Trent Reznor Reflects on 30th Anniversary of The Downward Spiral, Hints at Possible Future Tour

It’s now been three decades since Trent Reznor first wanted to fuck you like an animal. Friday marked the 30 year anniversary of the legendary industrial band Nine Inch Nails’ sophomore album The Downward Spiral, which produced such iconic songs as “Closer” and “Hurt.” Looking back on the much-lauded album, Trent Reznor made a rare Instagram post talking about the classic album. The post reads:

“Spending too much time looking backwards feels dangerous to me, but this day on the calendar caught my attention. Has it really been that long, old friend?
I just spent an hour listening to this time capsule of what 28 year old me had to say, and it still excites me and breaks my heart.
Be kind to yourselves. Hope to see you soon.”

The last sentence seems to suggest a future tour, which would be a surprise since Nine Inch Nails have no tour dates currently scheduled. According to a concert review at Cleveland.com, Reznor said on Discord after a 2022 concert that “When/If we tour again, it will be different.” Fans have spent years speculating on what exactly Reznor meant by that, and if he was indicating a true retirement from touring.

There’s a lot of doubt whenever Reznor announces a retirement from touring as he’s done it before. According to Spin, a 2009 performance at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles was billed as the final Nine Inch Nails show ever as part of the “Wave Goodbye Tour.” Reznor didn’t wave goodbye for long, as that retirement only lasted about four years before they returned with their Tension Tour in 2013. Much like KISS or The Rolling Stones, when Nine Inch Nails announce their last tour ever, always take that with a grain of salt.