Today is the Day - Temple of the Morning Star

Well, I hope everyone found some way to make Valentines Day the least bit enjoyable. Me, I got some cupcakes out of the whole deal and that’s about it, however they were damn good cupcakes so I am pretty satisfied. The day wouldn’t have been complete however without a little bit of music to help celebrate this fine holiday. So, one of my first choices was Temple of the Morning Star by the renown Today is the Day. Honestly, nothing says “Happy Valentines Day” any better.

A truly terrifying album to those that aren’t familiar with the band and even to those that are this album is still pretty damn creepy. Today is the Day has always been, in whatever lineup configurations it’s went through, a band that continually pushes the limits in terms of being extreme and disturbing. Temple of the Morning Star is so oppressively dark that it’s almost hard to sit through in one listening. The continual running themes of depression, hatred, soured relationships, and alienation are truly close to the point of being overwhelming. Doesn’t sound the least bit redeeming, does it? Well, for whatever reason I break out this album every once and awhile and let it remind me that this is probably what rock bottom sounds like, oh and the songs are pretty top notch too.

While the album may be a wee bit on the dark side of things, it’s hard to not notice that the band is also pretty technically proficient and alongside of Steve Austin’s raspy screams is some pretty insane and impressive riffs. For Temple of the Morning Star and really Today is the Day’s music in general, the sound is heavy for completely different reasons. It’s heavy in such a way that it grabs the listener and places such a weighted burden on them that it feels almost impossible to get away from. It’s a sound that practically feels like it’s choking you. Temple of the Morning Star is one of those records that should only exist in the deepest darkest corners of the world, however has somehow been unleashed to terrorize us all. Again, what fits Valentine’s Day any better than that?

Today is the Day – High as the Sky [MP3]
Today is the Day – Rabid Lassie [MP3]
Today is the Day – My Life with You [MP3]

Relapse Records was awesome enough to have this album remastered and reissued this past year, so it’s still widely available. Pick it up over at Amazon. Enjoy!