Add Violence
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Add Violence
| type = ep
| artist = Nine Inch Nails
| cover = Add Violence.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2017|07|19}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Industrial rock
| length = 27:14
| label = {{hlist|The Null Corporation|Capitol}}
| producer = {{hlist|Trent Reznor|Atticus Ross}}
| prev_title = The Fragile: Deviations 1
| prev_year = 2016
| next_title = Bad Witch
| next_year = 2018
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Halo numbers
| type = ep
| prev_title = Halo 30
| prev_year = 2016
| title = Halo 31
| year = 2017
| next_title = Halo 32
| next_year = 2018
}}
{{Singles
| name = Add Violence
| type = ep
| single1 = Less Than
| single1date = July 13, 2017
}}
}}
Add Violence is the fourth EP and eleventh major release by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Issued through the Null Corporation and Capitol Records on July 19, 2017, it is the second in a trilogy of releases, following the EP Not the Actual Events (2016) and preceding the band's ninth studio album Bad Witch (2018). It was produced by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.{{cite web|last1=Sodomsky|first1=Sam|title=Nine Inch Nails Detail New ADD VIOLENCE EP, Share New Song "LESS THAN": Listen|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/nine-inch-nails-detail-new-add-violence-ep-share-new-song-less-than-listen/|website=pitchfork.com|date=July 13, 2017|access-date=July 14, 2017}}
Moving away from the more aggressive nature of Not the Actual Events, the EP focused more on soundscapes and textures alongside their traditional elements, similar to that of The Fragile (1999), which resulted in more longform compositions. The release was promoted with two singles: "Less Than" and "This Isn't the Place", along with their accompanying music videos. Add Violence received a positive response from critics, and reached No. 17 on the U.S. charts.
Themes and composition
In an interview with Zane Lowe, Reznor said:
{{Cquote|When we did Not the Actual Events, we were really seduced by the violence of it. The kind of throwing Hesitation Marks out the window and being unafraid to explore approaches we have in the past with the kind of, you know, punch in the face feel to it. And I think that the length of a five-song EP felt like the right length for that, you know? And to repeat that isn't as exciting anymore. It's like we did that. So now as we expand the lyrical viewpoint of this three song trilogy, the music that was interesting to us this time around kind of surprised us. And "Less Than" is not entirely representative of where the rest of the EP goes. So this collection of five songs feels like brothers.{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/music/nine-inch-nails-third-ep-trilogy-trent-reznor-doesnt-know-2110049|title=Trent Reznor says he doesn't know what the final part of Nine Inch Nails' EP trilogy will sound like|date=July 13, 2017|work=NME=}}}}
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| MC = 77/100{{cite web|title=Reviews and Tracks for Add Violence [EP] by Nine Inch Nails - Metacritic|website=Metacritic|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/add-violence-ep/nine-inch-nails|access-date=August 18, 2017}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last1=Yeung|first1=Neil|title=Add Violence, Nine Inch Nails|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/add-violence-mw0003083408|website=AllMusic|access-date=November 24, 2017}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev3 = Consequence of Sound
| rev4 = Drowned in Sound
| rev4score = 8/10{{Cite web |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/20004/reviews/4151187 |title=Ep Review: Nine Inch Nails - Add Violence / Releases / Releases // Drowned In Sound |last=Miller |first=Gavin |date=July 19, 2017 |access-date=July 20, 2017 |website=Drowned in Sound |archive-date=July 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720132229/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/20004/reviews/4151187 |url-status=dead }}
| rev5 = The Independent
| rev5score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-reviews-tyler-the-creator-flower-boy-nine-inch-nails-add-violence-arcade-fire-everything-now-a7861491.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726202655/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-reviews-tyler-the-creator-flower-boy-nine-inch-nails-add-violence-arcade-fire-everything-now-a7861491.html |archive-date=July 26, 2017 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=Album reviews: Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy, Nine Inch Nails - Add Violence, Arcade Fire - Everything Now|last=Gill|first=Andy|work=The Independent |date=July 26, 2017 |access-date=July 30, 2017}}
| rev6 = Pitchfork
| rev6score = 7.3/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/nine-inch-nails-add-violence-ep/ |title=Nine Inch Nails - Add Violence EP |last=T. Collins |first=Sean |website=Pitchfork |date=July 25, 2017 |access-date=July 26, 2017}}
| rev7 = Rolling Stone
| rev7score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-nine-inch-nails-add-violence-ep-w493436|title=Review: Nine Inch Nails' 'Add Violence' EP - Rolling Stone|last=Grow |first=Kory |date=July 21, 2017 |access-date=July 21, 2017 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}
| rev8 = Spin
| rev8score = 7/10{{Cite web |url=http://www.spin.com/2017/07/nine-inch-nails-add-violence-review/|title=Review: Nine Inch Nails 'Add Violence' / SPIN|last=Cook-Wilson |first=Winston |date=July 24, 2017 |access-date=July 24, 2017 |work=Spin}}
| rev9 = Sputnikmusic
}}
Critical reception for the EP was generally positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the EP received an average score of 77, based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Gavin Miller from Drowned in Sound gave the EP a score of 8 out of 10, writing that "it's a little light on substance, but what we do get is a really fascinating insight into where Reznor is at with NIN at the moment". Kory Grow of Rolling Stone also gave the EP a positive review, saying that it "contains all the aggression, abjection and self-loathing that solidified Reznor's position as alt-rock's Original Angster but with the measured restraint of a man his age".
Track listing
All tracks written by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.{{Cite AV media notes|others=Nine Inch Nails|title=Add Violence|publisher=The Null Corporation|year=2017|type=liner notes}}
{{tracklist
| all_writing =
| total_length = 27:14
| title1 = Less Than
| length1 = 3:30
| title2 = The Lovers
| length2 = 4:10
| title3 = This Isn't the Place
| length3 = 4:44
| title4 = Not Anymore
| length4 = 3:08
| title5 = The Background World
| length5 = 11:44
}}
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
;Nine Inch Nails
- Trent Reznor – songwriting, arranging, production, programming, performance
- Atticus Ross – songwriting, arranging, production, programming, performance
;Additional musicians
- Sharlotte Gibson – additional vocals ("Less Than")
- Allison Iraheta – additional vocals ("Less Than")
;Technical
- 42 Entertainment – world integration and execution
- Tom Baker – mastering
- John Crawford – art direction
- Corey Holms – additional design
- Chris Holmes – engineering
- Church Lieu – additional concept development
- Dustin Mosley – engineering
- Alan Moulder – mixing
- Jun Murakawa – engineering
- Geoff Neal – engineering
- Chris Richardson – engineering
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2017)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Australia|44|artist=Nine Inch Nails|album=Add Violence %5BEP%5D|rowheader=true|access-date=July 28, 2017}} |
| {{album chart|Austria|67|artist=Nine Inch Nails|album=Add Violence %5BEP%5D|rowheader=true|access-date=October 26, 2017}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|15|artist=Nine Inch Nails|rowheader=true|access-date=August 3, 2017}} |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2017-07-28|title=NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=July 31, 2017|access-date=July 28, 2017}}
| 4 |
| scope="row"| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE){{cite web|url=http://www.elportaldemusica.es/albumes.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025175227/http://www.elportaldemusica.es/albumes.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 25, 2017|title=Top Albums (13 Oct – 19 Oct 2017)|publisher=Productores de Música de España|access-date=October 26, 2017}}
| 74 |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|36|artist=Nine Inch Nails|album=Add Violence %5BEP%5D|rowheader=true|access-date=August 2, 2017}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|17|artist=Nine Inch Nails|rowheader=true|access-date=August 3, 2017}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|1|artist=Nine Inch Nails|rowheader=true|access-date=August 3, 2017}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardAlternative|6|artist=Nine Inch Nails|rowheader=true|access-date=August 3, 2017}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRock|5|artist=Nine Inch Nails|rowheader=true|access-date=August 3, 2017}} |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Region
! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format(s) ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| rowspan="4"| Worldwide
| July 19, 2017 | {{hlist|Digital download}} | rowspan="4"| {{hlist|The Null Corporation/Capitol Records}} |
| July 21, 2017
| {{hlist|Streaming}} |
| September 1, 2017
| CD |
| November 17, 2017
| Vinyl |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Nine Inch Nails}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Trent Reznor