Pretty Hate Machine is without question a seminal album, but probably more for what it represents than its actual content. It’s the starting block in a career that saw Trent Reznor redefine the “industrial” music genre, not just pushing the boundaries, but setting fire to them! Reznor likes to unsettle his audience (both in the studio and on stage), throwing down an ever challenging gauntlet,almost willing you to find the new sound unlistenable! Taking the “goth” genre into new ground by pulling in elements of techno and fusing them with heavy metal riffs, he sparked a whole “nu goth” genre of metal that Marylin Manson went on to take “overground”. However his influence can also be heard in electronic artists such as Amon Tobin and Ben Frost, with their pseudo-soundtrack concept albums, and even many drum ‘n’ bass DJs looking for a harder, more aggressive sound.

Whilst largely a synth-pop album, reminiscent of the darker side to Depeche Mode (this was 1989 after all), the harder edge moments were indeed a hint as to where Trent would take NIN next. This is never more evident than the amazing opening track “Head Like A Hole”. I can’t help but feel that Trent put all his cards on the table with that opener(see also Nevermind by Nirvana!), leaving the rest of the album struggling to keep up with the pace. Nevertheless, there’s some stunning work throughout the album, including the scathing “Terrible Lie”, and the hypnotic “Sin”, and “Get Down Make Love”.

In a year dominated by English bands such as Inspiral Carpets and Stone Roses, “Pretty Hate Machine” was indeed a refreshing change – it hooked me into becoming a huge fan of Trent Reznor’s work. While The Downward Spiral might get singled out as his magnum opus, I have always had a soft spot for this album, and it’ll be great to see it back in the racks after too long a break.