The Verge Calls Prick's Industrial Punk Perfect for Halloween

The Verge published a review Saturday calling the band Prick's theatrical industrial punk "perfect for spooky season," drawing a direct lineage from Nine Inch Nails through a decades-old production connection to Trent Reznor, according to the review by weekend editor Terrence O'Brien, published Oct. 4, 2026.

Who is reviewing Prick, and when did it run?

The piece ran on The Verge's entertainment desk under its music vertical, written by O'Brien, who the outlet identifies as having covered the tech industry for more than 18 years. The review frames Prick's sound within the industrial-glam-punk tag The Verge uses in its own URL slug for the piece, positioning the band as seasonal listening tied to Halloween.

What is Prick's connection to Trent Reznor?

The link runs through producer Kevin McMahon, a longtime friend of Reznor's from the new wave band Lucky Pierre — a group Reznor was briefly a member of, according to the review. That relationship dates back to the recording of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral, when Reznor, deep in his own production process for that album, lent his production talents to McMahon's work, the review states.

How many tracks did Reznor produce, and on what record?

According to the review, Reznor is credited as producer on four tracks tied to that McMahon-era material — the connective tissue The Verge uses to tie Prick's current sound back to Reznor's industrial-rock catalog. The review does not specify a release date, label, or chart data for Prick's record in the material provided, and HTT News could not independently verify additional production or distribution figures beyond what the review states.

How does The Verge describe Prick's sound?

O'Brien's framing is explicit: "If Trent Reznor studied musical theater instead of computer engineering," NIN "might have sounded like Prick," the subheadline reads. That line sets up the review's core argument — that Prick leans harder into theatrical staging and vocal drama than the more clinically engineered industrial sound Reznor built with synthesizers and sequencers.

"If Trent Reznor studied musical theater instead of computer engineering NIN might have sounded like Prick."

What should listeners watch for next?

• The Verge's full review for track-by-track detail on Prick's record, available at the originating story.
• Any follow-up credits confirming which specific tracks McMahon and Reznor worked on together.
• Whether Prick tours or releases additional material tied to the Halloween season the review references.
• Coverage of Kevin McMahon's broader production catalog, given the Lucky Pierre connection to Reznor predates The Downward Spiral sessions.

The review is the only sourced account of Prick's record reviewed for this report; no additional outlets, streaming data, or sales figures were available in the material reviewed.

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