• Mysterious ghost riders in electric funeral fog - A review of Nine Inch Nails' Ghosts II

    Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts II (2008)

    Nine Inch Nails' second Ghosts record, released simultaneously with the first, third and fourth parts, looks quite similar to its predecessor on paper. Once again, we get to listen to nine tracks. The track lengths vary between one minute and a half and five minutes and a half. And yet, this is a quite different beast if compared to the first series of songs.

    There are a few similarities however. The songs are yet again entirely instrumental. The genre could be defined as dark ambient. It provides a quite creepy, gloomy and uneasy atmosphere. Discordant guitar sounds meet melancholic keyboard patterns.

    However, this album has a much clearer guiding line than the diversified, meandering and unpredictable predecessor. The songs here venture gothic ambient territory. They are calm, introspective and melodic. The haunting piano melodies are inspired and provide a wonderful soundtrack for long rides through rainy territories. The gentle guitar work is simple technically speaking yet efficiently atmospheric.

    ''10 Ghost II'' sets the melancholic atmosphere right from the start as highly efficient opener. ''12 Ghost II'' adds some elements to the rhythm section. ''13 Ghosts II'' employs some smooth electronic background vibes instead. The closing ''18 Ghost II'' entertains through five and a half atmospheric minutes with danceable psychedelic keyboard patterns and guitar riffs inspired by dark country music. This creative tune summarizes the preceding tracks very well but manages to add new elements as well. This is easily the best song on this second part of the release.

    To keep it short, Ghosts II is superior to Ghosts I thanks to a more coherent guide line in form of calm, gloomy and mysterious atmospheric vibes transmitted by electronic sounds inspired by pioneer bands such as Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream and occasional dark country sounds that could be inspired by the most sinister records of Johnny Cash and George Jones. If you feel like embarking on a sinister but inspired journey, Nine Inch Nails' Ghosts II would be your ideal soundtrack.

    Final rating: 75%

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