Nine Inch Nails have unveiled a mesmerising new music video for “As Alive As You Need Me to Be”, their latest single from the upcoming Tron: Ares soundtrack.
The clip, directed by Maxime Quoilin, presents a glitchy, reality-bending visual experience that perfectly complements the band’s electronic-infused industrial sound.
The video centres around a close-up performance from Trent Reznor, utilising an array of digital effects to create a chaotic, pixelated environment. Quoilin’s direction expertly warps space and bends reality throughout the clip, building visual tension alongside the music’s intensity.
The visual treatment of “As Alive As You Need Me to Be” reflects the thematic connections between the track and its cinematic context, exploring questions of authenticity and reality in an increasingly digital landscape. Quoilin’s direction captures the essence of trying to grasp something real within a chaotic, technologically mediated world.
Released in July, “As Alive As You Need Me to Be” marked Nine Inch Nails’ return to new material after a five-year hiatus. The track will feature on the complete Tron: Ares soundtrack, which arrives on September 19th, preceding the film’s theatrical release on October 10th.
This soundtrack represents the band’s first new music since their 2020 releases Ghosts V: Together and Ghosts VI: Locusts. However, Reznor and longtime collaborator Atticus Ross have remained active through their film scoring work. The duo composed music for Luca Guadagnino’s Queer and Challengers last year, and are currently working on his upcoming film After the Hunt. They also scored the Apple TV+ release The Gorge earlier this year.
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The new video arrives as Nine Inch Nails wrap up their ‘Peel It Back Tour’, the band’s first major touring cycle since 2022. Following a European leg in June and July, the North American portion commenced in August. The tour concludes on September 18th at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, just one day before the Tron: Ares soundtrack release.
