March 6th, 2012 - A Divine And Rutheless Act of Rye

Tonight I am pairing Sierra Nevada's 2012 Ruthless Rye IPA and local (Salt Lake City, Utah) power metal band, Sonic Prophecy and their album, "A Divine Act of War."

The 2012 Ruthless Rye IPA is a rustic, complex, and unique IPA.  The nose is very hoppy, spicy, and citrusy.  It pours a rich, deep golden-amber with a frothy 1.5 finger head with strong and sustained lacing.  Combining peppery spiced notes, bitter grain, and the "bright citrusy flavors of whole-cone hops," the Ruthless Rye IPA is exactly that... RUTHLESS!  It is intensely flavorful and equally refreshing.  The spicy, peppery notes are perfectly balanced with the sharp sweet notes of the hops.  It is full-bodied, yet clean, and has a smooth finish with a lingering, yet subtle note of pepper.  The perfect beer for a night of bombastic power metal!

And speaking of complex, intense, and ruthless, "A Divine Act of War," Sonic Prophecy's first full-length album is a robust powerhouse of metal!  Shane Provstgaard's soaring and unique voice coupled by the soaring guitars of Austin Dixon and Steve Bishop create an epic "juggernaut" in the tradition of Iron Maiden, Hammerfall, Iced Earth, and Blind Guardian.  The pounding rhythms of Michael Graybill's bass work and Jeff Dreher's drums drive the war-march and fantasy motifs of the songs and intensify the already complex structure.  "Call of Battle," "Solar Run," "A Warrior's Destiny," "Juggernaut," and the epic, "A Divine Act of War" really embody the ruthless, power metal approach of the band's song writing and perfectly flow with the intensity of the beer.  Along with the power within the songs, there are also some moments of beauty and regal majesty.  Just listen to the opening track "In Nomine Victoria," the vocals and guitar work on "Lady In The Flame," and the piano/synth work on "Canticle."  Since I picked this album up yesterday I haven't been able to stop listening.  If you are a symphonic/power metal freak like myself, I HIGHLY recommend Sonic Prophecy's "A Divine Act of War!"  I give it 4.5 out of 5 brews for strong structure, delivery, and intensity!!

Check out Sierra Nevada's 2012 Ruthless Rye IPA at your local grocery and/or liquor store and check out Sonic Prophecy online at www.sonicprophecy.com or www.facebook.com/sonicprophecy!