More focused, more subdued.
Chad M. Walker | Minneapolis, MN | 10/14/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"In Axis of Eden, we find a more focused, more subdued Today Is The Day attack. While the album lacks the signature venom and intensity of the band's previous material, it is perhaps their most mature work to date. However, It could be argued that maturity was never TITD mastermind Steve Austin's strong suit, at least in terms of musical composition. He has made a career out of screaming some of the most toxic and hateful lyrics over some of the most bizarre and headache-inducing sounds ever recorded. It was the energy, the rebellion, the authenticity of emotion, and ultimately the youth resonating from the TITD sound that put the band a head above the rest. So what do we make of this old Steve?
Well, for starters, his voice has never sounded so good. In "Sadness Will Prevail" and "Kiss The Pig", Austin preferred vocal delivery was a high-pitched shriek. While this voice, seemingly stolen from the decepticon Starscreamer, fit the sound of those albums, he rarely deviated from it, and it grew tiresome. In Axis of Eden, that shriek only comes out when we need it, and its appearance is refreshing, not tedious. More than ever, we have Austin singing soft, if sinister melodies with a ruined voice. "Free At Last" is an ominous lullaby, its lyrics sung in a weary croon. "If You Want Peace, Prepare For War" ends with an almost Arabic chant over spacey keyboard droning, and "Circus Maximus" may as well have been sung by PJ Harvey. In between the new sounds, there is much of the old. Fans of "Temple Of The Morning Star" and "In The Eyes of God" will rejoice at the return of Austin's distorted, multi-layered roars and cries throughout much of the album.
Offsetting Austin's excellent vocal performance is the album's painful production value, a trend that begin with "Sadness Will Prevail" and just won't go away. Undoubtedly, Austin knows exactly what he is doing when he is mixing. However, the lo-fi sonic sludge that mutes much of the album's action is starting to seem more and more like a mask of artificial authenticity. Using an elaborate studio to emulate a four-track recording in a friend's basement cries "Imposter!" just as loud as the bed-headed but glamorous style of commercial bands Austin has railed against in interviews. People listen to esoteric and technical music to hear the creativity and virtuosity, not wince and cringe as they adjust the equalizer, searching for a song hidden in the noise.
Speaking of virtuosity, this incarnation of TITD features an outstanding drummer (par for the course) giving one of the most forgettable performances he has ever done. Derek Roddy's skills are amazing, and perhaps his lackluster attack on this album is simply him playing to the material he was provided. Indeed, Austin's riffing continues to deteriorate while his vocal range expands. Gone are the jazz-drugged solos, and ultra-fast riffs that terrified and amazed listeners. Axis of Eden's songs, while quite developed, are tarnished with lazy and ugly guitar work. Chris Debari has only gotten better with time, but he is unable to save most songs from Austin's repetitive and obnoxious riffs.
What survives this gauntlet of poor production and mediocre playing? A solid, cohesive album, built around a concept, powered by pathos, and executed methodically. Here, TITD is able to experiment as wildly as they have before, without derailing the album's flow. Everything heard has its place, even the break-beats and 8-bit blurbs of "Desolation," the album's bizarre finale. Axis of Eden's range of emotion and insistence on weirdness is consistent with some of TITD's best work."
Never Dissapoints
Morgan S. McGinnis | Felton, CA United States | 09/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Three years since the brash reality of "Kiss the Pig" was thrown into our faces; Steve Austin, Chris Debari, and new recruit Derek Roddy let us know that the insanity is far from over. I got my copy from Steve at the Oakland, CA show, and from there it was all over, the blast beats, the spiraling songs, everything I've LOVED about "Today is the Day" over the last 10 years is on this CD... with songs "Free at Last" and "If You Want Peace Prepare For War" we get that side of Steve that isn't afraid to show pain and isolation. This album is almost a throw-back mixture of "Willpower"/"Self-Titled" Days, with that dash of "Sadness Will Prevail". If you are a TITD fan, Don't Skip out, pure quality on this Cd ... also released on Supernova Records is "1002: A Rock Odyssey" from Steve & Chris's Side project "Taipan" where they recruited "Iron Boss" Drummer PATRICK KENNEDY... a nice Whiskey Rock, almost hillbilly version of TITD (they DO originate from Nashville..... :-P )almost Turning "Axis of Eden" into a double Disc set.... do yourself a favor, pick up both....and while you are at it, check out Supernova Records newcomers "Christine", they are on the TITD tour right now (2007) and they blew me away!"
Today is the Day do it again
George Bowles | Chicago, IL United States | 11/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having been a fan for years, it's always interesting to see where Steve Austin will steer the ship. Suffice it to say that it will be a bit of the ultra-violence, mixed with a lot of heavy spaciness (on the last two, a lot of blackness) and the trappings of death metal, prog-rock, experimental, industrial, and ambience. This time around, there's drum legend Derek Roddy gunning down everything in sight, and some of the best TITD songs yet: Black Steyr Aug, Total Resistance, No Lung Baby, My Wish is Your Command, and Axis of Eden (starts out like the am-rep days, ends up sounding like Dethklok on PCP and acid). Some of the most brutal stuff out there without being too one-dimensional. For metalheads and experimental music fans (or any music head with a backbone)."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1