Skip to content
Premieres

Seizure Warning: Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Came Back Haunted’ Video Is a Lynchian Nightmare

Nine Inch Nails, David Lynch, "Came Back Haunted," video

David Lynch just told SPIN about the cinematic power of “dream logic.” The legendary director’s new video for Nine Inch Nails’ “Came Back Haunted” more closely follows the reasoning of nightmares. Especially if you suffer from epilepsy: The video starts with a warning for epileptics not to watch, because it may induce seizures. Not for nothing, either, because the flashing visuals leap from a blurry, impassioned Trent Reznor to a surreal ballerina and other, unidentifiable night terrors. As for the song, “Came Back Haunted” is a snarling, twitchy throwback that announces Reznor’s return in characteristic form, much as King Animal‘s “Been Away Too Long” did for Soundgarden.

NIN’s latest will appear on upcoming album Hesitation Marks, which is due out September 3 via Columbia and includes such guests as King Crimson’s Adrian Belew and Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham. If the tour looks anything like this video, drugs may be an especially bad idea, kids. Dream baby dream.