Album Review: Nine Inch Nails 'Bad Witch'

It's not very often you hear something genuinely new in music, but 'She's Gone Away' from Nine Inch Nails' 2016 EP Not The Actual Events was just that: a swirling piece of industrial dissonance, its innovative, disorientating production and structure made it genuinely mindblowing.

What's more, the band's appearance on David Lynch's magnificent Twin Peaks: The Return last year to perform the track - in full - was one of the cultural high points of the decade. Bad Witch represents the final installment in the trilogy commenced with Not The Actual Events, and its another vintage excursion in avant electro-rock from Reznor and co-conspirator Atticus Ross.

Utilising cutting-edge production techniques, the likes of 'Shit Mirror', 'Ahead Of Ourselves' and 'Play The Goddamned Part' are incredible sonic headfucks, with a notable focus on avant-jazz and an almost occult level of darkness.

Meanwhile, on 'Over And Out', Reznor's vocal pays very notable tribute to his late hero, David Bowie, in much the same way Bowie tipped the hat to Scott Walker on the monumental 'Heat' from The Next Day.

Once again, Nine Inch Nails have produced a fascinating and mesmerising record. Someone get them to Ireland for a show ASAP, please.

OUT NOW / PAUL NOLAN / Rating: 8/10