I haven't really followed Trent Reznor's NIN (Nine Inch Nails) since Pretty Hate Machine.  That's quite awhile, I understand.  I do have a NIN T-Shirt which has developed holes over many washings and chest scratching.   It was, then, with interest that I came across this report that shows that Trent is still fresh and, as always, pushing the boundaries of 'Art'. 

He is putting out his new album: "Year Zero", but what is interesting is that he has been putting 'clues' on his Concert T-Shirts, USB Drives in the bathrooms of his concerts that have an MP3 of a song off the yet to be released album.  The clue on the T Shirt led fans to a hidden web page that presents Orwellian 'information' on something called Parapin that is being 'added to the water'.  Further clues have 'disclosed' a couple of strange sites:

anotherversionofthetruth.com  - run your mouse over the picture (holding the left button down) to 'unpaint' the picture into a 'Year Zero' post-apocalypse one.

thepriceoftreason.net - Another Orwellian NIN site.  Spooky stuff.

One wonders what other anti-propagandistic sites Trent has out there!

I find this type of marketing rather interesting... it turns the advertising 'upside down' and engages the fans into the 'process'... finding the clues.  This 'scavenger hunt' method has been done before on the net, of course, but it's rare to find it at this level.  The new movie 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' made news when their 'viral marketing' was mistakenly taken as possible terrorist bombs by over-zealous Bostonian Authorities. 

I applaud NIN for utilizing the web in an innovative fashion and look forward to the album's release.  There's even talk of a movie on the 'Year Zero' concept!  The sites do create 'buzz' and that's what it's all about.  The message he's putting out may be disturbing to you, but that's the 'job' of a serious artist.  I'm told this project is 'open ended' and on-going, developed as time goes by.  If I come across more NIN sightings in the Year Zero I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Zenny, NIN to the Max!

p.s.  a bit more detail on this viral campaign can be found at... theplugg