Halo 25: Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D
Written: Jul 26 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 13 of the 14 tracks.
Cons: "Me, I'm Not"
The Bottom Line: See review for more on the bottom line.
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| cdm72's Full Review: Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D * by Nine Inch Nails |
You know the thing that really drives record execs crazy about Trent Reznor? He doesn’t play by any rules. He wins a Grammy for a song that contains the phrase “fist fck”. He leaves USB drives laying about for random fans to pick up and leak songs from his upcoming record. To pay his fans back for all their support through the years, he gives them his new album FREE. And as if that’s not enough he says to them You want to be able to take the songs and remix them yourselves? No problem. Here, I’ll even give you the software and the songs in multi-track format in order to do it.
And thus was born Halo 25: Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D.
A little over 6 months after the release of Halo 24, Reznor returned with the remix cd to trump all previous remix cds, because there’s not a Reznor version in the bunch. Halo 25 was remixed by friends and fans. I spent a lot of time not buying this cd because I hadn’t had a lot of luck with previous remix cds--at least not as much as I had with the regular studio albums. And the idea it was made not by the master but by people who had access to the multi-tracks and some software but not the passion for the material itself . . . I wasn’t chomping at the bit to add this one to my collection. But one day I decided my NIN collection just wouldn’t be complete without it (okay, so it’s not complete anyway, but it would be even less complete if I had access to Halo 25 and didn’t take advantage of that). So I bought it. Good move.
When I first heard of this cd, I was under the impression the remixes were done by random people. Reznor has a Nine Inch Nails remix website set up so fans can do just that, get the multi-tracks of his songs and remix them to their own liking. But that’s not the case. The remixes on Halo 25 were performed by professionals, most of whom have an actual ear for music.
Opening, as does Halo 24, with the drum anthem “Hyperpower” poet Saul Williams has taken a very interesting turn on this instrumental track by providing lyrics. This Halo 25 version is called “Gunshots by Computer” and matches so perfectly with the music, I can almost believe they’re the lyrics originally written before Reznor decided to go instrumental with it.
The order of songs is different from Halo 24, and a few didn’t even make the transition (so maybe it should have been called “Year Zero Remixed and Abridged”), so the next song is not the expected “The Beginning of the End” but rather “The Great Destroyer”, remixed by Modwheelmood, an LA-based Electronics band, which includes NIN member Alessandro Cortini. The original Halo 24 version was one of my favorite songs on the cd, very electronic and hype, but this remix is very subdued, acoustic guitars strumming in the back and a very calm and serene vocal, but with an edge of pain underneath.
Pirate Robot Midget’s remix of “My Violent Heart” follows and while I couldn’t find much info on the producer, I do like this version. It’s very much a NIN song, very electronic with plenty of beep and hisses. Classic-sounding stuff, but with this new lyrical depth the original Halo 24 displays.
The list of contributors isn’t quite as eclectic as you’d expect. I mean, they’re all people I’ve never heard of before, but looking at their individual CVs, you understand.
Ladytron, an electronic pop band from Liverpool, remixed “The Beginning of the End” Paul Epworth is a British producer who’s credits include Babyshambles, Bloc Party, and Kate Nash remixed “Capital G” The Faint, a “dance-punk/new wave” band from Omaha, did the deed with “Meet Your Master” Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert of New Order reworked two tracks, “God Given” and “Zero-Sum”, all to nice effect, adding their own individual touches to these great songs without taking the heart out of them or erasing all trace of Reznor’s point. I think the Ladytron remix only makes that song better, and the Kronos Quartet take on “Another Version of the Truth” kicks s$$.
For the most part, I think Halo 25 is an awesome and necessary addition to any NIN fan’s catalogue, and could even serve most non-fans who’ve heard Reznor off and on and haven’t been impressed, because, like I said, lyrically, it’s a great departure from previous records, much less introspective and more globally-conscious, something we could all stand to be. It might be just the thing to hook those non-fans who can’t hang with the razorblade-guitar from the days of yore.
But there is this one, huge, glaring pockmark right on the forehead of this particular Halo. My absolute favorite song from Halo 24 is “Me, I’m Not”. My absolute least favorite song from Halo 25 is “Me, I’m Not.” Remixed by Olof Dreijer of electronica duo The Knife, this tedious 14-minute track completely erases every bit of greatness from that song and replaces it with the most meaningless and meandering bunch of nonsense I’ve ever heard. I’ve hated songs before (I refuse to ever listen to Hoobastank’s “The Reason” as vile words always seem to issue from my mouth at the first note) , but holy sht, at least that was a SONG. This is a year and a half of nothing but a very faint beat, a couple of hoots and a disjointed fingersnap from Navin Johnson before he found rhythm. It’s the worst.
But it’s only one song out of 14 and it’s easily skipped on my cd player. And the rest of the tracks make up for the one I can’t stand.
I know I’ve given Halo remix cds and bad rap during all this, and for the most part I think I’ve been pretty fair in my criticisms, but Halo 25 definitely makes up for the less than impressive outings. With Reznor’s new commitment to letting the fans create their own remixes of his songs, I think the future is going to be a very interesting place for NIN remix cds. At least this is my hope. Naturally, he has to learn to listen with more objective ear and when someone turns in a 14-minute version that doesn’t resemble in the LEAST the original, it’s got to be cut. Unless it’s so awesome and original it would be a crime to lose it. This is not the case here, but anyway…
As an added bonus, the package includes a second disc which contains, not only every song from Halo 24 in multi-track format, but also THREE kinds of software you can use to create your own remixes. This is unprecedented, but it’s also awesome as hell. I’ve not tried it yet--fear of getting completely lost and creating something I think rocks but really is worse than sht keeps me away--but the mere fact Reznor’s bestowed this gift to his fans says something about his character, and for that I have all-new respect for him.
Bottom line is this: pick up Halo 25: Year Zero Remixed, and get a taste of what others are saying about Halo 24 in their own unique ways.
Halos what have come before:
Halo 2
Halo 4
Halo 5
Halo 6
Halo 7
Halo 8
Halo 9
Halo 10
Halo 11
Halo 14
Halo 16
Halo 17
Halo 19
Halo 21
Halo 24
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Driving
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Epinions.com ID:
cdm72
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Location: St. Joseph, MO, USA
Reviews written: 777
Trusted by: 113 members
About Me:
That's me in front of Trent Reznor's house in NOLA several years ago.
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