March of the Pigs

NIN has put out a bunch of singles, most of which are out of print now, and this is one of the few that isn't, thank goodness. By far my favorite single of theirs (the perfect drug album coming in at a close second). he remixes here are just so surreal and noisy with sonic texture that can't even be described. very skinny-puppyish for lack of a better word. But buy this single up! Buy it in bulk while you still can!

Ah a Nine Inch Nails Single/Halo from the days of the Downward Spiral. The Downward Spiral is my favorite Nine Inch Nails album so I figured I would like the singles and expand my halo collection. We have 5 songs, one of which being March of the Pigs, two remixes of Reptile, a March of the Pigs remix and a new track titled a Violet Fluid. Keep In mind, this single was released before the actual Downward Spiral album, so it's rather odd having two remixes of Reptile, which at the time would have been a song no one had heard.

1. March of the Pigs 10/10: The song later to be put on the album, it's a wonderful classic in my opinion.
2. Reptilian 8/10: Why is it that most NIN remixes drag on much longer than the original? Usually that is what ends up killing the songs but this one is an exception for the most part.
3. All the Pigs, All Lined Up 5/10: this remix has a few good parts, but overall it's a failure in comparison.
4. A Violet Fluid 8/10: Instrumental time! It sounds like it would have been a B-side to the song A Warm Place. It's a nice song and I always enjoy listening to it, but it is a little bit short.
5. Underneath the Skin 5/10: More so an instrumental remix with samples thrown in.

Well that's Halo number seven for you. If you are looking for a better Single from the Downward Spiral days I would suggest picking up a copy of the Closer to God Single instead. For those new to Nine Inch Nails, I suggest picking up a copy of the Downward Spiral or their Broken EP and then start from there. For Halo fanatics, though, this is mandatory. Not essential but definitely interesting. Hoped this helped.

The single that launched the Downward Spiral, once you start down the dark path, no turning back. March of the Pigs is the opener to a five track single. Starts with an awesome drum intro, kicks in with bass and mayhem. Reptilian, track two is a remix of TDS's Reptile. Great riveting, gut wrenchin' sounds and bass. All The Pigs, All Lined Up, MOTP remix, at almost 8 minutes, it's the clashing of the pigs, almost slaughter-like, parts of this song will usually find it's way into the MOTP song on stage and in concerts. A violet fluid is the shortest track on this disc but it hits the heart, whether it's a remix of 'Pigs' or 'Reptile', or it's its' own piece of music, fits the realm nicely. Underneath the Skin is yet another remix of Reptile, with more rivetting and wrenching scratches, beats and piledriving sounds. Hard hitting from tracks one to five. Chris Vrenna era drum style. produced with help by Flood (1994)

Of the "downward spiral" era singles, while this was not as good as one of the singles that came later, it is very good. It was a good taster for that album and includes the menacing, excellent original. It's one of NIN's greatest songs, and perhaps one of the greatest I've heard. I especially like the intensity, and even when it goes in synth-programmed mode of the "all the pigs are all lined up part", then it gets into a piano part asking, "now doesn't it make you feel better?" Indeed. Then it builds up to do the same again.

The b-sides are all really good, too. Two of the remixes are of "Reptile", both actually kind of entertaining to listen to, and are even longer than the original song!. Then there's also the somewhat filler track "A Violet Fluid" which is somewhat interesting in spite that, plus a remix of "Pigs", which is a quite good track in its remixed form.

Definitely one worth picking up. Oh, and the "downward spiral" re-issue is similarly good.

A good single somewhat undervalued by the recent release of the deluxe edition of "The Downward Spiral", "March of the Pigs" was the leadoff from that album. In addition to the album mix of "March of the Pigs", it adds an extended remix ("All the Pigs, All Lined Up"), a small loop track ("A Violet Fluid"), both of which appear on the deluxe edition, and two mixes of "Reptile" ("Reptilian" and "Underneath the Skin") by Dave Ogilvie.

"March of the Pigs" itself is a great song, breakneck beats, powerful distorted guitars, and a venomous vocal fading into its bizarre piano break. The remix I'm moody about (its what Reznor's been playing live for years)-- essentially a slightly extended take on the track is followed by repitious vocal lines over drum beats as a coda. It works pretty well, but its a bit too long. "A Violet Fluid" is an interesting little drum snippet, it ends after just a minute, before it has a chance to get boring.

The two "Reptile" mixes are the real value here as they're unreleased elsewhere-- "Reptilian" is an extended version of the album cut, it works well in a long form, seven and a half minutes is a long time to drag on a piece, but it doesn't feel that way. The instrumental edit fares well too-- it certainly helps illustrate how far Reznor has come as an arranger from the almost minimalist days of "Pretty Hate Machine" and "Broken".

A limited value these days, but if you're a fan, you'll probably want the "Reptile" remixes.