An opera singer analyzes the vocal performance on NIN's "Terrible Lie"

We've written about Elizabeth Zharoff's YouTube channel, The Charismatic Voice, before. Elizabeth is an opera singer, vocal teacher, and science of voice researcher who listens to rock artists and analyzes their vocal performance (and the physiology of their vocal instruments).



In this video, she listens and breaks down Trent Reznor's vocal performance on Nine Inch Nail's "Terrible Lie." It's always educational and entertaining to watch and hear her reactions. Here she analyzes Trent's instrument, its strengths and weaknesses, and talks about her feelings about the music.

Elizabeth zeroes in on the tension, tension, release, tension, tension, release pattern common to a lot of NIN music and the intoxicating combination of the sound being so "beautiful and dangerous." She also marvels at the sustained intensity of it and how exhausting (and dehydrating) it all must be.

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