Yesterday night it seemed like Trent Reznor had his mind set on breaking the interwebs, when, out of the blue, he released Nine Inch Nails‘ sixth album, titled “Ghosts I-IV,” under various formats, one of which being free digital download. The new record is actually a four volume compilation, filled with 36 instrumental tracks, recorded in a ten-week period last year, covering a lot of new musical terrain during the almost two hours worth of playtime. Better let master Trent explain a bit:
“I’ve been considering and wanting to make this kind of record for years, but by its very nature it wouldn’t have made sense until this point. This collection of music is the result of working from a very visual perspective - dressing imagined locations and scenarios with sound and texture; a soundtrack for daydreams. I’m very pleased with the result and the ability to present it directly to you without interference. I hope you enjoy the first four volumes of Ghosts.” More about the album here.
The compilation has been released under a variety of download options and as a physical copy as well, in various pricing tiers. The first pricing tier is for free and is comprised of Ghosts volume I, the first 9 tracks from the Ghosts I-IV collection available as high-quality, DRM-free MP3s, including the complete PDF, as well as a digital extras pack, with wallpapers, icons, and other graphics for your computer, website, profile, etc. Cool freebie right ?
For a measly 5$ you’ll get all of the 36 tracks in a variety of digital formats, including all the extra stuff from the freebie. The 10$ version gets you all that plus two CDs “in a six panel digipak package with a 16 page booklet” that will be shipped on April 8.
Starting from 75$ (deluxe edition) starts all the fun stuff aka NIN cult souvenirs, like “Ghosts I-IV in a hardcover fabric slipcase containing: two audio CDs, one data DVD with all 36 tracks in multi-track format, and a Blu-ray disc with Ghosts I-IV in high-definition 96/24 stereo and accompanying slideshow.” You also get a 48-page book of “photographs by Phillip Graybill and Rob Sheridan - visual aesthetic accompaniments to the music from the recording process and the outside world.” In addition to the extra stuff you get with the free digital download. The goods for this one ship May 1.
Looking pretty good, nice rappings Trent!
Ah for for $300, you get the “ultra deluxe limited edition package” and get to enter the official secret NIN cult club (well not really, but they might as well let you in if you’re paying that kind of cash), which includes everything you get for $75, plus “an exclusive four-LP 180 gram vinyl set in a fabric slipcase, and two exclusive limited edition Giclee prints in a luxurious package.” Order fast though, as only 2500 units ship, and each one is, omfgdasdas, are you ready? signed by Reznor himself. It also ships May 1.
OK, that’s uber.
It’ll be interesting to see how this latest stunt by Trent will work out for NIN, both critically and financially, with a doubt, much like the Radiohead thingy, this will keep people talking for days, weeks, maybe months. But this was rather predictable move really, especially if we’d consider how he first tested the freebie technique with protege Saul Williams (which didn’t go so well) and also how he and the band were officially free agents. Predictable, unpredictable doesn’t really matter now, what matter is that we’ve got some great new music from Nine Inch Nails.
