hypnotic, with a slower tempo and more meditative tone. The song builds gradually, layering ambient textures and minimalistic beats with Reznor’s ghostly vocals. Its repetitive structure and reflective lyrics create a sense of finality, bringing the album to a haunting conclusion.
Bad Witch continues the politically charged themes that Nine Inch Nails explored in previous releases. Many of the lyrics reflect disillusionment with the state of the world, touching on themes of corruption, societal collapse, and the dehumanizing effects of modern technology. Tracks like “Ahead of Ourselves” express a sense of hopelessness and frustration with the direction society is heading. Reznor often reflects on personal themes of existential crisis, inner conflict, and self-doubt. On Bad Witch, this takes the form of a wider commentary on the human condition, where personal and societal breakdowns are intertwined. Songs like “Shit Mirror” and “God Break Down the Door” explore the tension between personal responsibility and external chaos. Themes of alienation and isolation, common in Nine Inch Nails’ discography, are present throughout Bad Witch. The lyrics reflect a sense of being disconnected from oneself and from the world, often framed within the broader context of societal unrest and technological dependency.
On Bad Witch, Reznor’s vocal delivery shifts between harsh, distorted screams and more subdued, melancholic singing. His voice is often layered with effects, adding to the distorted, chaotic atmosphere of the album. Songs like “God Break Down the Door” feature more melodic, Bowie-esque vocals, while tracks like “Shit Mirror” showcase his more aggressive side.
The use of saxophone is one of the most notable aspects of Bad Witch. Reznor’s incorporation of free jazz-style saxophone, especially on tracks like “Play the Goddamned Part” and “God Break Down the Door,” adds a chaotic, dissonant edge to the music. The saxophone is used not for melody but as a tool to create unsettling textures. The album is filled with layers of electronic soundscapes, with Reznor and Ross employing dark ambient textures and industrial beats to create an immersive, dystopian atmosphere. These elements help build tension and add depth to the more experimental tracks.
Bad Witch was seen as a bold and experimental step for Nine Inch Nails, pushing the boundaries of what fans had come to expect. Its combination of industrial rock, jazz, and ambient music reflected Reznor’s willingness to continue evolving musically, even after decades in the industry.
Bad Witch completes the trilogy that began with Not the Actual Events and Add Violence. While each release explores similar themes of societal decay and personal struggle, Bad Witch is the most experimental and musically adventurous of the three, providing a fitting conclusion to this phase of Nine Inch Nails’ work. Many critics and fans noted the influence of David Bowie’s later work, particularly Blackstar, on Bad Witch. Reznor’s vocal delivery on “God Break Down the Door” and the album’s avant-garde tendencies were compared to Bowie’s final album, further solidifying the connection between the two artists, which dates back to Reznor’s collaboration with Bowie in the 1990s.
Bad Witch by Nine Inch Nails is a challenging, experimental album that pushes the boundaries of industrial rock while incorporating elements of jazz, dark ambient, and electronic music. With its abrasive soundscapes, dissonant saxophone, and politically charged themes, the album stands as a bold artistic statement from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Bad Witch completes a trilogy of releases that explore societal decay, personal conflict, and existential struggle, further cementing Nine Inch Nails’ reputation as one of the most innovative and influential bands in the alternative and industrial music scenes.
The 180g vinyl version of Bad Witch
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Shit Mirror
Ahead Of Ourselves
Play The Goddamned Part
God Break Down The Door
I’m Not From This World
Over And Out
