Hear Nine Inch Nails’ Unsettling New Song ‘This Isn’t the Place’

Nine Inch Nails unveiled the brooding new song, “This Isn’t the Place,” from their forthcoming EP, Add Violence, out July 21st.

The track begins with an intricate instrumental sequence of strange synths, drums and a trifling piano. The eerie arrangement builds and recedes, allowing Trent Reznor’s wispy vocals to dictate the song’s direction.

“This Isn’t the Place” follows previously released Add Violence song, “Less Than.” The five-track project marks the second installment in Nine Inch Nail’s three-part EP series. The first, Not the Actual Events, arrived last December.

In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 Radio last year, Reznor discussed Nine Inch Nails’ current music as a response to perceived trends in pop and rock. “A lot of what’s blessed as ‘the cool thing’ feels pretty generic and also feels, a lot of it, like a desperate plea for commercial airplay and success,” he said. “That combined with just our own worldview and a kind of daydream I was having led to ‘Let’s make a record that feels challenging, and exciting to us … I wanted the music to sound kind of ugly and to sound unfriendly, not suck you in with a sexy hook.”

Nine Inch Nails have concerts scheduled throughout the summer and fall, including upcoming sets at FYF Fest in Los Angeles and Panorama Festival in New York City.