Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor has revealed to Kerrang! that the forthcoming album 'Year Zero' has a politically-motivated concept which imagines a bleak future caused by the US government's current administration.
"I felt I needed to comment on my own thoughts on what it's like to be an American citizen, and hopefully find a way to do that that doesn't sound preachy, bitchy or does it by name-checking George Bush," explains Reznor. "I imagined what the world might be like 15 years from now, if America continues on the path it seems to be headed on - a path of greed and self-righteousness, and arrogance, and lack of consideration, globally for other people and ecology.
"My method of doing that was to write out an elaborate, detailed synopsis of what this world was like," he adds. "What this world is like politically, leading it up to a crisis point where fingers are on the button and are on the verge of annihilation."
'Year Zero' was recorded in Los Angeles between September and December of last year, with Reznor acting as producer in collaboration with engineer Atticus Ross, who worked on 2005's 'With Teeth'.
Reznor kept himself occupied by writing new material in hotel rooms and on the tourbus during the 18-month tour promoting 'With Teeth'. At the end of the tour, he found he had amassed a collection of songs he was happy with.
"I found a way to make it fun on tour," he explains. "It passes the time and keeps me sane. I discovered new ways to make music that I was into. I somehow felt energised and decided to finish the record after the tour."
The full tracklisting for 'Year Zero' is 'Hyperpower!', 'The Beginning Of The End', 'Survivalism', 'The Good Soldier', 'Vessel', 'Me, I'm Not', 'Capital G', 'My Violent Heart,' 'The Warning', 'God Given', 'Meet Your Master', 'The Greater Good', 'The Great Destroyer', 'Another Version Of The Truth', 'In This Twilight' and 'Zero-Sum'.
Look out for a full interview with Reznor in a forthcoming issue.
Damn lots of bitter in the comments today.
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