It is hard to believe that this album is now ten years old. By the time it was released in 2013, I had mostly stopped listening to any new NIN stuff. Year Zero was a neat idea and had its moments but didn't really stick with me, while I found With Teeth to be actively disappointing.
So when I finally did listen to Hesitation Marks, I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I think it still holds up. It strikes me as something of a turning point for Reznor; starting with this album, I have found his work to have more depth and maturity, and it feels like he has mostly cast off the angst of his early stuff without sacrificing his edginess or discomforting aspects.