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"Eraser" is the eleventh track on the 1994 release The Downward Spiral.
It consists of a 6/4 instrumental ostinato that builds up from the odd sounds of humming and "erasers" (created by blowing into the mouthpiece of a saxophone) at the beginning through heavy rhythmic drumming and very oddly tuned, distorted guitars before dropping out to the 4/4 vocal area, which gets progressively louder until Trent Reznor yells "Kill me". It then completely degenerates into noise and cuts off with only the fading out of the string synthesizer. The beginning crossfades from the end of "A Warm Place" and its ending crossfades with the introduction of "Reptile."
“Eraser” heralds the final thematic section of The Downward Spiral in that the protagonist finally realizes the magnitude of the inhuman entity that has corrupted him. The song features the clean vocals of the protagonist culminating in a wall of noise as the inhuman side of him breaks through again.
The majority of the song is an instrumental build up comprised of a drum loop overlaid with synthesizer patches. Eventually, the voice of the protagonist enters, providing an effect of the protagonist overcoming the inhuman element that is silencing his thoughts. The song features a progressively louder distorted guitar that ends the song in a crescendo of noise.
Lyrically, the protagonist is at first entranced by the obsessive thoughts promoted by this entity, the “Ruiner.” Eventually, he recognizes that this being has destroyed his life and any trace of his happiness. The only way, as he understands, to overcome this internal monster is to kill himself.
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