The album is compiled of reworked tracks from the Purest Feeling demo, as well as songs composed after its original recording. Production of the record was handled by Flood and Trent Reznor, among other contributors.
But Pretty Hate Machine is haunted, synthetic dance-pop through and through. The beats have muscle, but it's not metal muscle or pigfuck muscle or even post-punk muscle . Much of Pretty Hate Machine concerns a simple scenario: Being young but feeling that your life is already over, that your best days are already behind you. On "Down in It": "I used to be somebody.
Listen free to Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine (Head Like a Hole, Terrible Lie and more). The album was out of print from around 1997 to 2005 due to the much publicized falling out between Nine Inch Nails' core member, Trent Reznor, and the original publishing label of the album, TVT Records. Rykodisc re-released the album around the world in 2005.
Tracklist Hide Credits
1
Head Like A Hole
Engineer – Doug De Angelis*, Flood, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – Keith LeBlancProducer – Flood, Trent ReznorProducer [Additional Remix Production] – Keith LeBlanc
5:00
2
Terrible Lie
Engineer – Doug De Angelis*, Flood, John FryerMixed By – John Fryer, Trent ReznorProducer – Flood, Trent Reznor
4:39
3
Down In It
Engineer – Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, Kennan Keating, Trent ReznorMixed By – Adrian SherwoodProducer – Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, Trent Reznor
3:46
4
Sanctified
Engineer, Mixed By – John FryerGuitar [Drone Guitar At The End] – Richard PatrickProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
5:48
5
Something I Can Never Have
Engineer, Mixed By – John FryerProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
5:54
6
Kinda I Want To
Engineer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Trent ReznorProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
4:34
7
Sin
Engineer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – Keith LeBlanc, Trent ReznorProducer – John Fryer, Trent ReznorProducer [Production Remix] – Keith LeBlanc
4:05
8
That's What I Get
Engineer, Mixed By, Producer – John Fryer
4:31
9
The Only Time
Engineer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – Keith LeBlancProducer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Trent Reznor
4:48
10
Ringfinger
Engineer – John FryerMixed By – Trent ReznorProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
Interscope Records, TVT Records, Universal International
UICY-91219,
Japan
2008
Tracklist Hide Credits
A1
Head Like A Hole
Engineer – Doug De Angelis*, Flood, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – Keith LeBlancProducer – Flood, Trent ReznorProducer [Additional Remix Production] – Keith LeBlanc
5:00
A2
Terrible Lie
Engineer – Doug De Angelis*, Flood, John FryerMixed By – John Fryer, Trent ReznorProducer – Flood, Trent Reznor
4:39
A3
Down In It
Engineer – Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, Kennan Keating, Trent ReznorMixed By – Adrian SherwoodProducer – Adrian Sherwood, Keith LeBlanc, Trent Reznor
3:46
A4
Sanctified
Engineer, Mixed By – John FryerGuitar [Drone Guitar At The End] – Richard PatrickProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
5:48
A5
Something I Can Never Have
Engineer, Mixed By – John FryerProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
5:54
B1
Kinda I Want To
Engineer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Trent ReznorProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
4:34
B2
Sin
Engineer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – Keith LeBlanc, Trent ReznorProducer – John Fryer, Trent ReznorProducer [Production Remix] – Keith LeBlanc
4:05
B3
That's What I Get
Engineer, Mixed By, Producer – John Fryer
4:31
B4
The Only Time
Engineer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Ken Quartarone, Kennan KeatingMixed By – Keith LeBlancProducer – John Fryer, Keith LeBlanc, Trent Reznor
4:48
B5
Ringfinger
Engineer – John FryerMixed By – Trent ReznorProducer – John Fryer, Trent Reznor
Edited By [Digital, Including Continuity]
–
Trent Reznor
Edited By [Digital, Including Continuity], Musical Assistance [Invaluable Assistance]
–
Chris Vrenna
Management [Exclusive Representation]
–
J Artist Management,
John A. Malm, Jr.
Mastered By
–
Tony Dawsey
Photography By [Portrait]
–
Jeffrey Silverthorne
Programmed By [Additional Synth Programming]
–
Flood,
Tim Niemi
Sleeve
–
Gary Talpas
Notes
Malasian Clear Cssette Edition
Exclusive Representation For J Artist Management. Sleeve for Föhn Design.
Studios: The Right Track (Cleveland), Blackwing (London), Unique (New York), Synchro Studio (Boston), Roundhouse (London). Mastered at Masterdisk, NYC.
Thank you: Bart Koster (The Right Track), Mike Shea, Michael S. Toorock, Roz Earls, Seb Shelton, Bryan Grant, Larry Bole, Alison Fryer, Michelle de Frasia, Gerry Gerrard, Martin Horne, Sioux Zimmerman, Paul Conelly, Ron Musarra, Steve Woolard, Mark Jowett and all at Nettwek, Howie Klein, Preston Sullivan/Carlysle, Kevin Donoghue/Native, Frederic Walheer/Sub Rosa. Special Thanks: All at TVT Records, James Dowdall and everybody at Island. Kicking Ass way beyond the call of duty: John A. Malm, Jr. Ideas and sounds (with all due respect): Clive Barker, Jane's Addiction, Prince, Public Enemy, This Mortal Coil, Success (Screaming Trees U.K.), various unknown others.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Barcode: 6 06949 18344 8
Other versions
Category
Artist
Title (Format)
Label
Category
Country
Year
TVT 2610-2, 2610-2
Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine (CD, Album)
TVT Records, TVT Records
TVT 2610-2, 2610-2
US
1989
ICT 9973, 848 358-4
Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine (Cass, Album, Cle)
Island Records, TVT Records
ICT 9973, 848 358-4
UK
1989
B0015099-02
Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine (CD, Album, RE, RM, Dig)
UMe
B0015099-02
US
2010
AMCY-345
Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine (CD, Album, Promo)
TVT Records, Interscope Records, Atlantic
AMCY-345
Japan
1992
UICY-91219,
Nine Inch Nails
Pretty Hate Machine (CD, Album, RE, SHM)
Interscope Records, TVT Records, Universal International