a review of trent reznor's soundtrack for quake

by brian hard

Ever been shot by a nail gun before? Wait, how about this: Ever shot anyone else with a nail gun before? Hmmm...well, if not, Id Software gives you the virtual chance with its new 3-D shoot-'em-up, Quake. And not only do you get this, you also get to listen to the latest musical creations by Trent Reznor as you blast everything in sight.

Sound tempting? Well, to tell you the truth, as a huge Nine Inch Nails fan I leapt at the chance, credit card in hand. For those of you who have done likewise, you will probably know what I'm talking about here. But for those who haven't, I hope to give you a real sense of what it's like to experience a one-of-a-kind game laced with the workings of Trent Reznor.

Anyone who's played Id works such as Doom and Doom II can attest to the company's ability to mix the macabre and the very violent into a surprisingly fun computer game. In a sense, what they've done is turn the average video shoot-'em-up into an absorbing simulation. For those who haven't tried them, the games unfold through the perspective of the first person: you. All you see in front of you is your weapon of choice and the world around you filled with bad guys. The concept: Kill everything in sight and get out alive. Quake drives forward the same concept, but with a refreshingly new atmosphere. Just add a dab of Reznor, and voilà: a real nightmare.

I first tried the shareware version of the game. Unfortunately, it had no soundtrack...only sound effects (things blowing up, monster growls, your own cries of agony and pain, etc.). But in the game, it was nice to see little boxes of ammunition for the weaponry of choice (a nail gun, fully automatic mind you) with little NIN logos on them. That was a cute touch. Eventually, I shelled out the bucks for the full version, music and all. It seemed to totally change the feel of the game for me.

As many of you who own a CD-ROM player may know, many soundtracks for CD-ROM can be played through your standard stereo CD player. All you need to remember is to skip the first track (generally reserved for data only). Quake contains 10 tracks of Trent's music. I enjoyed this feature immensely. I guess because I really like Reznor's skill at ambiance, and it's much easier to concentrate on the details without the game.

Quake has a very gothic atmosphere to its visuals. Most of the game is spent blasting your way around deep, cavernous castle structures lit only by torchlight. Id seems to have wasted no creative expense in making a spooky environment. With Reznor's work added, I felt the game totally surrounded me. Even from the introductory demonstration mode, Reznor throws a fistful of violent rage with the "main theme" of the game. This is a hard-driving, guitar-sampling rock of death that sends the player spinning. In the back layers is the ever-present Reznor scream, and from what I can tell, it never ends throughout the whole track. In fact, he cuts the guitars altogether toward the end to allow us to hear the lonely crescendo and decrescendo of his wail. Nice touch, Mr. Reznor. Here begins the nightmare.

Each level of play, or world so to speak, carries its own music. Anyone who has listened to a lot of Nine Inch Nails will recognize the Reznor touch. He used some of this sort of ambiance in The Downward Spiral ("A Warm Place," the title track) and in just about any background to his tunes. For a game like this, ambiance is key. Trent Reznor does it spectacularly.

Many of the tracks are very quiet; they're meant to set a mood of foreboding for the player. I found myself hugging walls in the darkness of the game to wait for the next creature to strike at the right musical sound. The atmosphere for each is very minimalistic. Reznor uses repeated sounds such as a heartbeat rhythm, a swelling of bass, a nest of indecipherable whispers, and a chorus of screams. To truly appreciate all he's done on each track, one needs to listen to the soundtrack without the game, as I did.

I sat back and could catch each detail in Reznor's work -- from the subtle little "horn sounds" to the small scurry of percussion in the deep background. It's the details that demonstrate his mastery of atmosphere. These small sounds seem to capture a quality of fear; they have a rich texture that almost fools you into thinking you're hearing them around you as you play. The clanging of bells on one track continually had me thinking that another one of those awful grenades was about to land near me. His crescendos are excellent at building tension and surprise, which works well for a game like this. In Quake, the player always manages to find a new monster around every dark corner. You're always left wondering which monster is next to kill (or to kill you).

Fear is something I think Reznor understands in making this soundtrack. It has a very sickening feel to it. Although you won't hear any of Reznor's singing, you will hear him breathe, scream and whisper. You may even catch yourself trying to breathe from moment to moment in the game. As I said before, survival is the key. The game's simulation qualities are only enhanced by Reznor's success at capturing a feeling of impending death around every corner. This is, I believe, the heart of his ability.

Many may argue that Reznor's talents lie in rock songs such as "Head Like A Hole" and "Happiness In Slavery." Many may also cite his fantastic performances on stage and his mastery of being loud. But I feel he must be given a chance in the ambient genre. I do agree he can rock like (or even better than) the rest of them, but I think he can also master the art of sound and atmosphere. I can think of no better way then through the use of synthesizers and computer sampling methods, which he has obviously mastered already. Outside of that, his newfound talents can be placed alongside those of maybe even the best of ambient composers. I would prefer that he continue in this new realm along with rock. I know he's only human, but it would be nice to see him do this again -- maybe even for Id, who knows?

If you are a Nine Inch Nails fan and haven't played this game yet, give it a try. I know it won't be a disappointment. It's refreshing to see this side of Reznor's abilities, and I think many of you will feel the same way. All I can say is whatever he dreams up next, it's bound to be an even more frightening experience. Close your eyes and find out for yourself..and while you're at it, don't let up on the trigger.