Review by JD on November 15, 2011.

The advancement of North America’s metal scene is opening the world’s eyes to the brute power of the music. All forms of metal are being represented, showing our blue-green living marble that they still can rock. One prime example is Ohio based Skeletonwitch - one breed of metal that is taking the global metal scene by force.

This band is made of many parts, and blended perfectly. You have parts of Scandinavian Black and Death metal, straight ahead Thrash in the Bay Area style and lots of classic NWOBHM era bands - the result is a band that has a perfect balance between having serious heaviness, mind melting speed, virtuosic melody and shitloads of pure attitude- not the smug selfish kind, it’s the kind that is simply humble yet well earned.

So many songs over the course of this album are so perfectly crafted and masterfully executed with such aggressive perfection, I could not pick one song to showcase, or even one to critique in my normal hard assed way. The album is so well produced with fully realized songs that are smart, impassioning and boldly malicious as every single note and beat cuts straight into one’s very soul.

I have heard every album now... and this is one of the few bands that never really made a ‘bad’ album, while maturing into a well respected band. This album is the best of the entire Skeletonwitch catalogue, showing how creativity in metal has not been lost, but always had been there - and they are at the forefront showing off that North American metal is in a league of it own and is overshadowed by no one.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship:10
Atmosphere: 9.5
Production: 9
Originality: 9
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9.4 out of 10

Review by Michael on June 7, 2001.

First up, I have to say that these are some of the most crazy vocals I have ever heard. I’m not sure just how many effects units are being used here but the result is fantastic!! In an attempt to demonstrate these vocals, I would have to put my testicles in a vice, then watch Bros videos for 24 hours while human faeces is injected into my eyes. After such time I think my screams would vaguely resemble the frustration and anger that ‘The Reverend’ Steve Austin (NOT STONE COLD) is demonstrating on this recording.

The style of Today Is The Day (10 points for the name!) is a little hard to put a finger on...one side is deeply rooted in metal while the other is a horrific combination of jazz, blues, hardcore and a bit of avant-garde thrown in. They have done away with familiar song structure and have created something far more sinister. "In The Eyes Of God" is the 5th (of 6) release from these scary young men from Detroit, and it blew me away. After regaining consciousness from the vocal onslaught, I came to the conclusion that this just may well be the hardest working drummer in the world. I’m not just talking double kick, but Brann Dailor‘s normal patterns are like other drummers best fills. He is unbelievable, displaying all the trademarks of a jazz musician turned evil. The guitars are also excellent, going from some great old school Black Sabbath influenced riffs, to heavy jazz like parts, to fast hardcore. Just the drums and guitars together are enough to make average listener back up... but when they are combined with the afore mentioned vocals capable of skinning a cat, extreme ant-religious lyrics that seem to put nasty thoughts in your head that you never had before and some of the most disturbing samples I have ever heard we are left with what I’d call a masterpiece.

Favourite Track(s)? From 20?...hard one. ‘Going To Hell’, ‘Mayari’ and ‘Martial Law’.

Bottom Line: Let's play a game. Picture of the most atrocious scene imaginable, now add frustration, anger, insanity and anti-religious sentiment. Got it?... I now present to you the soundtrack.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Michael on June 7, 2001.

First up, I have to say that these are some of the most crazy vocals I have ever heard. I’m not sure just how many effects units are being used here but the result is fantastic!! In an attempt to demonstrate these vocals, I would have to put my testicles in a vice, then watch Bros videos for 24 hours while human faeces is injected into my eyes. After such time I think my screams would vaguely resemble the frustration and anger that ‘The Reverend’ Steve Austin (NOT STONE COLD) is demonstrating on this recording.

The style of Today Is The Day (10 points for the name!) is a little hard to put a finger on...one side is deeply rooted in metal while the other is a horrific combination of jazz, blues, hardcore and a bit of avant-garde thrown in. They have done away with familiar song structure and have created something far more sinister. "In The Eyes Of God" is the 5th (of 6) release from these scary young men from Detroit, and it blew me away. After regaining consciousness from the vocal onslaught, I came to the conclusion that this just may well be the hardest working drummer in the world. I’m not just talking double kick, but Brann Dailor‘s normal patterns are like other drummers best fills. He is unbelievable, displaying all the trademarks of a jazz musician turned evil. The guitars are also excellent, going from some great old school Black Sabbath influenced riffs, to heavy jazz like parts, to fast hardcore. Just the drums and guitars together are enough to make average listener back up... but when they are combined with the afore mentioned vocals capable of skinning a cat, extreme ant-religious lyrics that seem to put nasty thoughts in your head that you never had before and some of the most disturbing samples I have ever heard we are left with what I’d call a masterpiece.

Favourite Track(s)? From 20?...hard one. ‘Going To Hell’, ‘Mayari’ and ‘Martial Law’.

Bottom Line: Let's play a game. Picture of the most atrocious scene imaginable, now add frustration, anger, insanity and anti-religious sentiment. Got it?... I now present to you the soundtrack.

Rating: 9 out of 10