Nine Inch Nails-Add Violence

Man, I really hate EPs.  They just aren’t as satisfying as a full album.  Every once in a while a cool one will come down the pike (see Mastodon’s Cold Dark Place), but by and large, they are either a tease that leaves you wanting more or they are just cobbled together throwaway tracks from the recording sessions of a real LP.  Either way, it just leaves me wanting more in terms of quality and quantity.  I fear the day that bands start moving away from the full album form to focus more on singles and EPs.  Luckily, I think most metal bands are pretty committed to the LP form.

Which brings us to Mr. Reznor and this latest EP he and his collaborator, Mr. Ross have dropped upon us.  I hate to do this because Reznor is an innovator and was one of the pioneers of the industrial movement, but it really needs to be said: This is kind of a mailed in performance.  You’ve got five tracks total and only the opener, Less Than, a cool and infectious dance oriented piece and album closer, The Background World, a haunting piece that ultimately fades out into a series of static white noise, leave any sort of lasting impression.  Sadly, this thing kind of feels like filler.

Go back in the studio, boys, and don’t come back out until you have a proper album to release.

2.5 flip flops out of 5