Changes

This is the original album version. Dominated through its verses and pre-choruses by a danceable drum loop and accompanying synthesizers, the verses are sung somewhat maliciously, only to become quite fast and layered in the pre-choruses. In contrast, the chorus uses much simpler instrumentation, relegated only to a simpler drum loop and loud, powerful synthesizer chords, with Reznor talking quietly yet intensely on top. The bridge of the song goes in a completely different direction, slowing it down with a panned bassline, manipulated live drum takes, and a fuzzy guitar solo. Returning to the chorus afterward, the song ends suddenly on the word "stop."The song's drum beat is [[samples|sampled]] from "Beat Box" by Art of Noise. The bridge features a pitched-up sample of the elephant sounds from the opening scene of [[David Lynch]]'s ''The Elephant Man'', and a buried scream from the film ''Parents''.

The bridge of this song features a rare guitar solo by Reznor. In the April 1994 issue of ''Guitar World,'' [https://www.theninhotline.com/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=555] he was asked about it in the following section of the interview::GW: I wanted to ask you about the solo in "Ruiner." How did you get that really nasty, ultra-quantized sound?

<blockquote><p>'''GW''':I wanted to ask you about the solo in "Ruiner." How did you get that really nasty, ultra-quantized sound?</p> <p>'''REZNOR''': Ah yes, the great, Pink Floyd-esque, Seventies-sounding section of the song. That's just a preset on the Zoom. I think I accidentally called up the wrong patch. I'm not a soloist. I was just laughing when I was playing with this ridiculous sound, recording into the computer saying like, "This is so cheesy," you know? I later realized that I basically tried to play a "Comfortably Numb"-type solo with this sound. I played the song for Chris, our drummer, and I was thinking, "He's going to start laughing. It's silly." But he goes, "Man, that guitar section was fucking great."</p></blockquote>

'''''Running Time: 5:35''''' This remix is only available on the UK import international edition (i.e. V2) of ''Further Down The Spiral''. Throughout, there are glitch effects splicing up Reznor's voice. The fast verses, switched in order, are louder and clearer than the studio version. As well, the synthesizer chorus is replaced by a more guitar-driven one.