Review: Trent Reznor's How to Destroy Angels' 'An Omen' EP
Can this hybrid of talent amount to much on its second go?
How to Destroy Angels
With the release of their first self-titled EP and now with “An Omen,” How To Destroy Angels have proven to be a much leaner, cleaner-sounding crew than Trent Reznor’s other band. In conjunction with longtime collaborator Atticus Ross and Mariqueen Maandig, Reznor tries to configure the drones and squirrely, processed matter around calculated acoustic rhythms and electronic melodies, as the Nine Inch Nails frontman trades vocal spaces with Maandig when he’s not outright absent. he band is at its best at combining its talents on the sixth of six tunes, “Speaking in Tongues,” a journey-is-the-destination ellipsis of noise and rising melodies.
But at its worst, “An Omen” is dispassionate and utterly unextraordinary, and it’s this for at least half the tunes. Reznor and Ross’ work on “The Social Network,” for instance, had similar minimalist strains, but at least didn’t lack in emotionality; the formula here is off, sometimes lost in drab lyricism. On “Keep It Together” Maandig and Reznor sing “I can’t keep it together” in staggered time like a broken round, because – get it? – they can’t seem to keep it together. “The Loop Closes” sings “the beginning is the end / keeps coming around again” over and over again because, again, get it?
“Ice Age” is more like a workshop tune, and unproven model, where the band appears to be recreating the band Califone inside of ProTools with Maandig’s practiced, calm voice wandering off in another sonic direction. That track, like the slow-building “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters” has all the trappings of an interesting hybrid of tone and talent. However, it doesn’t amount to much.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupbob saban
November 13, 2012 at 10:53PM EST Reply to CommentBig fan of the more simplistic dark take by Reznor. Just preordered! http://amzn.to/SgLopD
shelby cmr
November 14, 2012 at 1:13AM EST Reply to CommentAwesome EP..too good for words. i've been streaming it all day http://bit.ly/PZTub1
Adecmr
November 24, 2012 at 10:08PM EST Reply to CommentThis new EP is so awesome! Love HTDA!
AylaSitzesCMR
November 25, 2012 at 9:37PM EST Reply to Commentsick new EP! I've been replaying it over and over on my record player!
AylaSitzesCMR
November 25, 2012 at 9:37PM EST Reply to CommentSick new EP! Can't stop replaying on my record player! Diggin' the 12" vinyl!!
Ryan
November 29, 2012 at 9:19PM EST Reply to CommentTotally awful. The vocalist sounds bad even with autotune and "Ice Age" is so boring that I didn't make it through the entire song.