the ARG is not a marketing ploy. the story contained in the ARG is part of Year Zero.
If you don't know anything about the story, you are having a totally different experience listening to the new album than someone who does know.
The songs are from different characters' points of view. If you don't know the characters, then you dont have a full understanding of what the song is about.
And I am not saying that you can't enjoy the album without knowing the story. It is just different.
Knowing what I do about the back story of the songs, when I listen to the whole album from beginning to end, I am in tears and emotionally exhausted.
I'm glad a few others here agree with me.
I think I wouldn't enjoy the album as much if I wasn't aware of the whole ARG, as the songs wouldn't mean as much and I wouldn't really understand what was going on. It would be incomplete.
~AKA Dave-of-the-dead~
I don't wanna think, I wanna feel
Dublin 23/08/06 Lisbon I 04/09/06 Lisbon II 05/09/06 Paris 11/09/06 Verona 16/09/06
London 18/06/07 Dusseldorf 21/06/07 Copenhagen 26/06/07 Nijmegen 28/06/07
It really is way more than marketing IMO. I have been participating and following it since about February 12th when the first clue came out - there were letters on tour t-shirt that spelled out i am trying to believe. That turned out to be the first website, that discussed something called the presence, and a substance called parepin. It has been an interesting story. But there's way more to it than that IMO. Its like a big painting and the Year Zero album is one part of the picture. Look on the album at the credits - there is a credit for 'world building' - trent reznor and rob sheridan. Trent with the help of Rob came up with the whole concept, but then took on the company to help them execute their ideas. There are TONS of websites, with stories, and people - he couldn't have done all that himself. If you just call it marketing I think one is missing out on the bigger picture.
We've had to use many sleuthing techniques to figure stuff out - there's been passages to interesting books, but only a few words or letters were visible, and BACKWARDS, some people used audio programs to translate sound into picture, there were codes on buttons. Marketing or not, its been interesting, educational (I learned more about visual manipulation, and about something called steganography, morse code....). Maybe I'm just a geek, but this stuff is fascinating. And I agree with the concepts behind it, which makes me like it more. If it had just been a game about wizards, and dragons or whatever, I doubt it would have pulled me in.
And getting back to the album, I am really liking it (as I've said on about 3 other Year Zero threads), though right now I'm listening to Still.
edit: Tonight he released several of his tracks in garageband format, and in the files there are some spectrographs of avatars of people on another board I go to. We think we know why but not 100% sure yet.
edit 2: Mensane I totally agree - the album is richer for knowing the story. Zero sum is very sad taking everything into consideration.
Thanks Jane,
I missed out on all this, although I keep up with nin.com somewhat, I didn't dig further. Is there a place where I can read up and catch up with the story?
If anything, it gives you more than just the music. Even without knowing the background, I liked the album very much.
I missed out on all this, although I keep up with nin.com somewhat, I didn't dig further. Is there a place where I can read up and catch up with the story?
If anything, it gives you more than just the music. Even without knowing the background, I liked the album very much.
Here's one place to read: http://www.ninwiki.com/Main_Page - its a LOT to take in - we've had months to absorb it bit by bit as it happened, take your time!
There's also echoingthesound.org where all the action's been, but be warned of a few things - do NOT go in and start posting - read, read, read before you ever write anything - they don't like it when someone goes hi - I'm new, what's been happening?, and they don't like useless posts, and starting new threads, when there's already one on the topic, AND you must stay on the topic of the thread! This all makes for quite a well functioning board, actually. They're fair but they don't tolerate any bullshit. Its a lot of fun though, and I think its opening some peoples' eyes to the state of the world.
R.i.p. Rigoberto Alpizar.
R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
Knowing what I do about the back story of the songs, when I listen to the whole album from beginning to end, I am in tears and emotionally exhausted.
That's exactly how I feel after hearing it and knowing the people and stories behind the songs. It's an amazing concept and one that I truly appreciate. It adds an entirely new level to listening to an album.
i said it in the other threads and ill say it again. i do not like this album. the second to last song and the instrumental are good but they arent even worth buying the album for. and all the talk about great lyrics????? i dont see it at all. i would have liked this album twice as much as an instrumental. compared to alot of the crap out there this isnt that bad compared to other nin album id give year zero a zero.
I liked the record from the get-go. I always liked Trent's more pure industrial/electronica tendencies, as in places on "the Fragile". I feel this record is finally what I've waited a bit for. I feel this is more pure industrial than anything else he has done. The songs are mostly complex drum rhytms with various distorted electronical effects, and a subdued vocal throughout. Well, subdued for Trent anyway. It is an album in a quite real sense, as you have to listen to it all or not at all in my opinion. It creates a wonderful texture of sound and songs flowing into eachother effortlessly. And I thought this before being aware of all the other stuff.
Now, when you add the backdrop of the websites and the bleak future 15 years in the future, this thing goes from being great to brilliant. Flipping through those websites listening to YZ really conjures up the claustrophobic feeling of an oppressive police state in a future gone to hell. The music sounds really alienated/alienating, and with the lyrics in that context from different people's perspective, it really is powerful. (try flipping through exterminal.net in particular) The crescendo at the end starting with "the great destroyer" ending up in "zero sum"s singalong "May god have mercy on our dirty little hearts" is really really powerful and emotional. It is a fantastic ending to a record that slowly paints out the dystopic future, and it's demise or impending demise.
I put this record up there with spiral and fragile, easily. Trent is always best doing concept albums, portraying alienation and (self)destructiveness. A great return to form after the slightly disappointing "With Teeth". Can't wait for the follow-up.
Peace
Dan
"YOU [humans] NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME?" - Death
"Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." - Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965
When I first heard it I thought it wasn't that good. But that happens for me all the time. After having it in my car for the last 2 weeks it is starting to sound pretty good.
I just bought this album for a long train ride. I must have listened to it six times running. Really, really amazing stuff. The last song alone was worth the price.
Not to mention the supplemental stuff all over the net, which is brilliant and adds to the feel of the album so much.
I think the idea that we are ALL at fault for how the world is going to shit gets lost in self-righteous finger pointing on both sides and Trent reminds us of this in an absolutely heartbreaking way.
His best album by far.
"Should I tell you my room is walled up? In what way might I leave it? Here is how; Goodwill knows no obstacle. Nothing can stand before a deep desire. All I have to do is imagine a door." -Schultz
Comments
I'm glad a few others here agree with me.
I think I wouldn't enjoy the album as much if I wasn't aware of the whole ARG, as the songs wouldn't mean as much and I wouldn't really understand what was going on. It would be incomplete.
I don't wanna think, I wanna feel
Dublin 23/08/06 Lisbon I 04/09/06 Lisbon II 05/09/06 Paris 11/09/06 Verona 16/09/06
London 18/06/07 Dusseldorf 21/06/07 Copenhagen 26/06/07 Nijmegen 28/06/07
Thanks Jane,
I missed out on all this, although I keep up with nin.com somewhat, I didn't dig further. Is there a place where I can read up and catch up with the story?
If anything, it gives you more than just the music. Even without knowing the background, I liked the album very much.
Here's one place to read: http://www.ninwiki.com/Main_Page - its a LOT to take in - we've had months to absorb it bit by bit as it happened, take your time!
There's also echoingthesound.org where all the action's been, but be warned of a few things - do NOT go in and start posting - read, read, read before you ever write anything - they don't like it when someone goes hi - I'm new, what's been happening?, and they don't like useless posts, and starting new threads, when there's already one on the topic, AND you must stay on the topic of the thread! This all makes for quite a well functioning board, actually. They're fair but they don't tolerate any bullshit. Its a lot of fun though, and I think its opening some peoples' eyes to the state of the world.
R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
That's exactly how I feel after hearing it and knowing the people and stories behind the songs. It's an amazing concept and one that I truly appreciate. It adds an entirely new level to listening to an album.
Now, when you add the backdrop of the websites and the bleak future 15 years in the future, this thing goes from being great to brilliant. Flipping through those websites listening to YZ really conjures up the claustrophobic feeling of an oppressive police state in a future gone to hell. The music sounds really alienated/alienating, and with the lyrics in that context from different people's perspective, it really is powerful. (try flipping through exterminal.net in particular) The crescendo at the end starting with "the great destroyer" ending up in "zero sum"s singalong "May god have mercy on our dirty little hearts" is really really powerful and emotional. It is a fantastic ending to a record that slowly paints out the dystopic future, and it's demise or impending demise.
I put this record up there with spiral and fragile, easily. Trent is always best doing concept albums, portraying alienation and (self)destructiveness. A great return to form after the slightly disappointing "With Teeth". Can't wait for the follow-up.
Peace
Dan
"Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." - Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965
-Eddie Vedder
6/24/06 Cincinatti, Ohio
6/14/08 Manchester, Tennessee
Excellent concept record.
Not to mention the supplemental stuff all over the net, which is brilliant and adds to the feel of the album so much.
I think the idea that we are ALL at fault for how the world is going to shit gets lost in self-righteous finger pointing on both sides and Trent reminds us of this in an absolutely heartbreaking way.
His best album by far.
Trading stories with the leaves instead
-Eddie Vedder
6/24/06 Cincinatti, Ohio
6/14/08 Manchester, Tennessee