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The Fragile: Deviations 1
The Fragile: Deviations 1 in Bloomington, MN
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In late 2016,
Trent Reznor
issued a remaster of
nine inch nails
' 1999 double album
The Fragile
, as well as its counterpart,
The Fragile: Deviations 1
, a motherlode for
NIN
completists. Comprised of 37 instrumentals,
Deviations
strips away the vocals, subtly reinterprets as "alternate" versions, and inserts new songs, creating a more expansive journey. The album's original textures and instrumentation flourish in the spotlight, allowing the dense layers to come to the fore. Fans of
Reznor
and
Atticus Ross
' score work, as well as devotees of the
Ghosts
Still
instrumentals, should find much to appreciate here. For the
Fragile
faithful,
is a thrill to dissect and examine in obsessive detail.
On side one, "Somewhat Damaged," "The Wretched," and "Just Like You Imagined" benefit most from the fresh polishing. New additions include "Missing Pieces," which introduces "We're in This Together," and "The March," last heard on
Saul Williams
'
-produced "Skin of a Drum." Side two kicks off with "Even Deeper," a highlight that now includes a string section, and quickly descends into madness with "One Way to Get There," a
Broken
-meets-"The Perfect Drug" cacophony that slides into "No, You Don't." The intensity continues on "Taken" before the noise subsides to reveal the beating heart of
, "La Mer" and "The Great Below." As a palate cleanser, a trio of new songs -- "Not What It Seems Like," "White Mask," and "The New Flesh" -- provides an interlude.
On part two (i.e. disc two of the original),
wanders further into the hidden corners of the
era. "The Mark Has Been Made" significantly differs from the original, its guitar and distortion replaced by disembodied gurgles and synths. The latter half of side three features the standout "Was It Worth It?" -- reminiscent of the soundtrack cut, "Deep" -- and the "Please" addendum "+Appendage," a drum jam originally found on the
cassette. "Can I Stay Here?" and "10 Miles High" (aka "Hello, Everything Is Not OK") provide another buffer before the atmospheric closing run.
Side four kicks off with "Feeders," an extended version of the noise originally found on the intro to "No, You Don't." Here, it serves as necessary foreplay to "Starfuckers, Inc.," which works better without the cringe-worthy lyrics and cartoonish rage of the original. "Claustrophobia Machine (Raw)" is a percussion-heavy assault that bleeds into "Last Heard From," an ugly stretch before the thrilling collapse, which finds
inserting guitars and boosting synths to maximize the power of the original three-song coda.
With over two hours of instrumental indulgence, this collection is quite the undertaking. Casual fans should delve into the original before exploring this treasure trove, which is best appreciated with knowledge of its predecessor. As an expanded peek into
's creative and emotional state during that period,
serves as both a sonic time capsule and a reminder of one of
's most rewarding and underrated efforts. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
Trent Reznor
issued a remaster of
nine inch nails
' 1999 double album
The Fragile
, as well as its counterpart,
The Fragile: Deviations 1
, a motherlode for
NIN
completists. Comprised of 37 instrumentals,
Deviations
strips away the vocals, subtly reinterprets as "alternate" versions, and inserts new songs, creating a more expansive journey. The album's original textures and instrumentation flourish in the spotlight, allowing the dense layers to come to the fore. Fans of
Reznor
and
Atticus Ross
' score work, as well as devotees of the
Ghosts
Still
instrumentals, should find much to appreciate here. For the
Fragile
faithful,
is a thrill to dissect and examine in obsessive detail.
On side one, "Somewhat Damaged," "The Wretched," and "Just Like You Imagined" benefit most from the fresh polishing. New additions include "Missing Pieces," which introduces "We're in This Together," and "The March," last heard on
Saul Williams
'
-produced "Skin of a Drum." Side two kicks off with "Even Deeper," a highlight that now includes a string section, and quickly descends into madness with "One Way to Get There," a
Broken
-meets-"The Perfect Drug" cacophony that slides into "No, You Don't." The intensity continues on "Taken" before the noise subsides to reveal the beating heart of
, "La Mer" and "The Great Below." As a palate cleanser, a trio of new songs -- "Not What It Seems Like," "White Mask," and "The New Flesh" -- provides an interlude.
On part two (i.e. disc two of the original),
wanders further into the hidden corners of the
era. "The Mark Has Been Made" significantly differs from the original, its guitar and distortion replaced by disembodied gurgles and synths. The latter half of side three features the standout "Was It Worth It?" -- reminiscent of the soundtrack cut, "Deep" -- and the "Please" addendum "+Appendage," a drum jam originally found on the
cassette. "Can I Stay Here?" and "10 Miles High" (aka "Hello, Everything Is Not OK") provide another buffer before the atmospheric closing run.
Side four kicks off with "Feeders," an extended version of the noise originally found on the intro to "No, You Don't." Here, it serves as necessary foreplay to "Starfuckers, Inc.," which works better without the cringe-worthy lyrics and cartoonish rage of the original. "Claustrophobia Machine (Raw)" is a percussion-heavy assault that bleeds into "Last Heard From," an ugly stretch before the thrilling collapse, which finds
inserting guitars and boosting synths to maximize the power of the original three-song coda.
With over two hours of instrumental indulgence, this collection is quite the undertaking. Casual fans should delve into the original before exploring this treasure trove, which is best appreciated with knowledge of its predecessor. As an expanded peek into
's creative and emotional state during that period,
serves as both a sonic time capsule and a reminder of one of
's most rewarding and underrated efforts. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
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