Nine Inch Nails

“The Downward Spiral” (Nothing/Interscope)

Compare to: Ministry

In one of the most original and impressive albums ever orchestrated, one-man music machine Trent Reznor wowed industrial and metal listeners with his 1994 release of “The Downward Spiral,” an eclectic mix of machinery and music that carries his solemn lyrics with the destructiveness of a suicide note.

Songs from the album have survived its long-lived infamy, with “Closer” still hitting airwaves across the country and a recent version of “Hurt” resurrected by the late Johnny Cash.

His lyrics are anti-everything. Young Reznor’s voice pierced the mainstream scene with his brave dissection of death and human sexuality.

Through dark metaphor, his most visceral and sultry song is “Reptile,” a devilish composition of intertwined, hydraulic screams and his pornographic portrayal of the female reproductive cycle.

Some have called his album “shock rock,” however, it takes a superior intelligence much like Reznor’s to realize “The Downward Spiral” is a gritty realism of our own primal desires to fornicate and destroy.

“Essential”

– Alex Switzer

Her Space Holiday

“The Past Presents the Future” (Wichita Recordings)

Compare to: The Postal Service

If there ever was a case of someone needing a dose of his or her own medicine it would have to be indie-pop veteran Marc Bianchi, better known as Her Space Holiday, the one-man misery machine.

The second song on his newest release “The Past Presents the Future” finds Bianchi taking a stab at artists who continually stay down on themselves so they can eliminate the “mis” from their misfortune and ride their sorrows to the bank.

Although true, it seems almost hypercritical coming from a man who has, over his career, made the focus of his diary entry lyrics on life’s most heart-wrenching moments.

Although Bianchi’s career has been centered as much around his serotonin-deprived lyrics as it has around the spacey, classically influenced electronic beats they accompany, it is undeniable that he knows what he is doing – in moderation.

One could make the argument that this decent 10-song, full-length album could have been a phenomenal four or five song extended play. The album’s best material is separated at times by two songs that sound like they may have been good ideas, just poorly executed.

That said, the good stuff on the album is on par with Bianchi’s best work. The catchy tunes are brilliantly crafted, the orchestrated accompaniments are spot on – so are some of his gloomy lyrics.

Although he may not have outdone himself, “The Past Presents the Future” is certainly a dose of emotronica that serves as a good representation of what Her Space Holiday is all about.

“Burn it”

– Dante Sacomani

The Holy Mountain

“Entrails” (No Idea)

Compare to: Disfear, Poison Idea, Crass

There’s still a lot to be said for a quick dose of face-ripping hardcore, and few American bands are doing it as well as Florida’s The Holy Mountain. On “Entrails,” the band strikes a gritty balance between the crusty speed-punk of Motorhead and the unrelenting fury of Hatebreed, with some chaotic guitar soloing thrown in for good measure.

The album has a distinct old-school vibe, harkening back to the days before bands started mixing their hardcore punk with metal, but that shouldn’t lead you to believe “Entrails” isn’t heavy.

The 11 songs on the disc rage with an unhinged intensity that could make any headbanger’s blood boil.

The band isn’t afraid to tackle heavy subjects, either, and it’s easy to imagine punks singing along to sociopolitical lyrics like “For our liberty/ the dead are [explicatively deleted] over/ whose bodies buy our glory/ whose bodies feed the planet’s soil/ all dead for the greater good/ of the richest [explicatively deleted]” from the track “America.”

If there is a problem to be had with “Entrails,” it’s that halfway through the disc the songs start to run together, as the band rarely lets up it’s briskly paced assault. By the end of the disc it becomes clear that The Holy Mountain isn’t out to break new ground with its highly abrasive take on hardcore, but it can’t be denied that the band does it extremely well.

Overall, “Entrails” is an exercise in traditional brutality, but still manages to sound somewhat fresh in a scene currently flooded by overly polished releases.

“Burn it”

– Joshua Haun

Index Case

“Index Case” (Mortal Music)

Compare to: Primer 55, Sevendust, Limp Bizkit

Index Case’s woe is that it sounds exactly like every other crappy nu-metal band out there.

The musicianship is solid and the members definitely have talent, but they are wasting it performing a style of music that only lives on because bands that have worn out their welcome performing it, like Limp Bizkit, won’t get a clue.

Every song is a mid-tempo nu-metal waste of time. Tempo changes would seriously save this album from being a total disaster.

One thing Index Case seems to be good at, however, is writing depressing songs with superficial lyrics, which sound sluggish and almost lazy at times – like Joe Ansley was trying to hard to be Dr. Seuss in terms of rhyme, but failing miserably in content.

One of the few bright spots on this album is “Why Dreams Bleed,” which features a very complex guitar riff complemented by drummer Jordan Spence’s syncopated double bass pattern.

The album does get a little better toward the conclusion with “Perfect Season” and “II,” although both songs sound ridiculously contrived.

Index Case sounds like it wants to be the corporate sell-out that people, who think they listen to legitimate music, always mock in their indie, anti-mainstream label rantings. The sad thing is, this time, the mocker’s arguments actually make sense.

The only place this album belongs is at the bottom of the ocean or out in the void of space. Perhaps in a landfill would work, too.

“Break it”

– Dan Hopper

Amy Ray

“Prom” (Daemon Records)

Compare to: Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, Alanis Morissette

Although many may write this off as another Indigo Girls album, Amy Ray’s second solo release is definitely much more than that.

Simply put – this disc rocks.

Amy Ray pounds out songs that are reminiscent of the original unadulterated, raunchy rock ‘n’ roll sound that first captivated our forefathers. The disc tells the story of adolescence in the south, taking a look at the intensity of high school from driver’s ed to hormones and homosexuality.

The songs are full of characters from the past, and hold nothing back as they unleash demons and gems in an unfurling of tales that are universally known. Ray uses simple and descriptive lyrics to chronicle the tension in age-old conflicts like authority versus rebellion and adolescence versus adulthood.

With seemingly few words, she creates elaborate scenes and rehashes all-too-familiar memories. Opening track, “Put It Out For Good.” tells the tale of youth from an adult perspective.

The art and lyrics accompanying the disc are very creative. The cover of the cardboard CD case shows a picture of a small girl in an oversized prom dress, with a goofy grin on her face. Accompanying partially handwritten lyrics, there are pictures of a now middle-aged Amy dressed up as a cheerleader, band geek, punk rocker, hippie, football player, nerd and in a prom dress. Ray’s album is overall clever and enjoyable. If you’re sick of modern music, or you just want to reminisce, Amy Ray’s “Prom” is a good bet.

“Burn it”

– Dan McClanahan