The Second Coming Of 'Year Zero'

CD Review

By: Stephen Ortiz

Posted: 11/28/07

Earlier this year, Trent Reznor, the man that is Nine Inch Nails, released "Year Zero," a concept album about the end of mankind, and one of his best releases in his career that now spans almost two decades.

Now it seems that the holiday season has come a little early for the die hard NIN fans thanks to "Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D" - or "Year Zero Remixed," for those who don't speak leetspeak. "R3M1X3D" is exactly what it sounds like, a remix album to "Year Zero," except instead of being remixed by Reznor himself like Linkin Park's "Reanimation," the album was remixed by friends and acquaintances of the "Hurt" singer.

Not all 16 of the original tracks were remixed, however - missing are "The Greater Good" and "The Good Soldier" - and the remixes are hit or miss when it comes down to their overall quality. The real magic of "Halo 25" (each Nine Inch Nails release- be it EP, live album, etc.- is numbered as such) is in its second disc.

The disc, a DVD-ROM, contains all 16 of the original open source master tracks from "Year Zero" so fans, DJs or whoever else may pick up the disc can remix the tracks themselves. The feature works with both Windows-based PCs and Macs. Based on experiences with Macs, the whole process is pretty straightforward: insert the disc, open the folder labeled Garage Band and choose which song you would like to open. The rest is up to the user and how good they are with Garage Band and music in general.

The entire idea is just cool - major points for Reznor for giving his fans the opportunity to do this - and even if you're not musically gifted, it's just neat to know you have the power to remove a lyric or the vocals entirely of a track.

The majority of the tracks are worth the purchase, even if they are hindered by a few atrocities. Opening the album is "Gunshots By Computer," a remix to the original's opener, "Hyperpower!" The track was done by poet/musician Saul Williams, a friend of Reznor's and a featured poet on Def Poetry Jam. The track is charged and fierce. The original had no vocals, purely instrumental, but now Williams drops two verses and a chorus over the music. Williams also puts his personal touch on "Survivalism," but this time leaves Reznor's vocals right where they belong.

Some other noteworthy efforts include: Epworth Phones' "Capital G," which starts off a bit slow but once the vocals kick in, it really starts moving though it is still a little too long (seven and a half minutes); Bill Laswell's take on "Vessel" finds itself being one of the few songs that, although remixed, still sounds like a genuine NIN song; and the collaborative effort between Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert on "God Given" paces itself very well so the listener is never bored with it.

The best remix on the album goes to Modwheelmod for "The Great Destroyer." The song was stripped of all the original music, and replaced with an original acoustic guitar and scarce effects. The end result is haunting, somber and oddly beautiful. "Destroyer" was an already great song made even better here.

A few other of the tracks are done justice on "R3M1X3D," but there is also a fair share of let downs. "My Violent Heart" by Pirate Robot Midget loses all of the impact of the original recording. Reznor's vocals are drowned out by the Benny Benassi-esque beat, and the end package doesn't quite sync up well together.

Others include "The Beginning of the End" by Ladytron and "Me I'm Not" by Olof Dreijer. The first is not entirely bad, but no where near as cool as the original, and the latter is fourteen minutes long but includes no vocals at all. Listeners will quickly lose patience of it because nothing really happens until about … well, ever.

If the second disc features don't really appeal to you, then knock a star off this score, but otherwise, "Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D" is a cool package all around.

Contact Stephen Ortiz at

Stephen.Ortiz@UConn.edu.