"Ushering in a new era of confessional music that spoke openly about experiences of trauma, depression, and self-loathing, Nine Inch Nails's seminal album, The downward spiral, changed popular music forever--bringing transgressive themes of heresy, S&M, and body horror to the masses and taking music technology to its limits. Released in 1994, the album resonated across a generation, combining elements of metal, industrial, synth-pop, and ambient electronica, and going on to sell over four million copies. Now, Into the Never explores the creation and cultural impact of The downward spiral, one of the most influential and artistically significant albums of the twentieth century"--Back cover.

In my end is my beginning : introduction -- Where the waves meet : before the downward spiral -- Mr Self Destruct : step inside -- Ground zero : the studio on the hill -- Piggy : hey -- No horizons : living through the rust belt -- Heresy : God is dead (?) -- The sacred and the profane : faith as an absence -- March of the pigs : enter the spiral -- Under the skin : in search of an aesthetic -- Closer : like an animal -- Shock & awe : sound affects -- Ruiner : living the lie -- Real horror show : fear on film -- The becoming : make yourself -- Deeper into the never : narrative as concept/concept as narrative -- I do not want this : everythingeveryoneeverywhere -- The noise inside your head : between I, you, and me -- Big man with a gun : yes. I. Am. -- Follow my keeper : American violence : before and after Columbine (1994-1999-20??) -- A warm place : deau ex machina -- What a fantastic death abyss! : from Bowie to the great beyond -- Eraser : creatio ex nihilo -- Standing at the edge : a scream to a sigh -- Reptile : xll txx hxmxn -- Wire in the blood : death to the machines/long live the machines -- The downward spiral : from here lies nowhere -- Eat your heart out : under the influence -- Hurt : breaking the spiral -- Escape velocity : exit wounds -- New art decade : soundtracking dissent -- Fire from the ashes : aftermath.