Today Is the Day
Kiss The Pig

A sound of a loaded firearm welcomes us. But not even half a second passes before we're hit square in the face by a torrent of distorted guitars supported by an unstoppable blastbeat. All of this, then, is seasoned by the screechy and raspy voice of the singer. That's how "Why They Hate Us" (a title that sounds like a true statement of intent) begins, the first track of this seventh work by Today is the Day, a fundamental band for extreme music of the last two decades.

Those who know the band, and especially those who loved their most famous albums (among many, let's remember "Temple of the Morning Star," "Supernova," "Willpower," and the massive "Sadness Will Prevail"), will be a bit shocked by the listening to this album, which, in some ways, deviates quite a bit from their previous releases. Sure, we find all the basic ingredients that have made their sound successful: grind, death, noise, hardcore punk, etc. But while previous outings were characterized by a jittery, twisted, unpredictable, and decidedly experimental compositional style, in "Kiss the Pig" they have opted for a significant change, presenting us with 11 short tracks, bare and more direct than ever. Gone are the math-rock and progressive contortions, gone are the piano and violin interludes, gone are the samples of dialogues that seem to be taken from horror films. The tracks are reduced to the essential, the classic guitar/bass/drums trio, and the composition structure is much simplified compared to the past, thanks also to a decidedly more thrash approach (the aforementioned "Why They Hate Us," the title track). The grind component is also felt more, with an approach worthy of early Terrorizer or Napalm Death ("Mother's Ruin," "Outland," "Train Train"). However, there are also slower tracks ("Platinum Pussy," "This Machine Kills Fascists") that add some variety to the album overall. Even the total length of "Kiss the Pig" seems to reflect this change in tendency by Steve Austin and company, as the album finishes in just over half an hour (consider that "Sadness Will Prevail" lasted more than 2 hours!).

This doesn't mean that they have betrayed their identity, not at all: we find Today is the Day as always, nervous, angry, and violent as ever. What is perhaps more noticeable (and which is very likely the main limitation of the CD) is a certain drop in compositional inspiration that puts "Kiss the Pig" somewhat in the shadow of their more famous works. The aggression is still there, the somewhat schizoid and sick attitude too, but despite this, there's the lingering feeling of being faced with a somewhat workmanlike album. While their previous records really knew how to terrify the listener, "Kiss the Pig" flows by quickly but without leaving a deep mark. Compared to "Sadness Will Prevail" and "In the Eyes of God" (which were characterized by their esoteric and dark atmospheres), the seventh episode of Today is the Day seems almost standardized. However, let's be clear, we're not facing a bad album, in fact, it must be said that the first four tracks on the list are among the best extreme compositions of recent years, but as you know, from the greatest, you always expect the best. It seems that this time Steve Austin and company preferred to play it safe, without exaggeration. The result is more than commendable, and one could even recommend "Kiss the Pig" to those who want to approach the band in question or to newcomers to the genre. But from there, it will be necessary to move on to something else.

In conclusion, a good album, fast, direct and sincere, but it is not the masterpiece one might expect from a group like Today is the Day. Therefore, the rating is middle-ground: 7.