• Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Mar 5, 2013
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18
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  1. Apr 2, 2013
    60
    Welcome Oblivion might have worked with some edits, but ultimately fails as an LP.
  2. Mar 7, 2013
    60
    The aspirations here are lofty, as always, if less reflective than your average NIN lament; the songs swell, bobble, and even leak from the seams under the pressure.
  3. Mar 6, 2013
    60
    In the end, Welcome oblivion is really just three stitched-together pieces used to create a living, breathing, albeit disjointed creature.
  4. Mar 14, 2013
    50
    Whether you look at this as Reznor, Ross and Maandig’s “first” album or not, Welcome Oblivion depicts How to Destroy Angels as a little adrift, mixing road-weary maturity with rookie mistakes.
  5. Mar 5, 2013
    50
    Much of Welcome to Oblivion feels like a 65-minute placeholder akin to a remix album rather than a major new direction for Reznor to pursue.
  6. Mar 4, 2013
    40
    It’s a nice, low-key respite from NIN’s angry catharsis, but 65 mid-tempo minutes with little variation (the sparse acoustics of How Long? aside) make it a slog.
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 42 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 42
  2. Negative: 2 out of 42
  1. Mar 7, 2013
    3
    While I do appreciate that this album contains good and well made music, it is not something I can sit down and enjoy over and over again. IWhile I do appreciate that this album contains good and well made music, it is not something I can sit down and enjoy over and over again. I hate to say it, but it is boring. I get the gist of it after the first couple of songs; it's all so similar. Everyone in this band is so much more talented than what is shown here, and it's a bummer that this turned out so basic. Full Review »
  2. Mar 5, 2013
    4
    Basically Trent's soundtrack work. Terrible head shaking lyrics with a disney cruise vocalist. Won't excite 99% of NIN fans, won't gain anyBasically Trent's soundtrack work. Terrible head shaking lyrics with a disney cruise vocalist. Won't excite 99% of NIN fans, won't gain any new fans. We get it, it's "not" NIN, but sounds exactly like what you've been doing for the past 6 years with vapid NIN-lite lyrics from a very cold and boring vocalist. If if weren't for the vocals and lyrics it would could be a decent instrumental album. Full Review »
  3. Mar 6, 2013
    9
    I get people not being able to let go of preconceived notions of what Trent should be sounding like based on their usually pretty shallowI get people not being able to let go of preconceived notions of what Trent should be sounding like based on their usually pretty shallow knowledge of the Nine Inch Nails catalogue. That's understandable. It's dumb, but understandable. But don't let that stop y'all from seeing that this is a solid album by a band that themselves live in the shadow of NIN, probably quite consciously. They've put together an album that ranges from ethereal to jarring sometimes within the same track while maintaining a sense of cohesion. Full Review »