Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero

There is no mistaking the creative genius that is Trent Reznor.

Whether you love or hate Nine Inch Nails, Reznor's ability to defy convention and string together what would normally be considered "industrial noise" into a distinguishable beat and make music is unrivalled.

Many consider the pinnacle of his career so far to be the masterpiece concept album that is The Downward Spiral - a compelling exploration of the thoughts and imagination of someone who lives in a dark place and ultimately commits suicide.

It is common knowledge that the entire time Reznor was writing, recording and producing that album, he was in a different place. Suffice to say he was living the rock star lifestyle and, ironically, nearly spiralled out of control himself.

Since then however, he has kicked the drugs and alcohol and been sober for a good few years.

I have come to the sad realisation that he may never produce another offering as good as The Downward Spiral.

With this in mind, I bought his latest offering Year Zero.

Year Zero is another concept album, depicting the world Trent Reznor sees in 15 years time if the decline of civil liberties and freedom continues.

The opening track kicks off with the industrial noise Nine Inch Nails is famous for, before flowing into single-worthy tracks such as The Beginning of The End, Survivalism, The Good Soldier and Capital G.

This album is Reznor in his finest form since The Downward Spiral. He shows he is still capable of making political statements, in a time where they are more relevant than ever.

His uncanny ability to construct songs and beats with sounds that most would associate with noise from a building site pervades every track on the album.

Lyrically, Reznor shows he is not yet past it, with gems like "The biggest problem with the way that we've been doing things is - the more we let you have the less that I'll be keeping for me" and "Don't try and tell me how some power can corrupt a person - you haven't had enough to know what it's like." Both of these lines are taken from the album's latest single, one of my favourites, Capital G.

In all, Year Zero is a stroke of musical genius. It won't rate up there with the best albums of all time, but it certainly passes the litmus test as a Nine Inch Nails release.

Four stars.