I do indeed have my fist and my pen!
He's back! Listening to something new from "Uncle Trent" always fills me with that dual sense of trepidation and excitement, made more keen by the varied response to "With Teeth". The video for "Survivalism" has been available on the band's MySpace page for some time so most fans will have already heard this track. But what do the die-hard fans think?
I, for one, think this will grow on me. However it is in that strange zone - not quite heavy like "Head Like a Hole", nor is is slow and mellow sounding in the vein of "That's what I Get" or "Sin". It certainly has that catchy beat and might possibly end up on a few club's playlists because of that. But it's missing the NIN appeal. Trent's vocals are still strong and passionate on this record, with somewhat thoughtful lyrics but the song seems to meander a little too much here and then, verging on monotonous.
Maybe its the material? The sound is more along the lines of "With Teeth" which, for me, was more accessible and less emotional. Songs like "Closer", "Mr Self Destruct", "Hurt", "The Wretched" and countless others, deal more with inner-emotions, anger, frustration and vindication. This song is more about Uncle Trent's vision of the world 20 years from now, and is more a passionate story of things to come. As an intro to his new material, it's acceptable but I'm slightly worried. But one has faith.