Not the Actual Events
Nine Inch Nails
2016
The trend seems to be that whenever an artist makes a comeback, they release something of a substantial length. A full-blown comeback tour, a full-length album, or some crazy shit like that. Trent Reznor doesn't always follow trends. As such, the nth return of Nine Inch Nails wasn't one of deafening fanfare but more of an abrupt howl from out of nowhere. One could argue that the release of Not the Actual Events was brought about by public outcry and pressure for Trent to deliver on his promise that there would be new Nine Inch Nails material before the end of 2016. One could also argue that Trent released it when it was damn good and ready and this is where my review starts.
There was a great deal of speculation and (for want of a better term) controversy regarding the release of Not the Actual Events. Trent said in December of 2015 that there would be Nine Inch Nails material in 2016 which prompted fans to wait patiently as weeks and months rolled by without as much as a word or tease or hint of anything. It wasn't til the last 10 days of December of 2016 that Trent made good on his promise... sort of.
Not the Actual Events is... choppy. It really feels like it was rushed and cobbled together from bits and pieces rather than tied together with care and the fury of previous releases. I'm all for fury, choppiness but I often hold others to higher standards than myself. To get a furious release by NIN is great but to get an incohesive release by anyone really, is kind of a letdown. There are exceptions if the product is interesting as a whole but that's not really the case here.
"Branches/Bones" starts with what I still feel is a rushed drum beat, like "Oh shit, we're releasing this when?!" So as a result of that, I see it as rushed and indicative of the rest of the EP from the start, which I'll admit isn't a fair assessment but it's hard for me to see what makes this particular song NIN. Just feels like an odd song, really.
"Dear World," carries a similar vibe but feels more fleshed out and as a result, more cohesive and complete. Like an indicator of what Trent was listening to from the old days as he was working on the EP. Not to say that it's a fantastic song but it's definitely a start.
I've never been one for droning songs but "She's Gone Away" is something of an exception. It's an interesting drone but still a drone and as such, just fades into the background.
"The Idea of You" was probably the most interesting/engaging song for me on the EP which harkens back to With Teeth but not enough to convince me that it was left off that album for some undisclosed reason. It carries some of that fury that I've always liked on NIN material so that already gives it points despite feeling somewhat disconnected from the rest of the EP. Although one could argue that it's that reason that makes it so interesting and worthy of more listens.
"Burning Bright (Field on Fire)" is another drone song only made memorable by the chorus. This one stands out though from the rest of the album because it feels meta. As if Trent was recognized that this would be something of a divisive release. It throws a bit of everything at the listener: the droning, sonic fury, only some of Trent's savage poetry, and that feeling of "Get used to this" (Break through the surface and breathe (this new air).
This really is a divisive recording. After several listens, you can recognize that it tries new things to a certain extent, plays with the standards and expectations of "Nine Inch Nails" but doesn't always do them successfully but also doesn't rely on nostalgia or "Nine Inch Nails". Not the Actual Events feels more like the first signs of something different and bigger but these first steps are shaky at best.
The last major Nine Inch Nails release was Hesitation Marks in 2013 (if you don't count Remix 2014 EP, in 2014 if you hadn't already guessed). What followed was a lengthy tour and a hunger for more material. Trent Reznor remained active in different areas but when it came to Nine Inch Nails- the project that put him on the map, he was pretty silent.
Was the wait worth it? Hard to say really. It all boils down to opinion and preference, all propped up by varying degrees of fanaticism and eagerness. For me, I think (because I was hoping for a full-length album) Trent should have focused more on Nine Inch Nails throughout 2016 to release that "something" we were all hoping for, or delayed the release til 2017 after having added to it thus providing what would have ultimately become a disjointed and erratic but still somewhat cohesive LP.
Not the Actual Events has its moments but they are pretty scarce, a fact made more obvious on an EP but these scarce moments would definitely stand out and be received glowingly on an LP.
7/10
