Broken (also known as Halo 5) is the first EP from American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. The album was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and Flood. Although it is an EP, it is usually considered to be the band's second major release after Pretty Hate Machine since it consists entirely of new material. It is considerably much heavier and takes much more influence from Industrial Metal than Pretty Hate Machine, which was much closer to Synthpop than Industrial Metal.

Released in autumn 1992 on the heels of a major disagreement between Reznor and his label, TVT Records, Broken was a major departure from Pretty Hate Machine. Reznor said that during the long, arduous tour for his debut album, the songs became more aggressive when played by a band, compared to the process of studio recording. The stage often turned violent as a result of everyone releasing pent-up frustration and anger on their instruments. Thus, Broken sounds a lot more abrasive with the increased prominence of distorted guitars.

The influence of Reznor's conflict with his former label is evident in multiple aspects of the album. After a long list of credits, the packaging reads, "no thanks: you know who you fucking are" followed by "the slave thinks he is released from bondage only to find a stronger set of chains." These comments are likely directed towards TVT Records' Steve Gottlieb, who refused to let Reznor out of his contract, sparking legal battles between the two parties. At the beginning of "Physical", Reznor whispers, "eat your heart out, Steve." In a music video for "Gave Up", a computer monitor reads "fuck you steve".^[1]

On this EP, there are louder mixes and more distortion on every instrument, including a classic Mellotron MKIV (originally owned by John Lennon), which can be heard most particularly on the track "Gave Up". The lyrics are less of a departure; for the most part the themes involve angst, control and dependency struggles. Reznor said he wanted the album to be "an ultra-fast chunk of death" for the listener, something that would "make your ears a little scratchy".^{[citation needed]}

• TVT Records / Interscope Records / Atlantic Records 7 92213-2 - CD
• TVT Records / Interscope Records INTD-92213 - CD Re-release

All songs by Trent Reznor

1. "Pinion" – 1:02
2. "Wish" – 3:46
3. "Last" – 4:44
4. "Help Me I Am in Hell" – 1:56
5. "Happiness in Slavery" – 5:21
6. "Gave Up" – 4:08

Tracks 7 - 97 are 1-second long silent tracks

98. "Physical" – 5:29
99. "Suck" – 5:07

Broken was originally packaged in a fold-out digipak, containing the six tracks on a regular CD and an additional three-inch mini CD with the two remaining songs ("Physical" and "Suck"). After Reznor discovered that some unscrupulous record store owners were removing the mini CD and selling it separately, Broken was re-released as one CD, with the bonus songs "hidden" on tracks 98 and 99, respectively, with tracks 7-97 each containing a second of silence (three seconds per track on the UK release).

The UK vinyl release was a one sided 12" which featured the six main tracks. The two bonus cuts were issued on a 7" single given away inside the EP in a white die-cut sleeve.

"Physical" is a cover of the Adam & the Ants song "Physical (You're So)", originally released on the Kings of the Wild Frontier LP. In 1995, Nine Inch Nails performed "Physical" live with Adam Ant for two nights in a row. After Trent introduced Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni on the second night, Adam Ant proclaimed to the audience, "It's nice to be on stage with the best fucking band in the world."

"Suck" was written by Pigface, whose ever-changing lineup once included Reznor. The slower, sparser, radically different original version appeared a year earlier on Pigface's Gub album. Live, Pigface usually plays a version similar to Broken's, as evidenced by the super-group's various live recordings ("Welcome to Mexico, Asshole," "Glitch," etc.). However, their interpretation emphasizes the bass, de-emphasizes keyboards and computer effects, and lacks Reznor's "I am so dirty on the inside" break down. Reznor's song also does include Pigface's shout of "Suck! Suck! Suck!" after "How does it feel?", except it is faintly whispered on the cover version.

The mainstream music video for "Gave Up", as shown on Closure, features a young Marilyn Manson playing guitar, appearing without makeup and eye contacts. This was filmed before Reznor signed Manson to Nothing Records.

The controversial Broken movie was made for the first 6 tracks (minus "Last"). It features the "Happiness in Slavery" music video, as well as the videos for "Pinion", "Wish", "Help Me I Am In Hell". There is also an alternate and more gruesome version of "Gave Up" at the very end, depicting a man being flogged, blowtorched, castrated with a razor and cut up with a chainsaw. The camera work in this video is similar to that of a snuff film, and it is widely regarded as drastically more violent than even the "Happiness in Slavery" music video.

• Martin Atkins – drums on "Wish"
• Tom Baker – mastering
• Flood – production
• Trent Reznor – writing, performance, production
• Chris Vrenna – drums on "Gave Up"

• The track "Wish", which includes the lyric "fist fuck", won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. Reznor later joked that his epitaph should read: "REZNOR: Died. Said 'fist fuck' and won a Grammy."^{[citation needed]}

• Nine Inch Nails official site
• Halo 5 at NINCollector.com