Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks (2013)

As one of my most anticipated albums of the year, "Hesitation Marks" had a lot riding on it, especially after being impressed with the new How To Destroy Angels record, and I can gladly say it didn't disappoint. Overall it seems to continue in the same vein as the past few records while doing a bit of experimentation. New directions can be heard on songs such as the punkish "Everything" and the infectiously groovy, yet still quite dark "Satellite." The songs on "Hesitation Marks" don't have quite the same edginess as material from, say, "The Fragile" or "The Downward Spiral" but this reflects Trent Reznor's maturation as an artist and the point where he is now. It may be more poppy and accessible but it still unmistakably NIN and something I'm very happy to see added to the NIN discography. While it's not perfect, it's the best they've put out since "The Fragile." While other older bands/artists rehash material, NIN continue to innovate and not ride on their past glories.

9/10