The Importance Of CD's and Vinyls

With today's day and age it is becoming increasingly popular to (rarely) purchase music online via iTunes or whatever other virtual music stores exist. If that's the case, it's no wonder that the music industry is slowly starting to shift away from CD's and especially vinyls (but most modern "pop" shouldn't even be played on the radio let alone produced on vinyl, so that's not a problem). The problem is that good music (mainly metal) may or may not follow this trend if HMV decides to monopolize the music distribution industry or if iTunes decides to buy the rights to the CD or something else just as ridiculous. That is why, as fans, it is important to continue to collect and purchase our favorite albums on CD and vinyl (for the really special ones). If bands continue to receive support from their fans buying their music it will result in more reasonable concert and merchandise fees. The purchase of a physical copy simply benefits the purchaser and encourages a continuation of CD and vinyl production which is valued among dear fans.

Here is a reason why I will always buy my favorite albums on CD: So not long ago, a pretty large storm hit and cut off nearly all the power in the city. The afternoon was very rainy and proved to be a challenge getting home. When the sun set we brought out the candles and lit them in each room. Now, having a lady over would have given me enough to do but get this: I brought out my old diskman and hooked it up to a small battery-powered speaker. So now we've got a candle-lit room graced by the sound of Ozzy's voice in the background. There was something almost divine about that evening; as if in all that darkness and lack of electricity, music, my sliver of hope in the world, was there despite the troubles. See, if I had all my stuff on iTunes I may as well have rocked myself back and forth and stared at the wall (which I couldn't see very well). After about midnight I put on some Nine Inch Nails and fell asleep.

After that day I began to realize just how valuable my CD collection is to me and it reminded me of why I started to collect them in the first place. If people were to realize that all this MP3 business is taking away from the true magic that music used to be, they would consider actually owning some pieces of their favorite music.

New Nine Inch Nails Album 2013 [Hesitation Marks] - Commentary and Song Review

As many may have heard, Nine Inch Nails have announced the new album Hesitation Marks for release on September 3, 2013. To give us a sample of what's in store, Trent has revealed the new single "Came Back Haunted" from the upcoming album. If you have not yet heard this single it is available to listen here.

The new single has a very cool chorus rhythm, synth display, and ambient mixing effects that really do add up to make it a good track. The message appears to be from a slightly personal perspective regarding Trent but, it is obviously not going to be the deepest and most meaningful song on the album. There's a good reason why it's the first single released. Overall, for a NIN fan from 1989 to 2008, there's something about this song that gets you pumped for the rest of the album.

With the new cover art released and a new single available, it's hard not to get excited for Hesitation Marks. The single has, however, provided a division in the NIN fan base. Many old-school fans are quite disappointed in the new song because it lacks what "made NIN special". Other fans appreciate the single and its musical creativity and are generally happy about the return of NIN since 2008. Then there are the elitist fans that don't listen to anything past Broken and daydream of Trent's return to guitar-based music. Nobody really knows Trent, but someone that understands his music knows that each album he has released represents a different time in his life. Trent is married and has children now, so anyone thinking that this album will be The Downward Spiral 2.0 is mistaken. Trent is no longer depressed or caught up in substance abuse and his new music will reflect that. Despite not being overly pessimistic, based on the single, the album appears to have a vibe similar to that of With Teeth. The nice thing is that it sounds good and original, making Trent's older releases that much more special while making this one that much more exciting to wait for.

In addition, a new tour and details for ticket pre-sale have been announced. They are available here.

Want to pre-order Hesitation Marks? It's available here!

Cheers!