Maybe I have a different preference of my music than this album. There are a few good songs on here, but what kind of music is it? I couldn't help but to feel it was a mixture of pop and metal. I will say that is an interesting blend, but it came out all mixed up.

I listened to this album and it sounds to me the man is angry and heading into a hole he can't get out of. Behind his lyrics is the twisted sound of his guitar and crazy sounding electric funk beats.

On the other hand, some songs like "Sanctified" and "Head Like a Hole" are pretty good. They have a cool groove to them. These songs sound like they actually tried to make something meaningful.

I'm not going to be rude, but this album was not as good as everyone says. You could grab someone off the street who has had a tough life and they could probably write lyrics to the same extent as well as music like Trent Reznor. I can't really "feel" his pain because his lyrics are whack and confusing. I just had to listen to the instruments rather than his voice.

However, this is just my opinion. It did start a cult following and many other artists cop this style of music. Millions of fans can't be wrong about this album if they all enjoyed it.

If you're like me, you'll probably be more interested in artists like Screaming Trees, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana.

It's common knowledge that Trent Reznor *is* Nine Inch Nails, and "Pretty Hate Machine" is his first effort, going way back to the late 80's! At the time, Trent Reznor wasn't a rock icon; rather, a skinny young man with a keyboard and a love for synthesized/industrial music (which he'd bring into the mainstream a few years later).

Thus, "Pretty Hate Machine" is like Skinny Puppy meets The Cure meets Prince, with a heavy dose of angst.

"Head Like a Hole" is the most popular song on here, still getting airplay today. It's the most intense thing on here, containing angry lyrics and a killer hook. "Terrible Lie" also mixes pop beats with angry vocals, and received modest airplay.

"Down In It" has a hip-hop influence, and is the most dated sounding thing on here. It was the first single, I believe. Very 80's sounding.

"Sanctified" has a lot of synth effects, again, pretty dated sounding, but it's a strong song. "Something I Can Never Have" is a tortured, beautiful piano ballad in which Trent throws out his emotions on the table in a stripped down environment.

Other highlights include the dance pop-ish "Kinda I Want To", the dirty, sexual grind of "Sin", the funky "The Only Time", and the brooding closer "Ringfinger".

The main problem with "Pretty Hate Machine" is the sound. This is 1989, and Trent's production methods sound very primitive 15 years later. Any album from that era based on synthesizers like this is bound to sound dated. That applies to albums from Trent's influences as well: The Cure, Prince, etc. all have their share of dated 80's albums. BUT, when the songwriting is so strong, it's easy to forgive.

So, let it be known: this is not the intense, harrowingly loud Nine Inch Nails of "The Downward Spiral" (although "Head Like a Hole" hints at it); rather, an early, more dance/pop sounding NIN. But Trent has crafted a bunch of infectious numbers on here, and it's interesting to see how he started off.

Pretty Hate Machine will definitely be a surprise to people who associate the Downward Spiral with Nine Inch Nails. This is nothing like any of his later albums. Indeed, it's not even really a true industrial album. It's more industrial-influenced Synth-Pop. Yet, it's still great, and with pop roots this is by far more widely accessible than any of his other releases. While it does sound rather dated, the brilliant songs are more than enough to make up for it. It's obvious that this was released in the '80s, but don't let that fact prevent you from getting this.

I think part of why I love this album is that it's probably the best album to get me through hard times. While the lyrics are a bit weaker than what he wrote on The Downward Spiral and The Fragile, it doesn't make them sound any less heartfelt or emotional. In some ways, it makes them easier to relate to. While these aren't his best lyrics, I never found myself laughing at them, as other reviewers have said, and I rather like many of them.

There's also a lot of variety in the song styles. No two songs sound alike, and Trent tries various kinds of music. While it has obvious influences through out, most notably Skinny Puppy and Prince, each song stands out.

Head Like A Hole is the only guitar oriented track and should definitely please fans of later NIN.

Terrible Lie was Trent's first stab at Christianity, and probably the darkest track on the album.

Down In It is almost a rap, which you'll probably either love or hate. For me it just depends on how I'm feeling. Some people, including Trent, have called this a rip-off of Skinny Puppy's Dig It. They are a bit similar, but it's still a good track.

Sanctified is focused around an awesome bass-line and some cheesy synths, with some guitar on the chorus.

Something I Can Never Have is a very nice piano-ballad with the sound of machinery for drums. This is probably a one of-a-kind song, and it's my personal favorite on the album.

Kinda I Want To is probably the album's weakest track, but it's still a fairly good song.

Sin is an aggressive synth song, and it's very good. The live version is definitely better, though.

That's What I Get is another ballad, and I like it a lot, too. The synths are a little cheesy, but it's probably the most emotional track on the album.

The Only Time is an almost funky track, and the Prince influence is most obvious here. Lyrics are a little weak. Still very good.

Ringfinger is the closing track and it's another one based on synths, but later on in the song it has some awesome guitar work.

I feel PHM also shows a wide range of emotion from Trent. Those who say it's all about getting dumped obviously didn't listen to all the tracks. The only two songs that really fall under that description are Something I Can Never Have and That's What I Get. The rest just varies from song to song.

Overall, this is an excellent album no matter how you look at it. There are no bad tracks here, and other than Kinda I Want To I'd say they're all excellent. I can understand how industrial purists would dislike this album. It isn't real industrial, after all. But if you don't mind synth pop give it a listen. If you have an open mind, and look past the cheesy aspects, you should be impressed.

So emotional. It's impossible to try to generalize this album and put it into any kind of category. It is true art. Some people only hear noise...clicks and clacks when they listen to this but I always say, if everyone agrees about one thing and likes it the same then that thing is boring as HELL. You're either going to love or hate this album, and it's a great album to get started with NIN. Reznor's work will only grow on you from that point.

If you don't own any NIN's albums, this is definitely the place to start.

"The Downward Spiral" will probably forever be Trent Reznor's most popular and critically acclaimed album. And "The Fragile," in my opinion is Reznor's magnum opus. And although those are some of the best albums in modern rock, they both need time and a few plays to get into. "The Downward Spiral" is a classic, no doubt, but it's so intense, people unfamiliar with NIN may be initially turned off. And with the "The Fragile," there are a lot of instrumentals with long buildups and climaxes (not that that's a bad thing). Both of these albums need a few plays to really appreciate. "Pretty Hate Machine" is more meat-and-potatos and gets right to the point with each song. It's easy to digest these songs with just one listen.

NIN's debut album, "Pretty Hate Machine," is instantly assessable, instantly catchy. Some industrial purists may eschew NIN for being overly assesable/pop, but the hooks in these songs are undeniable. "Pretty Hate Machine" is not the kind of album where you listen to it a few times, every once and a while, or listen to a few songs now and then. "Pretty Hate Machine" is the kind of album that you get hooked on. And it's not just a few songs, the entire album is mesmerizing.

From the opening classic "Head Like a Hole" to the closing "Ringfinger" every song is meticulously crafted and delivered. Even if you know nothing at all about Trent Reznor, just by listening to any of NIN's albums, you get the sense that every song on every one of his albums is a labor of love.

This is the kind of album that any person can relate to. Trent Reznor takes universal feeling and themes of being rejected, disappointed, screwed over, dejected and depressed, and he puts it to catchy industrial beats. There is a certain healing power to the music of Nine Inch Nails. You feel a certain catharsis when you listen to Trent Reznor's music.

"Pretty Hate Machine" is a modern-day classic and a cornerstone in any college/alternative collection.