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==Instrumentals==
The unmastered instrumental versions of almost all the songs on ''The Downward Spiral'' ("Ruiner" and "Big Man With A Gun" were not included) have been were made available on [[remix.nin.com]] for streaming and free download. They The site was eventually taken down and they can now be found under the "general playlists" section in the lower right hand corner of the page, in the "featured" subsectionon archive.org.[https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22trent_reznor%22]
==Inspiration==
<blockquote>"I was really into electronic music at the time. [[David Bowie]]'s 'Low' was probably the single greatest influence on 'The Downward Spiral' for me. I got into Bowie in the 'Scary Monsters' era, then I picked up 'Low' and instantly fell for it. I related to it on a song-writing level, a mood level, and on a song-structure level...I like working within the framework of accessibility, and songs of course, but I also like things that are more experimental and instrumental, maybe."[http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/xart43.shtml]</blockquote>
Pink Floyd's ''The Wall'' was also heavy in Reznor's rotation during the making of the album.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-10-ca-reznor10-story.html] In a Q+A session before the [[2017/09/15_Chicago,_IL|2017 Riot Fest show]], it was revealed that [[David Lynch]]'s use of sound in his films was an inspiration for the sound design of ''The Downward Spiral''.
==Recording==
<blockquote>"The studio was equipped with a 56-input Amek Mozart console with Rupert Neve modules, two Studer A800 Mk3 multitrack machines, Mac-based Pro Tools and a host of outboard gear, in addition to Akai S1100 and Kurzweil K2000 samplers; Prophet VS, Digidesign Turbosynth, ARP Odyssey, Oberheim Expander, Oberheim OBMx, Roland MKS80 and Minimoog synthesizers; Doepfer and Oberheim sequencers; a Mellotron MKIV polyphonic tape replay keyboard; a Roland R70 drum machine; and assorted Jackson and Gibson guitars."[http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep12/articles/classic-tracks-0912.htm]</blockquote>
==Concept and Interpretations==
Most fans seem to agree that "Closer" (noted for its "I want to fuck you like an animal" lyric) has meaning deeper than its surface lyrics (note the desperate dependency expressed by the final line, "you are the reason I stay alive"). The narrator was not exactly modeled after Reznor's previous life, though he would later go through his own sort of "downward spiral" during the Fragility tour, battling issues such as drug abuse.
==Writings on the album==
==="A dissertation on The Downward Spiral"===
This is a lengthy interpretation of the album's story written by two men back around 1998. Read it at:
* http://www.4degreez.com/nailz/ninterpretations/downspiral.html with feedback from several fans
* http://web.archive.org/web/20050920110644/http://www.sickamongthepure.com/files/2002/02/TDS/TDS.html archive of the article on [[SickAmongthePure]]
===''Into The Never'' book===
In 2020, author Adam Steiner published a book called ''Into The Never: Nine Inch Nails And The Creation Of The Downward Spiral''. The book's press release states that it "explores the creation and cultural impact of ''The Downward Spiral'', one of the most influential and artistically significant albums of the twentieth century" and features "new interviews with collaborators and artists inspired by the album."
==Recurring themes and styles==
* "Mr. Self Destruct" begins with a sample from the 1971 film ''THX 1138.'' It is taken from a scene in which a man is being beaten by a guard depicted on a holographic television. [http://www.discogs.com/release/4404]
* "A Warm Place" is based on the melody from David Bowie's 1980 single "Crystal Japan." Some hear it as a complete rip-off, while others argue that from a music theory point of view that the structure has significant differences.
*The looping female voice that appears on "Reptile" (approx. 5:06) is from the 1974 film ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre''. The strange mechanical sound before the drums start can be found in the movie ''Leviathan'' and the other sounds during all the song are found in ''Aliens'' (the escape in the vessel). Also, while not a direct sample, the ascending synth melody from 5:13 to 5:20 seems to be a reference to "Laura Palmer's Theme" from the television show ''Twin Peaks''.* "The Becoming" uses screams from the film ''Robot Jox'' and a reversed sample of the phrase "I know who I am" from the film ''Angel Heart''.* "Ruiner" samples pitched-up wind noises from David Lynch's ''The Elephant Man''.* "March Of The Pigs" samples a buried scream from the film ''Sorcerer''.
==Re-Releases==
===Definitive 2017 Edition Vinyl===
A vinyl reissue was annouced announced in December 2016 and began shipping in August 2017, with further vinyl reissues of the other major NIN releases to follow.[http://www.nin.com/nine-inch-nails-records-reissued-vinyl/] <blockquote>"Trent Reznor and NIN art director [[John Crawford]] set out to make the “definitive editions” of all the main NIN releases on vinyl. Reznor: 'We want to present the catalog as it was intended to be, with no compromises. That means a careful remastering of the audio from the original sources, a careful and painstaking recreation of the artwork, pristine materials, some surprises and an insane attention to detail that you probably won’t notice… but it matters to us. No extra bullshit and gimmicks – the “real” records in their truest form available at a reasonable price.'"</blockquote>
==Touring==
==Artwork==
[[Image:Wound.jpg|thumb|"Wound", the basis for the artwork]]
[[Image:TDSinnercover.jpg|thumb|''The Downward Spiral'' inner cover art]]
On his website[http://www.russellmills.com/mills/installations/committere.html], [[Russell Mills]] explained the ideas and materials used for the paintings that became the album cover and the inner cover/j-card insert.
<br><br>
The piece I made focuses on teeth and their associative potential. A row of teeth is embedded in flows of salt crystals. Salt corrodes all but gold and glass; it is destructive as well as preservative."</blockquote>
The typeface used is DINEngschrift in lowercase (the same typeface was used on ''[[Hesitation Marks]]'' and in all caps on ''[[The Perfect Drug (halo)|The Perfect Drug]]''.)
==Album Credits==
*5.1 mix: James Brown with Trent Reznor
*Assistance: Neal Ferrazzani
*Studio: [[Interscope]] Studios<br>
<br>
*High-resolution mastering: Bob Ludwig for Gateway Mastering, Portland, Maine<br>
==External links==
*[http://portraitofdecay.net/tds.nin.com/ tds.nin.com (archived at Portrait of Decay)]
*[http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep12/articles/classic-tracks-0912.htm ''Sound On Sound'' article about the album and "Closer"]
*[http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/key394a.shtml ''Keyboard'' Magazine article about the the making of ''The Downward Spiral'']
*[http://nincatalog.com/the-downward-spiral/ ''The Downward Spiral'' at nincatalog.com]
*[http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Fie%3DUTF8%26x%3D0%26ref_%3Dnb%5Fsb%5Fnoss%26y%3D0%26field-keywords%3Dnine%2520inch%2520nails%2520the%2520downward%2520spiral%26url%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps&tag=thniinnawi-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957 ''The Downward Spiral'' at Amazon]
*[http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=9&pub=5574848848&toolid=10001&campid=5336384580&customid=&icep_uq=nine+inch+nails+the+downward+spiral&icep_sellerId=&icep_ex_kw=&icep_sortBy=12&icep_catId=&icep_minPrice=&icep_maxPrice=&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg ''The Downward Spiral'' at eBay]