Today is the Day
Encyclopedia
Today Is the Day is an experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...

 noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...

/metal/grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....

 band from Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

. They have a diverse sound that includes influences from alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

, grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....

, & progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 among other genres. Lyrical themes include extreme violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...

, altered states of consciousness, personal struggles, depression, warfare and mental problems such as psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...

, among others.

Biography

The band was founded by Steve Austin
Steve Austin (musician)
Steve Austin is the guitarist, singer and songwriter for noise rock band Today Is The Day. Austin has been the band's only permanent member since their 1992 debut EP, How To Win Friends And Influence People....

 and Brad Elrod in Nashville, Tennessee in the early 1990s. The band released its debut EP, entitled How to Win Friends and Influence People, in 1992. This self-financed release garnered the attention of Amphetamine Reptile Records
Amphetamine Reptile Records
Amphetamine Reptile Records is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-US Marine Tom Hazelmyer in Washington State, US The label is best-known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its Dope, Guns 'n' Fucking In The Streets series of compilations.-History:Hazelmyer...

 (AmRep) who signed the band (at this time consisting of Austin on vocals and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

, Brad Elrod on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....

, and Mike Herrell on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

) in February 1993. The full-length Supernova
Supernova (Today Is the Day album)
Supernova is the debut studio album by the American noisegrind band Today Is the Day, released on April 1993 through Amphetamine Reptile Records.-Reception:...

was released later that year.

In September 1994, Today Is the Day saw its popularity in the metal underground increase with the release of their second album, entitled Willpower
Willpower (album)
-Personnel:Today Is the Day*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar, sampler*Brad Elrod – drums*Mike Herrell – bass guitarAdditional musicians and production*Steve Austin – engineering, mastering, production*Al Sutton – engineering...

. That same year, Willpower was followed by the Clusterfuck '94 split EP with labelmates Chokebore
Chokebore
Chokebore is an American indie rock band formed in the early 1990s in Honolulu, Hawaii, and subsequently based in Los Angeles, California.-Biography:...

 and Guzzard. Today Is the Day also contributed to the tenth volume of AmRep's Dope Guns and Fucking in the Streets 7" series with Brainiac and Steel Pole Bath Tub.

Today Is the Day's self-titled album
Today Is the Day (Today Is the Day album)
-Personnel:*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar, sampler, engineering, production*Brad Elrod – drums*Scott Wexton – synthesizer, sampler...

 was released in March 1996. This album was the first of the band's releases recorded at Austin's own studio, Austin Enterprise, in Nashville. For this release, Steve Austin shifted the band's sound slightly and opted to replace bassist Mike Herrell with keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...

 Scott Wexton. Today Is the Day was the band's final recording for AmRep.

In 1997, Today Is the Day left AmRep and signed with Philadelphia-based metal label Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

 and released Temple of the Morning Star
Temple of the Morning Star
-Personnel:Today Is the Day*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar, sampler, production*Mike Hyde – drums, percussion*Christopher Reeser – bass guitar, samplerAdditional musicians and production*Matthew F. Jacobson – executive production...

in September 1997. For this release, the band's lineup changed significantly, adding bassist and keyboardist Christopher Reeser and drummer Mike Hyde to the band. In addition to Temple of the Morning Star, Today Is the Day also contributed to the In These Black Days
In These Black Days
In These Black Days: A Tribute to Black Sabbath is the name of a 6-volume Black Sabbath tribute series, released as a series of split 7" singles by Hydra Head Records. A double CD edition, compiling of all of the songs from the 7"s, as well as additional Black Sabbath covers from other bands...

7" series, released by Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records is an independent record label which specializes in heavy metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993...

, with their rendition of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (song)
"Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" is a song by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It is the title track of the band's fifth album Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. It was released on the album in 1973. The song is the opening track on the album....

", which can also be found as a secret track at the end of Temple of the Morning Star.

For Today Is the Day's August 1999 release, entitled In the Eyes of God
In the Eyes of God
In the Eyes of God is the fifth studio album by the American noisegrind band Today Is the Day, released on July 20, 1999 through Relapse Records.-Track listing:-Personnel:Today Is the Day*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar...

, Reeser and Hyde were replaced with bassist Bill Kelliher
Bill Kelliher
Bill Kelliher is a guitarist in the Atlanta heavy metal band Mastodon. He is a native of Victor, New York. He shares guitar duties with Brent Hinds, playing mainly complex rhythm parts. Kelliher is married, with two young sons—the eldest one named Harrison, after Harrison Ford of Star Wars fame...

 and drummer Brann Dailor
Brann Dailor
Brann Dailor is a drummer, best known as a member of Mastodon, a progressive metal band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Dailor was also a founding member of mathcore band Lethargy, and played with grindcore bands Discordance Axis and Today is the Day.-Personal life:Dailor was born into a musical family...

, formerly of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...

's Lethargy and current members of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

's Mastodon
Mastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...

. This new lineup first appeared live at the Milwaukee Metalfest and the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
New England Metal and Hardcore Festival
The New England Metal and Hardcore Festival is an annual festival held in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is a weekend-long concert of heavy metal and hardcore bands along with a merchandising and promotional area for record labels and other vendors...

. Having moved to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 in 1998, this was the first Today Is the Day album to be recorded at Austin Enterprise's new location in Clinton, Massachusetts
Clinton, Massachusetts
Clinton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,606 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Clinton, please see the article Clinton , Massachusetts....

.

The years 2000 and 2001 were relatively quiet for Today Is the Day in terms of releasing new material. Live Till You Die was released in August 2000, and included live tracks recorded during the tours in support of Temple of the Morning Star and In the Eyes of God, covers of songs by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

, Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...

, and Chris Isaak
Chris Isaak
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Isaak is an American rock musician and occasional actor.-Early life:Isaak was born in Stockton, California, the son of Dorothy , a potato chip factory worker, and Joe Isaak, a forklift driver. Isaak's mother is Italian American, originating from Genoa...

, and various songs compiled from studio sessions held at Austin Enterprise during the late-1990s. In 2001, new Today Is the Day songs were released on splits with Metatron and 16, the first new material since 1999.

The new songs put out on the split releases later appeared on Today Is the Day's double album Sadness Will Prevail, released in 2002. This album kept with Steve Austin's habit of rotating band personnel, and Kelliher and Dailor were replaced by Chris Debari and Marshall Kilpatric, respectively. Today Is the Day also released their second live album, entitled Blue Blood, in 2002.

Today Is the Day returned in June 2004 with a new album entitled Kiss the Pig, which featured the debut of new drummer Mike Rosswog, previously of Circle of Dead Children
Circle of Dead Children
Circle of Dead Children is a deathgrind band formed on October 24, 1998, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania known for being purveyors of pure aural destruction with their claustrophobic, dense take on extreme metal...

. Rosswog replaced Anal Cunt's John Gillis, who performed live with the band in 2003. Kiss the Pig was the last album released by Today Is the Day on Relapse Records.

In December 2006 it was announced that former Hate Eternal
Hate Eternal
-Biography:Hate Eternal was formed in 1997. The group's original line-up included Erik Rutan - guitars/vocals, bassist and co-vocalist Jared Anderson, drummer Tim Yeung, and guitarist Doug Cerrito of the band Suffocation...

 drummer Derek Roddy
Derek Roddy
Derek Roddy is an American drummer and snake breeder, originally from South Carolina. His ability to record entire drum tracks in one or two takes earned him the nickname "One Take"....

 had joined the band and would appear on their next studio album, Axis of Eden, released in 2007.

In April 2010, it was confirmed Today Is the Day would join former AmpRep label mates Melvins, Boss Hog, and others at Amphetamine Reptile's 25th Anniversary bash in Minneapolis on August 28, 2010.

In July 2010 Black Market Activities Records announced that they are welcoming Today Is The Day to its roster. Black Market Activities will release Today Is The Day’s ninth studio album in 2011.

SuperNova Records

In 2006 Steve Austin launched his own record label, SuperNova Records, which was founded in order to properly release material by Today Is the Day, among others. As of April 2007, SuperNova has released DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

s of live Today Is the Day shows from 1995 and 1996, as well as reissuing a remastered version of their Willpower record, previously released on Amphetamine Reptile Records. The label also released a film Axis of Eden based on the album of the same name.

Members

Current
  • Steve Austin
    Steve Austin (musician)
    Steve Austin is the guitarist, singer and songwriter for noise rock band Today Is The Day. Austin has been the band's only permanent member since their 1992 debut EP, How To Win Friends And Influence People....

     – lead vocals, guitars (since 1992)
  • Ryan Jones – bass (since 2010)
  • Curran Reynolds – drums, percussion (since 2010)

Former
  • Brad Elrod – drums, percussion (1992–1996, 1998–1999)
  • Mike Herrell – bass (1992–1996)
  • Scott Wexton – keyboards (1996)
  • Chris Reeser – bass, keyboards (1996–1998)
  • Mike Hyde – drums, percussion (1997–1998)
  • Bill Kelliher
    Bill Kelliher
    Bill Kelliher is a guitarist in the Atlanta heavy metal band Mastodon. He is a native of Victor, New York. He shares guitar duties with Brent Hinds, playing mainly complex rhythm parts. Kelliher is married, with two young sons—the eldest one named Harrison, after Harrison Ford of Star Wars fame...

     – bass (1999)
  • Brann Dailor
    Brann Dailor
    Brann Dailor is a drummer, best known as a member of Mastodon, a progressive metal band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Dailor was also a founding member of mathcore band Lethargy, and played with grindcore bands Discordance Axis and Today is the Day.-Personal life:Dailor was born into a musical family...

     – drums, percussion (1999)
  • Chris Debari – bass (2000–2008)
  • Marshall Kilpatric – drums, percussion (2000–2002)
  • John Gillis – drums, percussion (2002)
  • Mike Rosswog – drums, percussion (2004, 2008)
  • Jeff Lohrber – drums, percussion (2005)
  • Aaron Kotilainen – keyboards (2005)
  • Graham Leduc – drums, percussion (2006)
  • Derek Roddy
    Derek Roddy
    Derek Roddy is an American drummer and snake breeder, originally from South Carolina. His ability to record entire drum tracks in one or two takes earned him the nickname "One Take"....

     – drums, percussion (2007–2008)
  • John Judkins – bass (2008–2010)
  • Julien Granger – drums (2009–2010)

Guest appearances

  • Seth Putnam
    Seth Putnam
    Seth Edward Putnam was the founder of grindcore band Anal Cunt. He was known for his brutal screaming and lyrics that either shock, offend, or invoke morbid humor...

     – vocals on Sadness Will Prevail
  • Kris Force – violin
    Violin
    The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

     on Sadness Will Prevail
  • Jackie Gratz – cello
    Cello
    The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...

     on Sadness Will Prevail

Studio albums

  • Supernova
    Supernova (Today Is the Day album)
    Supernova is the debut studio album by the American noisegrind band Today Is the Day, released on April 1993 through Amphetamine Reptile Records.-Reception:...

    (1993), Amphetamine Reptile
    Amphetamine Reptile Records
    Amphetamine Reptile Records is a nationally renowned record label which was founded in 1986 by then-US Marine Tom Hazelmyer in Washington State, US The label is best-known for its roster of noise rock artists, and its Dope, Guns 'n' Fucking In The Streets series of compilations.-History:Hazelmyer...

  • Willpower
    Willpower (album)
    -Personnel:Today Is the Day*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar, sampler*Brad Elrod – drums*Mike Herrell – bass guitarAdditional musicians and production*Steve Austin – engineering, mastering, production*Al Sutton – engineering...

    (1994), Amphetamine Reptile
  • Today Is the Day
    Today Is the Day (Today Is the Day album)
    -Personnel:*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar, sampler, engineering, production*Brad Elrod – drums*Scott Wexton – synthesizer, sampler...

    (1996), Amphetamine Reptile
  • Temple of the Morning Star
    Temple of the Morning Star
    -Personnel:Today Is the Day*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar, sampler, production*Mike Hyde – drums, percussion*Christopher Reeser – bass guitar, samplerAdditional musicians and production*Matthew F. Jacobson – executive production...

    (1997), Relapse
    Relapse Records
    Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...

  • In the Eyes of God
    In the Eyes of God
    In the Eyes of God is the fifth studio album by the American noisegrind band Today Is the Day, released on July 20, 1999 through Relapse Records.-Track listing:-Personnel:Today Is the Day*Steve Austin – vocals, guitar...

    (1999), Relapse
  • Sadness Will Prevail (2002), Relapse
  • Kiss the Pig (2004), Relapse
  • Axis of Eden (2007), SuperNova
  • Pain is a Warning (2011), Black Market Activities
    Black Market Activities
    Black Market Activities is an independent record label which was founded in 2003 by Guy Kozowyk, the singer of the Boston, Massachusetts, based metal band The Red Chord.-History:...


Live releases

  • Live Till You Die CD (2000), Relapse
  • Blue Blood CD (2002), Rage of Achilles
  • Willpower DVD (2007), SuperNova
  • Today Is the Day Live DVD (2006), SuperNova
  • Live in Japan DVD (2008), Supernova
  • Live at the Whiskey A Go-Go DVD (2008), Supernova

EPs and singles

  • How to Win Friends and Influence People EP (1992), self-released
  • I Bent Scared 7″ EP (1993), Amphetamine Reptile
  • In These Black Days
    In These Black Days
    In These Black Days: A Tribute to Black Sabbath is the name of a 6-volume Black Sabbath tribute series, released as a series of split 7" singles by Hydra Head Records. A double CD edition, compiling of all of the songs from the 7"s, as well as additional Black Sabbath covers from other bands...

     vol. 3
    split 7″ with Coalesce (1997), Hydra Head
    Hydra Head Records
    Hydra Head Records is an independent record label which specializes in heavy metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993...

  • Zodiac Dreaming split Mini CD
    Mini CD
    Mini CDs, or “pocket CDs” are CDs with a smaller diameter and one third the capacity.-Formats:Amongst the various formats are the* Mini CD single, a small disc. The format is mainly used for audio CD singles in certain regions , much like the old vinyl single...

     with 16
    16 (band)
    16 is a sludge metal band from Los Angeles, California that is currently signed to Relapse Records. Their latest album, Bridges to Burn was released in early 2009.-History:...

     (2001), Trash Art!
    Trash Art!
    Trash Art! is an independent record label from Providence, Rhode Island, specializing in loud music from punk and metal subgenres. The label was founded in 1997, annds-*Backstabbers Incorporated*Cursed*Disappearer*Forensics*Meltdown*Trap Them*XFilesX...

  • Descent split CD with Metatron (2001), Dark Reign

Compilation appearances

  • Clusterfuck '94 (live) with Chokebore and Guzzard (1994), Amphetamine Reptile
  • Dope Guns 'n Fucking in the Streets vol. 10 (1994), Amphetamine Reptile
  • Recollection: Relapse Video Collection DVD (2003), Relapse (contributed video for "Pinnacle")
  • Dope Guns 'n Fucking Up Your Video Deck vol. 1–3 1990–1994 DVD (2004), Amphetamine Reptile (contributed videos for "6 Dementia Satyr" and "Realization")
  • Relapse Records Contamination Fest 2003 live DVD(2004), Relapse
  • Recollection 2: Relapse Video Collection DVD (2004), Relapse (contributed video for "The Descent")
  • Recollection 3: Relapse Video Collection DVD (2005), Relapse (contributed video for "Mother's Ruin")

External links

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