Insanity vs. Sanity: The Downward Spiral to Self-Destruction
(A Review of the Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails)

	When we think of music, we think of feelings, emotions, and 
random thoughts in songs that make us feel things that we 
wouldn't otherwise. Music is the universal language with which 
we can all identify. Even if we are not capable of making our 
own music, just by listening, we can understand the message. 
Music can convey such messages as love, revenge, fear and anger. 
The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails does not only these things, 
but also shows us the side we would rather not see. 

	It gives us the side of human nature where humanity may be lost. 
It is the self-destructive side that is a part of all of us, but 
from which we hide that is brought out in this album. The Downward 
Spiral, a concept album about suicide and insanity, is sometimes 
to the casual listener, not all that it seems. To some it is just 
noise without any substance. If one were to dig deeper, they would 
find what is at the core of this album; that which makes it a work 
of art.

	The album opens with "Mr. Self Destruct." It initiates the war of 
insanity vs. sanity, as if each state of mind were two people 
grappling for turf. It speaks of control, as if one or the other 
is dominant. Insanity gives promises to the sane side that it does 
not intend to keep, tricking it into the fight in the songs that 
follow. With such lines as "I take you where you want to go, I give 
you all need to know, I drag you down, I use you up" illustrates how 
insanity promises, then breaks them by throwing sanity away. Though 
the song has a good presentation and demonstrates what it sets out 
to do, the distortion of some of the lyrics may make it hard for 
the listener to be able to understand the meaning of the song.
	
	"Piggy" demonstrates the first fight between sanity and 
insanity, with insanity poking fun by calling sanity "Pig." It taunts 
with such lines as "Nothing can stop me now," which make the listener 
wonder what the next songs will be about. Towards the end of the song, 
we see sanity lose ground and replace caring with apathy, allowing 
insanity to have the edge. Also a song about serial killers, it 
demonstrates the battle between the two sides that make one sane, 
and one insane. 
	
	The song "Heresy" shows the loss of faith in God and the anger that 
God has betrayed sanity. Insanity taunts again, destroying the sane's 
claim by shouting, "Your God is dead, and no one cares." Insanity refutes 
that God is controlling and wants control over both of them, and that is 
why they should turn away from God. Sanity knows that it is losing more 
ground, with the loss of faith in God that it had so believed in.
	
	With the song "March of the Pigs" we see the fight intensify 
between the two sides. The symbolism of sending the pigs off to slaughter 
is an insult from the insane side to the sane side, and with promises 
to trick, such as the line "I give you all you want" make the sane 
side follow along, losing more ground. Then, to break that promise, 
with the line, "Take the skin and peel it back." demonstrates the 
pain and self-destruction that sanity is going through. 
	
	"Closer," the misinterpreted anthem, due to its pop-like quality, 
is about the use of sex as power. Here, we see the way that sanity is 
losing even more ground, due to the way that insanity becomes powerful. 
The fighting lines between them have redeeming qualities to the anger 
filled "Heresy," such as, "You get me closer to God," but later are 
refuted by insanity with lines as, "You can have my isolation, you can 
have the hate that it brings." 

	Insanity accuses sanity of being a ruiner of his plans in the song, 
"Ruiner" by shouting, "You had all of them on your side, didn't you?" 
Later on in the song, sanity asks itself and of insanity, "How did you 
get so big," as a back and forth struggle between either side.  

	“The Becoming" is the turning point. It is the point where sanity 
has lost too much ground and can not win the battle anymore. Insanity 
leaves sanity to speak and realize that it has lost. Sanity gives up 
with lines of "The me that you know doesn't come around much" and "that 
part of me isn't here anymore." It is where sanity is really down for 
the count.

	Insanity surges back with "I Do Not Want This" by demanding, "Don't 
you tell me how I feel." Sanity pleads, as its last try, "I do not want 
this." The war is almost lost and at the end, though some meaning is lost 
due to distortion in excess, insanity has finally won, and the death of 
sanity is begun.

	“Big Man With A Gun" is insanity's answer to sanity's "Closer." It 
is more brutal in language and description, describing how it can use sex 
in a more brutal way, without any redeeming to "Heresy" and the anger 
against God. Insanity proves its strength over sanity through the line, 
"I can reduce you if I want." It is the conversion into complete insanity.

	“A Warm Place" is the sadness of sanity's loss. It realizes that 
there is nothing left and that it is finished. Insanity does 
not taunt, nor does it invade the quietness of death that sanity 
is having. It is the end of sanity, and though often thought of 
misplaced by those who do not know the album, it 
is perfectly placed for the meaning it intends.

	Sanity, as it dies, surges back for one last insult to its 
counter part. In "Eraser." The lines of "Break you" illustrate what 
it wished to have done earlier, but could not. The line of "Erase me" 
seals its fate as finished.

	Insanity crows about its win over sanity in "Reptile." One 
of the most repulsive songs lyrically, it demonstrates how far 
insanity is willing to go. It pokes fun one last time at sanity 
with "Oh my beautiful liar," then repulses with "Angels bleed from 
the tainted touch of my caress." The song is well done, 
but could have demonstrated out the meaning better with out the 
distorted lyrics that mask the true meaning.

Finally, in "The Downward Spiral" we see the death of sanity. It 
has been slow and it is final. Sanity not only dies, but commits 
suicide. The line, "He couldn't believe how easy it was. He put 
the gun into his face" is essential to realize that not only was 
this a battle between two sides, but that a person is the true 
victim. As sanity dies, insanity says to justify, "Problems do 
have solutions" showing that sanity was the problem.

	Hurt" brings the album to a close, bringing it to a full 
circle. Insanity realizes its wrong doing by asking, "What have 
I become?" Sanity speaks to it from the grave, answering, "You 
could have it all, my empire of dirt. I will let you down. I will 
make you hurt." At the end of the song, both sides join forces, 
giving a glimmer of hope with the lines, "If I could start again, 
a million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find a way."

	Over all, the Downward Spiral is impressive in its presentation 
of the descent into insanity, showing the side of humanity that is 
not as tasteful to the sane in a way that we can all understand and 
relate to on a darker level of our souls, though we might not admit 
it. I think that the album could have brought some things out better 
with the lyrics shining through, rather than the wall of sound 
that distorts the message being conveyed. It is an album not for 
the light at heart, but rather an album for serious music 
enthusiasts that will enjoy it for the art that it is.