From the club days to a historically shit-flinging Woodstock performance and up to the present era, Trent Reznor has made it a point to present Nine Inch Nails as one of the heavy-music world’s most elite, must-see acts. Generation after generation of NIN fans would no doubt agree.
What’s sure is that Reznor’s longtime project has been a mainstay for a number of reasons, one of which being the raw, vital and vitriolic way Nine Inch Nails has leaned into its most raging tracks on the live stage. Then again, it may also be the way they tweak the senses with industrialized carnality, or drip vulnerability through their darkest ballads. Either way, a NIN concert is a sight to behold.
But what’s officially the best song to see in their setlist? Something pulled out from Reznor’s primordial hate machine? A teeth-baring mid-Aughts anthem? We asked Revolver readers to pick, and without hesitation, here are the top five vote-getters.
“Wretched”
If it’s been a while since you’ve listened The Fragile, here’s just a little reminder about the late Nineties classic from our readers: “The Wretched” is one of its most outstanding tracks.
There’s a lot of drama and tension stitched into the piece, with a long-building synth note nervously undulating beneath Reznor’s sneering whispers for what feels like an exquisite eternity before an explosively cathartic charge of guitar comes shredding through the speakers in the chorus.
That’s a dynamic swerve guaranteed to shock any audience into attention.
“March of the Pigs”
“March of the Pigs” is one of Nine Inch Nails’ most identifiable and manic — not to mention weirdest — songs. But damned if that irregular and super choppy intro rhythm isn’t primed to get a chaotic circle pit going. Reznor sneaked an invitation to do so right there in the song’s first snarly verse — so step right up, march and push yourself into the madness of that mosh pit. Don’t like the smell of it? Too bad!
While this one remains among the band’s most furiously-paced classics (we’ll hit a similar biggie in a bit), and it’s sure to put you out of breath, there’s really few things that’ll help you sleep soundly after a NIN gig than going absolutely HAM in a “Pig” pit.
“Terrible Lie”
Reznor’s original heretic anthem is a sleek and sensual dancefloor mover built around lean, foggy synth chords and a bone-crunching mechano-beat. It probably played great in a smoky, sardine-packed night club circa ’89, but thousands upon thousands of faithful NIN fans have since swayed along to this one in packed arenas and full-field festival environments. Not for nothing, the hard-shouted gang vocal chorus “Terrible Lie” seems custom built for a bigger audience to chant along to.
To say the least, if ever Reznor and Co. skip playing this all-timer, fans think the band owe them a great big apology.
“Reptile”
Dark. Slinking. Sexy. Slithery. The Downward Spiral’s “Reptile” is all of these things and more.
The song about a “beautiful liar” is honestly a precious jewel found within Reznor’s veritable crown of thorns. While it’s somewhat sleek and subdued compared to other Downward classics, don’t mistake it for any less of a threat. Like a rattler coiled in the bushes and ready to attack, this “Reptile” has a sinister intent.
“Wish”
Here’s something real and true that was reinforced by our polling this time around: As much as we all love a super brooding NIN song, there are few songs in their catalog as chaotic, thrilling and consistently crowd-pleasing as Broken’s iconic, barn-burning industrial banger “Wish.”
30-plus years later, “Wish” still plays out like a bunch of 50-gallon oil drums exploding in your mind. The legendary music video instilled a mosh-tastic mania that fans actualize in the pit. The energy on this thing is unparalleled.
From its first day to whenever the last day may be, “Wish” will always be in a league of its own. For those reasons and more, it’s the song Nine Inch Nails fans want to see played live the most.