Now, right off the bat, something that strikes us as generally raising quite a lot of suspicion is, y’know, sending out bags of strange powders in the mail. Clearly, Nine Inch Nails didn’t get the memo.

As Billboard reports, envelopes of an odd black powder were sent out to NIN fans alongside their pre-ordered copies of the latest NIN EP, Not The Actual Events, as well as a note and a stack of papers. The note tells fans that it is “to be read in its ENTIRETY before opening”, followed by the warning “Actions have consequences.”

The note also warns that “N.T.A.E. may contain subversive elements that produce feelings of euphoria and may be harmful and unsettling to the consumer,” before more plainly stating “this will make a mess.”

That seems to be about the extent of the warning, aside from the note that preorders would come with a “physical component” and fans were still taken aback when they opened their packages only to find black powder smeared everywhere.

While it’s obviously a little bit confronting to find your new record (and hands, and carpet) given a fresh coat of black, it’s a pretty awesome way to connect with fans through an actual physical interaction. While some might have been a bit miffed, we’re sure most of them felt a pretty personal connection to Trent Reznor at that moment, so mission accomplished.

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