September 27th, 2013 - Straight Out Of [Germany]... And Into My Glass!

Happy National Beer Day!!  In pre-celebration of this coming Thursday's Helloween show and in celebration of German beer and German metal in general, I'm pairing Helloween's "Straight Out Of Hell" with an Ayinger Privatbrauerei Oktober Fest-Märzen!  Hell(oween) yeah!!  This pairing goes out to my thrashin' friends in the band Truce and my Denver power metal friends from Vacant Throne!!  Cheers fellas!!

"Straight Out Of Hell" is the 14th studio album by German power metal beasts Helloween.  It was released on January 18th, 2013.  Founding member, guitarist Michael Weikath stated of the album... it is the "consequent development of the two albums before. The new songs are a continuation of the "7 Sinners" directives, only less doom-bound and noticeably more positive. These songs will kick even the laziest listener's ass."  Far "happier" than previous albums, "Straight Out Of Hell" thematically looks at war and peace, love and loss, and faith and science, along with a few other motifs... with soaring vocals, driving guitars, thunderous drums, and boom bass!  Highlights on the album include: "Nabataea," "World of War," "Far From The Stars," "Straight Out Of Hell," "Years," and "Make Fire Catch The Sky."  "Burning Sun" is dedicated to the late Jon Lord of Deep Purple and "Wanna Be God" is dedicated to the late Freddy Mercury of Queen.  The line-up includes Andi Deris (vocals), Michael Weikath (lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals), Sascha Gerstner (lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals), Markus Grosskopf (bass, backing vocals), Daniel Löble (drums) and guest musician Matthias Ulmer (keyboards).  "Straight Out Of Hell" is killer power metal from masters of the form!

Brewed according to the German 1516 Reinheitsgebot Purity Law, the Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen is a traditional Märzen.  It pours a transparent, copper-amber with a big, ivory head.  The nose is caramelly and malty with a hint of crisp hops.  There are notes of toasted grains, baked bread, and sweet toffee.  It has a fairly high level of carbonation and a medium body, which makes it very drinkable, but with some good depth of character.  The flavor of the Oktober Fest-Märzen is both malty and sweet.  There are notes of sweet caramel layered over roasted malts and grains with just a hint of piney hops as the beer warms.  I always get a little maple flavor and a little apple flavor with Märzens as well, which I find here too.  The Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen is a great fall beer to celebrate Oktoberfest and to rock out to with Helloween!!

Check out Helloween at https://www.facebook.com/helloweenofficial!  And catch them on tour this fall!  I will be seeking them this coming Thursday (October 3rd)... and my friends in Truce will be opening for them!! 

Hails!!  Prost!!

September 27th, 2013 - A Loose Leaf For The Love Hunter

As it is only 36 degrees Fahrenheit here in Salt Lake this morning, I shall bid adieu to summer's warmth with a light, yet crisp American blonde ale from Odell Brewing Company: the Loose Leaf American Session Ale.  I'm pairing the Loose Leaf with "Lovehunter" by Whitesnake!

Loose Leaf American Session Ale from Odell Brewing Company is great, sessionable brew that is perfect for the hard rock stylings of Whitesnake!  It pours a bright, pale straw-gold with frothy white head that displays good retention with average lacing.  The aroma is bready malts with some grassy, fruity, and spicy hops.  The flavor is bready and biscuity malts blended well with citrusy and grassy hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with fairly smooth carbonation.  Completely sessionable, the Loose Leaf has some nice complexity as well, yet it is crisp and refreshing. 

Released in 1979, "Lovehunter" is Whitesnake's second studio album and follows a more traditional hard rock, blues-based sound, as opposed to the more metal style of later albums.  The band at the time was made up of the amazing line-up of the incredible David Coverdale on vocals, the underrated and kick-ass guitar pairing of Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, THE Jon Lord on keyboards, bad-ass Neil Murray on bass, and Dave Dowle on drums.  Marsden also sings lead vocals on "Outlaw."  "Lovehunter" is just solid, straight-up rockin' goodness from note one of "Long Way From Home" all the way to the final note of  "We Wish You Well."  This is good-time bar music... bluesy, hard-hitting, and wonderfully executed!  Songs like "Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues," "Medicine Man," "You 'N' Me," "Mean Business," the title track, and "Rock 'N' Roll Women" are fast-paced rockers with fist-pumping sensibility, teeth, and sexual tension!

(Side note: the somewhat dated and misogynistic, and very controversial cover art by fantasy artist Chris Achilleos, features a nude woman straddling a large dragon-headed serpent.  The original "Lovehunter" artwork was actually stolen in the 1980s and remains MIA to this day.  Interestingly, this would be the last album cover Achilleos would design, until 2003, when he designed a cover for Ten's vocalist Gary Hughes' solo rock opera album.)

Cheers... rock on my friends!!

-the Meista

September 26th, 2013 - So Nostradamus Walks Into A Bar And Orders An Epic Wit Beer ...

Judas Priest's "Nostradamus" and an Epic Brewing Company Wit Beer (Release #8) Belgian-Style Ale make for strange, but very good bed-fellows!  This is tonight's pairing, thus sayeth the Meista...

Released in 2008, "Nostradamus" is the sweet 16th studio album by THE METAL GODS themselves, Judas Priest.  The album is a bold and commercially risky concept album focusing on the life and times, and dark predications of 16th-century writer/"seer" Nostradamus.  Far more progressive and ambitious than anything the band had done previously, "Nostradamus" profoundly redefines not only the sound of Judas Priest, but they're standing in the metal pantheon.  It is complex, provocative, richly textured, and rocking!  I don't even know where to start with the songs... all 23 of them!  Highlights for me would have to include: "Prophecy," "Revelations," "War," "Pestilence And Plague," "Conquest," "Persecution," "Exiled," "Visions," the title track "Nostradamus," and "Future Of Mankind", just to name a few!  The album features the amazing talents of the following (which I won't even attempt to describe):

• Rob Halford – vocals
• K. K. Downing – guitar, synthesized guitars ( Sadly, this would be the final Priest album to feature guitarist and founding member K.K. Downing, before his (far too early) retirement.)
• Glenn Tipton – guitar, synthesized guitar
• Ian Hill – bass
• Scott Travis – drums

Additional musicians:

• Don Airey – keyboards
• Pete Whitfield – strings

(Interesting and coincidental side note: "Nostradamus" was released on Epic Records!)

As the name of the company denotes, this is an Epic beer; exactly what an epic Priest album needs, don't cha think?!  Slightly higher in alcohol content than traditional Wits, Epic's #8 is brewed using Muntons wheat malt, Briess flaked oats, authentic Belgian yeast, premium malts (including Weyermann Pilsner), and a "smidge" of fresh hops. Spices include: whole and unscented coriander, sweet and bitter orange peel, ground ginger, cardamom pods, and grains of paradise.  The Wit #8 pours a cloudy, pale straw-gold with a frothy, bright white head.  The nose, unlike the flavor is citrusy, tart, and sharp (almost metallic) from that Belgian yeast, like a Lambic. The flavor is initially a burst of soft banana and then those multiple spices kick in... peppery, organic, and rich.  There are notes of nutmeg, ginger, marmalade, lemon zest, and freshly baked bread.  And you get a hint of that pink bubble-gum flavor so familiar with good Belgian-style ales.  Oh, man this is good!!  Complex and refreshing, this is the perfect ale to compliment the intensity, beauty, and profundity of "Nostradamus"!!

Check out the Epic Wit at http://epicbrewing.com/the-beers/exponential-series/item/626-wit-beer!  And pick up a copy of Judas Priest's "Nostradamus" from my buddy Kevin at the Heavy Metal Shop: www.heavymetalshop.com!!

Raise your horns!!  Cheers!!

September 26th, 2013 - A Noble Scot Sacrifice

Happy Friday!!  The Meista here with another rockin' pairing for you... Saxon's 2013 album "Sacrifice" (+ Bonus Disc) and a Noble Scot Scottish Ale from Portland Brewing Company!  Oh, this one goes out to Jerm and Forgach... cheers buddies!!

Probably they're heaviest album in recent years, Saxon's "Sacrifice" is reminiscent of the early work of this New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) band (formed in 1976, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire).  Biff Byford's vocals are like a Scottish Ale, big, "noble," meaty, gruff, and slightly sweet.  The guitar work by Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt is faster, more aggressive, and more fiery than previous work... and simply fantastic!  The rhythm section of Nigel Glockler (drums) and Nibbs Carter (bass) is a thunderous beast... stampeding across the Northern fjords!  This is straight-ahead, kick-ass metal!!  The track list is as follows:

1. "Procession"
2. "Sacrifice"
3. "Made In Belfast"
4. "Warriors Of The Road"
5. "Guardians Of The Tomb"
6. "Stand Up And Fight"
7. "Walking The Steel"
8. "Night Of The Wolf"
9. "Wheels Of Terror"
10. "Standing In a Queue"

Bonus Disc:

1. "Crusader" (Orchestral Version)
2. "Just Let Me Rock" (Re-Recorded Version)
3. "Requiem" (Acoustic Version)
4. "Frozen Rainbow (Acoustic Version)
5. "Forever Free" (Re-Recorded Version)

Portland Brewing Company's Noble Scot Scottish Ale is brewed as a traditional Scottish Ale.  It goes through a long boil in the kettle for a caramelization of the wort, which produces a deep copper-amber and a richer mouthfeel with maltier flavors and aromas. Overall, the hop character is rather low, light, and more herbal, like black tea.  This allows those strong malt flavors to become more prevalent... big toasted bread, biscuit, and caramel/toffee notes!  The Noble Scot, like "Sacrifice" is full-bodied, somewhat sweet, and with some really nice, yet subtle smokiness in the finish... a good, solid brew for some good, solid rocking... Saxon style!! 

Prost!!  Hails!!

September 20th, 2013 - The Divine Wings Of A LTD Series Recipe Number 6

 

 

Another heavy rockin' Friday evening pairing for you from the Meista my friends!  Tonight I'm going with symphonic power metal monsters Symphony X and their 1997 album "The Divine Wings Of Tragedy" paired with a Full Sail LTD Series Recipe Number 06!  This one goes out to fellow Symphony X fan and buddy of mine, Jeff Turner!  Cheers my friend!!

The Full Sail LTD Series Recipe Number 06 is a Black Bock or Euro Dark Lager.  The LTD 06 is brewed as a Czech-style Cerné Speciální with 2 row Pale, Munich, Caramel, and Chocolate Malts and hopped with Santiam and Perle hops.  It pours a very dark, very opaque deep mahogany with a half-finger, mocha head.  The nose if very earthy and complex (like the organic progressive power of Symphony X!).  There are notes of freshly ground coffee, bittersweet dark chocolate, and rich, black soil.  There is also a hint of black licorice and mild, yet spicy hops.  The flavor is a complex and balanced mix of slightly sweet, very heavy, and very rich.  There are notes of dark roasted coffee, Belgian chocolate, burnt toffee, and spicy herbs.  Although it only comes in at 7% ABV, it tastes much bigger with a warm, boozy kick... with subtle alcohol flavor like bourbon or spiced rum.  There's also a slight smokiness (that becomes more prevalent as it warms) to the LTD 06, which gives it a nice finish.  The Full Sail LTD Series Recipe Number 06 is a very good, very aggressive dark lager... perfect for the power that is SYMPHONY X!!

"The Divine Wings Of Tragedy" is the 3rd studio album by Symphony X.  The term "epic" is an overused word when in comes to describing albums, however, in this case it most definitely works!  The 20+ minute title track, "The Divine Wings of Tragedy," contains musical excerpts from Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor as well as Gustav Holst's The Planets. The lyrical themes were inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, and as well as Dante Alighieri's Inferno.  And that's just the title track!!  "Of Sins And Shadows," "Sea Of Lies," "The Accolade," "Pharaoh," and "The Eyes Of Medusa" are classic progressive/power metal monsters in the vein of Dream Theater and Fates Warning, but with that extra special Symphony X touch!  "Sir" Russell Allen's vocals are profoundly booming and majestic with an aggressive edge, Michael Romeo's fiery guitar work is completely and utterly awe-inspiring, Michael Pinnella's  keyboard work is breathtaking, and the rhythm section of Jason Rullo (drums) and Thomas Miller (bass) is like the roar of a tornado!  I cannot say enough about how much I adore this album... symphonic/power meta/progressive metal wonderfulness to the nth degree!!

HAILS!!

September 20th, 2013 - Ozztoberfest... Down To Ale!

Friday night my friends... time for beer and rocking the hell out!!  Am I right?!?  For me tonight, that's Ozzy Osbourne's 2001 album "Down To Earth" and a Pyramid Oktoberfest Autumn Lager!!  Yeah!!

"Down To Earth" is the Ozzman's 8th studio album and was the first album with new studio material in six years after the release of 1995's "Ozzmosis."    It was released on October 16th, 2001.  "Down To Earth" is the only album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo, who left the group to join Metallica in 2003 and is the first to feature kick-ass drummer Mike Bordin, previously of Faith No More.  Zakk Wylde provides the wonderfully rich shredding guitars!  And Ozzy... what can you say of Ozzy?  His vocals are fantastic on this album... some of his best work in my opinion (apart from Black Sabbath of course!)  Interestingly enought, the album really didn't produce any big radio hits (apart from the ballad "Dreamer"), but there are some really kick-ass tunes on this underappreciated work!  "Gets Me Through," "Facing Hell," "No Easy Way Out" (my favorite of the album), "That I Never Had," "Alive," and "Can You Hear Them?" all have that classic Ozzy heaviness, honesty, and depth, but with a modern approach.  This album is meaty and complex, but crisp... which reminds me of my beer!

It is a great time of year!  With Fall just around the corner, the brewers are cranking out their seasonal Oktoberfest ales.  The Pyramid Oktoberfest Autumn Lager is a Bavarian Märzenbier style lager.  It pours a deep copper-amber with a big, 2-finger, frothy head that displays strong and sustained lacing.  The nose is big barley and malt aromas with a bit of honey or molasses and just a hint of liquid smoke.  The flavor follows suit... a big malt and barley flavor upfront with some real nice hop bitterness giving it balance.  There are also some rather subtle toffee notes in the finish.  The body is medium with a refreshing dryness.  Whereas most Oktoberfest lagers are lighter and weaker, the Pyramid Oktoberfest has a heartier flavor and a nice little 6.7% ABV kick!  Definitely good stuff... and definitely great with the heavy rocking good times of the Ozzman's "Down To Earth"!!

Learn more about Pyramid Brewery and all their great brews at http://www.pyramidbrew.com/ and order yourself a copy of Ozzy's "Down To Earth" from my buddy Kevin at the Heavy Metal Shop: www.heavymetalshop.com!!

Cheers and hails!! 

September 15th, 2013 - Poetry For The Lambic

Good afternoon!  In anticipation and pre-show celebration of tonight's Kamelot concert that I, the Meista will be attending, I'm pairing their 2010 album "Poetry For The Poisoned" with a Kriek Lambic from Brouwerij Lindemans out of Belgium!  And this pairing definitely goes out to my fellow Kamelot fan and buddy Jeff, with who I will be attending the show!  Cheers and hails Jeff!!

"Poetry For The Poisoned" is the 9th studio album by melodic/symphonic/progressive metal band Kamelot, and sadly, the last to feature Roy Khan on vocals... but happily the first with the mighty return of original bad-ass bass guitarist Sean Tibbetts.  Tibbetts left the band in 1992 prior to any commercial Kamelot release, yet returned in 2009 after 17 years.  The album was released this very week, 3 years ago.  Darker in content, both lyrically and musically, "Poetry For The Poisoned" is a wonderful and complex symphonic metal masterpiece!  Thematically, the albums examines life, death, a killer's mind, loss, tragedy, and hope.  Songs like "The Great Pandemonium," "If Tomorrow Came," "The Zodiac," "House On A Hill," "Necropolis," and the epic 4-part "Poetry For The Poisoned" are musically heavy and lyrically intense explorations of the human psyche.  Thomas Youngblood's guitar work is soaring, ethereal, and beautifully intense... perfectly matched to the massive vocal range of Khan!  Casey Grillo's insanely fast drumming defines the rhythmic intensity of the band along with Tibbetts' bass work!  And Oliver Palotai's is a symphony in itself... richly textured and complex!    The band is joined by the wonderful talents of Simone Simons (Epica) - vocals on "House on a Hill" and "Poetry for the Poisoned, Pt. II-III", Jon Oliva (Savatage, Jon Oliva's Pain, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) - vocals on "The Zodiac", Gus G. (Firewind, Ozzy Osbourne) - guitar solo on "Hunter's Season", and long time contributors Miro - Additional keys and orchestration and Sascha Paeth - additional guitars.  Damn, I love this album!!

Lower in alcohol content, hops, and malts, lambics are traditionally very fruity and light ales.  They were initially brewed for farm hands and field workers to help beat the summer heat.  In a frosted schooner, the Lindemans Kriek (cherry) Lambic pours a cloudy, deep wine red with a big, frothy, pink head that leaves layered lacing.  The nose is an explosion of cherry pie and cherry syrup aromas with hints of tart lemon.  Along the same lines, the flavor is a fusion of sweet and tart... a blast of cherry on the tongue from start to finish with a tart kiss at the end.  The Lindemans Kriek is brewed with local Belgian barley, unmalted wheat, and wild yeast (giving it that funky tartness).  After natural and spontaneous fermentation, whole cherries are added to the mash, creating a secondary fermentation.  The mouthfeel is very frothy and sharp with a dry, crisp finish.  The Lindemans Kriek Lambic probably isn't something I would drink a lot of, but it definitely is a refreshingly tasty brew that goes down easy, but with interesting and compelling flavors... great for the rockin' tunes of Kamelot!

You can expect a pairing from tonight's show as well... with pictures!! 

Cheers!!

September 14th, 2013 - Rasputin Cracks The Bottle

 

 

Let's get crazy, shall we?  Yes, indeed!  The Meista here pairing Mastodon's rather enigmatic 2009 album, "Crack The Skye" and an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing Company!

Brewed in the tradition of the 18th century English brewers of Catherine the Great's Russian court, the Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout is a richly complex, with a wonderful "old-world" sapidity.  Old Rasputin pours an almost ink black with a frothy mocha head.  It smells like a musty, old bookshop, a fertile garden, and a chocolate shop all at once.  There are notes of rum soaked pipe tobacco, espresso, earthy soil, a hint of vanilla, and toffee.  The mouthfeel is silky and velvety with a medium body and a dry finish, and good warmth from the alcohol content (9% ABV).  Like Mastodon's musical approach, the Old Rasputin's flavor is very bold, very big, and very profound!  There are notes of peat, dark roasted coffee, aged bourbon, earthy hops, bitter dark chocolate, and a hint of anise and vanilla.  Wow... this ale packs a punch!  For an ale this multi-layered, this complex, this engaging, I needed an album of similar (if not grander) musical merit and depth... thus, "Crack The Skye"!

"Crack The Skye" is the 4th studio album by progressive metal monsters, Mastodon.  It was released on March 24th, 2009 and is their most successful album to date.  Drummer Brann Dailor has described it as a concept album that thematically explores a "story dealing variously with the art aesthetics of Tsarist Russia, astral travel, out of body experiences and Stephen Hawking's theories on wormholes."  The album's title and the song of the same name is a tribute Brann's sister, Skye Dailor, who committed suicide at the age of 14.  Profoundly complex and rather bizarre, Dailor describes the content of the concept as the following: "There is a paraplegic and the only way that he can go anywhere is if he astral travels. He goes out of his body, into outer space and a bit like Icarus, he goes too close to the sun, burning off the golden umbilical cord that is attached to his solar plexus. So he is in outer space and he is lost, he gets sucked into a wormhole, he ends up in the spirit realm and he talks to spirits telling them that he is not really dead. So they send him to the Russian cult, they use him in a divination and they find out his problem. They decide they are going to help him. They put his soul inside Rasputin's body. Rasputin goes to usurp the czar and he is murdered. The two souls fly out of Rasputin's body through the crack in the sky(e) and Rasputin is the wise man that is trying to lead the child home to his body because his parents have discovered him by now and think that he is dead. Rasputin needs to get him back into his body before it's too late. But they end up running into the Devil along the way and the Devil tries to steal their souls and bring them down…there are some obstacles along the way."  (Whoa.)  Musically, the album is as complex as the lyrical tale, combining progressive rock/metal, doom metal, experimental metal, and groove metal.  Intricate instrumental passages and vocal harmonies abound.  The track list is as follows:

1.	"Oblivion"
2.	"Divinations"
3.	"Quintessence"
4.	"The Czar" I. "Usurper" II. "Escape" III. "Martyr" IV. "Spiral"
5.	"Ghost of Karelia"
6.	"Crack the Skye" (featuring guest vocalist Scott Kelly)
7.	"The Last Baron"

September 14th, 2013 - Hold Your Flipside

Good afternoon rock and rollers, and hops enthusiasts!  The Meista here with another pairing for you!  For an album, I'm taking you back in to 1987 with Rush's "Hold Your Fire"!  For a brew, I'm staying in the now with Flipside Red IPA, new from Sierra Nevada!

"Hold Your Fire" is the 12th studio album by Canadian progressive rock masters Rush and was released in the summer of 1987 (I remember it well!).  Probably their mellowest album and more keyboard prominent, "Hold Your Fire" was the least commercially successful 1980s album for the band.  However, I love it... along with its wonderful minimalist album cover!  For me this is an almost self-defining album as it really impacted my formative years and in many ways this band saved me from the bullshit of high school and my own messed up adolescent mind.  Rush is very much my "the Beatles."  (Whoa, way too heavy there! Haha!)  As with their other work, the album is lyrically and musically richly textured, compelling, and poignant.  Along with the amazing talents of Geddy Lee (bass, keyboards, vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitars, guitar effects), Neil Peart (drums and percussion), the band was joined by 'Til Tuesday vocalist Aimee Man on two tracks, "Open Secrets" and "Time Stand Still."  As I adore each and every song on this album, I won't even attempt to give you the play-by-play and critique!  Here's the amazing track list:

1.	"Force Ten"
2.	"Time Stand Still"
3.	"Open Secrets"
4.	"Second Nature"
5.	"Prime Mover"
6.	"Lock and Key"
7.	"Mission"
8.	"Turn the Page"
9.	"Tai Shan"
10.	"High Water"

The Flipside Red IPA from Sierra Nevada combines the smoothness and heartiness of a red ale and the sharp and biting hoppiness of an IPA, which I feel goes well with the sometimes biting lyrics and the mellower more accessible music of "Hold Your Fire."  Sierra Nevada uses whole-cone Citra, Simcoe (my favorite!), and Centennial hops to give this wonderful brew its "robust tropical fruit and citrus hop flavors."  It pours a deep ruby with a half-finger head that leaves good, but minimal lacing.  The nose is a BIG pine aroma with more subtle grapefruit, peach, and a hint of malt.  Following the aromas, the flavors are immediately sharp and bitter and then mellow into an almost sweet toffee.  There are wonderful notes of grapefruit and pine resin upfront and throughout with more subtle malts.  It finishes clean and slightly sweet.  Flipside Red IPA is a great beer to not only pair with "Hold Your Fire," but also a great beer to bridge the gap between the lighter summer ales and the heavier beers of autumn and winter.  It is also (obviously) a great bridge between hoppy IPAs and heartier reds/browns!

Cheers and "hold your fire" my friends!!

September 13th, 2013 - Nothin' But Pale

Good evening!  In 1993, heavy metal outfit Blue Murder, led by ex-Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes (one of my all-time favorites!), released their second and (sadly) final album, "Nothin' But Trouble."  Tonight I'm pairing that great album with a Full Sail Pale, an English Style Pale Ale!  Both are crisp, refreshing, tasty, and rockin'!!  Sykes' face-melting guitar work and songwriting talent really drives this album along with a great cast of musicians he surrounds himself with!  What more can I say?  This is honest, hard-rockin' perfection!!  Here's the track list:

1. "We All Fall Down"
2. "Itchycoo Park" (The Small Faces cover)
3. "Cry for Love"
4. "Runaway"
5. "Dance"
6. "I'm on Fire"
7. "Save My Love"
8. "Love Child"
9. "Shouldn't Have Let You Go"
10. "I Need an Angel"
11. "She Knows"

Album Personnel:

John Sykes - vocals, guitars, producer, engineer

Marco Mendoza - bass

Tommy O'Steen - drums, backing vocals

Additional Musicians:

Kelly Keeling - backing vocals (lead vocals on track 6)

Tony Franklin - bass

Carmine Appice - drums

Nik Green - keyboards, engineer

Jim Sitterly - violin

If you love Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, and the like, and don't own any Blue Murder, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this fine album (along with their kick-ass, self-titled debut album)!!  Then pour yourself a Full Sail Pale or two and enjoy the evening!! 

Cheers!!

September 13th, 2013 - Facing The Bobcat

Good afternoon!  Today I'm pairing a Red Rock Bobcat Nutbrown Ale with Yngwie Malmsteen's shredder,"Facing The Animal"!  This pairing is dedicated to the memory of the late, great drummer Cozy Powell!  "Facing The Animal" was the last album he played on before his untimely death in April of 1998.  Rest in peace Mr. Powell.

"Facing The Animal" is the 10th studio album by neo-classical/metal guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen and was released on February 10th, 1998 in the U.S. and February 23rd, 1997 in Japan.  Arguably the most technically accomplished hard rock/metal guitarist to emerge from the "shredders" of the 1980s, Malmsteen unleashes a collection of furious rockers with "Facing The Animal"!  The band is tight, aggressive, and heavy!  The combination of Malmsteen and Powell is worth every penny (and more)!  Opening track, "Braveheart" is a fast-paced, Celtic-inspired monster rocker.  It also includes a riff from Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away" as a nod to Moore's amazing guitar work. Title track "Facing The Animal" is reminiscent of Mark II era Deep Purple - heavy, pervasive, and compelling.  Songs like "Enemy," "Sacrifice," "My Resurrection," "Heathens From The North," "End Of My Rope," and Poison In Your Veins" follow suit... heavy as hell, fiery rockers all!  Although the album is more rooted in hard rock and heavy metal than some of his previous works, the song "Air on a Theme" is an arrangement of the second movement of Vivaldi's "Piccolo Concerto in C Major."  Musicians on "Facing the Animal": Yngwie Malmsteen – guitar, bass (on tracks 1, 4, 6, 12), background vocals, and production;  Mats Leven – vocals; Mats Olausson – keyboards; Cozy Powell – drums; Barry Dunaway – bass (except on tracks 1, 4, 6, 12). 

I thought a solid rocking album needed a solid rocking brew... thus, the Bobcat Nutbrown Ale from Red Rock Brewing Company out of Salt Lake City, UT!  The Bobcat is a an exceptionally smooth and delicious brown ale.  It pours a very dark and cloudy golden-brown color (like burnt toffee) with a rather creamy, one-finger plus off-white head that displays strong and sustained lacing.  The nose is malty and nutty.  There are notes hazelnut, freshly baked wheat bread, vanilla, subtle fruit, and caramel.  The flavor is hearty and complex like any good brown ale, but completely refreshing and very drinkable.  Incredibly well-balanced, there are notes of nut, malts, and crisp hops.  I'm tasting almond, vanilla, and subtle cherry-cola.  It has a nice clean, nutty finish as well with a bit of a hop kick.  The Bobcat Nutbrown Ale is definitely a great beer and goes well with the rocking goodness of Mr. Malmsteen and crew!

Cheers and hails my friends!!

Don't forget to check us out on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brews-and-Tunes/349546661726318! 

September 12th, 2013 - Toto Live!!

 

 

 

I may be a metal head, but I'm a lifelong fan of Toto!  I love their sense of melody, rhythm and depth!  I had the great pleasure of seeing them last Friday night (September 6th) in Wendover, Nevada!  I would have liked something heftier to pair the show with, but the venue only had one craft beer on tap, a Widmer Hefeweizen from Widmer Brothers Brewing Company.  Don't get me wrong... the Widmer Hefe is a fine beer, but it just was no match for the live power of Toto!

 

Here's the set list to the best of my memory from their fantastic show...

1. On The Run/Child's Anthem/Goodbye Elenore
2. Hydra/St. George and the Dragon
3. Rosanna
4. I'll Be Over You (dedicated to Lukather's late mother)
5. Falling In Between
6. Wings of Time (dedicated to the late Jeff Porcaro and the ill Mike Porcaro... he has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
7. Pamela
8. 99
9. White Sister
10. Better World
11. Africa
12. Stop Loving You
13. Hold the Line
14. Home of the Brave (encore... dedicated the men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces)

The band was wonderful... tight, passionate, and thoroughly entertaining!!  Simon Phillips' drumming was powerful, rhythmic, and driving!  Nathan East's bass work is a fantastic addition and meshes perfectly with Phillips' work!  David Paich and Steve Porcaro's dual keyboard work was magnificent!  It was great to have Joseph Williams back on lead vocals with his soulful and powerful voice! And Steve Lukather's guitar work was in a word, otherworldly... I was in awe!!  And I was able to meet them and get my photo taken with them!!  (I'm the one in the middle with the goofy, star struck grin.)  Truly a perfect evening that ended all too quickly! 

Cheers!!

September 8th, 2013 - A Dark, Smoked Passion Play

Good afternoon!  Today I'm pairing a Stone Smoked Porter from Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California with "Dark Passion Play" by Nightwish!

 Released on September 26th, 2007 in Finland, September 28th in Europe, and October 2nd in the United States,"Dark Passion Play" is the 6th studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish and the first with vocalist Anette Olzon, who replaced longtime vocalist Tarja Turunen.  Turunen was dismissed from the band in 2005.  Characterized by multiple styles and influences, "Dark Passion Play" primarily focuses on Finnish and Irish culture and music mixed with their more symphonic sound, but with thrash metal and alternative metal elements as well.  Along with the amazing talents of Olzon on vocals, Nightwish members on "Dark Passion Play" included: Tuomas Holopainen (primary songwriter and keyboards), Erno Vuorinen (electric and acoustic guitars), Jukka Nevalainen  (drums and percussion), and Marco Hietala (bass, acoustic guitar, and vocals).  Multiple guest musicians included: the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Troy Donockley (bodhran, uilleann pipes, low whistle and tin whistle), Nollaig Casey (violin), Zachary LaPorta (theremin), and Senni Eskelinen (electric kantele).  Heavier and darker than previous albums, songs like the epic "The Poet And The Pendulum," "Bye Bye Beautiful," "Cadence Of Her Last Breath," "Master Passion Greed," "Whoever Brings The Night," and "7 Days To The Wolves" are bombastic, fast-paced, and aggressive.  Like the Stone Smoked Porter, the albums is well-balanced with mellower, beautiful songs of hope and heartbreak like "Eva," "For The Heart I Once Had," "The Islander," and "Meadows Of Heaven."  In these songs, the beauty of Olzon's voice really shines.

The Stone Smoked Porter pours an almost ink-black with a thick, frothy, mocha head with very strong retention and sustained lacing.  The nose is smoky and earthy with notes of liquid smoke, roasted grains, dark chocolate, and a hint of hops.  Sweet and hoppy malts dominate the flavor initially, but yield to dark and bitter chocolate notes and smoked grains.  It has a smooth, medium body and nice balance to go along with the medium carbonation. Rich tasting and velvety, it goes down well.   Like "Dark Passion Play," the Stone Smoked Porter is incredibly rich and well-balanced with a clean finish.  This is definitely a very good beer to enjoy while listening to the wonderfully complex melodies of Nightwish!

Check out Stone Brewing Company at http://www.stoneworldbistro.com/ and learn more about Nightwish at http://www.nightwish.com/en/!  Cheers!

September 2nd, 2013 - A Hop Ottin' Traveller

Good evening!  One more for you today... tonight I'm pairing Jorn's latest album "Traveller" (a Labor Day weekend purchase of mine) with a Hop Ottin' India Pale Ale (IPA) from Anderson Valley Brewing Company!

The Hop Ottin' IPA pours a very cloudy, clover-honey amber with a frothy and rocky 1-2 finger head that shows strong spider web lacing.  The nose is very piney with some grapefruit tanginess and ever so slight notes of dough and caramel.  Extremely well-balanced, the taste is initially a bitter punch to the taste buds that mellows from the caramel malts.  It is an almost perfect fusion of sweet maltiness and bitter hoppiness.  There are floral and citrus notes: pine resin, grapefruit, rosehip, and pepper; and there are sweet and malty notes: toffee, baked bread, and a hint of walnut.  Sharp and engrossing, the Hop Ottin' is both refreshing and dry.  Coming in at 7% ABV, it has some good bite, but perfectly balanced with the intertwined flavors.  It finishes clean with a slight, but very nice lingering bitterness.

Like the biting flavor of the Hop Ottin', "Traveller" hits you right between the eyes from opening track "Overload" on to the final notes of "The Man Who Was King"!  Fronted by Norwegian vocalist Jørn Lande (the former German prog metal band Masterplan frontman), Jorn is pure power metal in the tradition of Dio... moving, magical, and utterly powerful!!  The 8th studio album by Jorn, "Traveller" was released on June 14, 2013 in Europe and June 11, 2013 in North America.  Characterized by a very heavy and booming, yet melodic sound, the album thematically explores life and death.  As with anything he is involved with musically, Lande's vocal performance is wonderfully rich, awe-inspiring, and truly explosive!  He is joined by the mighty talents of Trond Holter on guitars, Jimmy Iversen also on guitars, Bernt Jansen on bass, and Willy Bendiksen on drums.  And these guys are good!!  If you are a Dio fan, you MUST check out Jorn!  This is pure, head-banging power metal goodness!!  Check out Jorn at http://www.jornlande.com/!

Cheers and hails!!

September 2nd, 2013 - An Oktoberfest Scarecrow

Good afternoon and happy Labor day!  Although it is still summer, fall is in the air... I've noticed leaves starting to change color in the mountains above my home.  With that in mind, I thought I would give you a pairing in the autumn vein... with a nod to our friends in Germany as well.  Today I'm pairing the most excellent album "The Scarecrow" from Tobias Sammet's Avantasia with a Full Sail Oktoberfest Lager, Number 07 in their Full Sail LTD Lager Series!

Available for only 47 days from September through October, the Full Sail Oktoberfest Lager is a three-time gold medal winner.  This smooth and malty lager is brewed in the Bavarian Style, using Two-row Pale, Vienna, Caramel, and imported roasted Munich malts.  It is hopped with imported Czech Saaz and Yakima Sterling hops, giving it some well-balanced and subtle bitterness. The Oktoberfest Lager pours a transparent, deep copper-red color with a thin, off-white head that dissipates quickly.  The nose is mellow and malty.  There are soft notes of fresh bread and grassy hops.  The flavor is malty, nutty, and mildly sweet.  There are notes of honey-wheat bread, hazelnuts, almond, and semi-sweet toffee.  The Oktoberfest Lager comes in at 5.7% ABV and 26 IBU.  The mouthfeel is somewhat silky, yet crisp and refreshing.  Incredibly drinkable, the Oktoberfest Lager goes down easy and finishes clean... GREAT for the amazing musicianship of Avantasia!!

Avantasia, essentially a power metal rock opera project is the brain child of Tobias Sammet, vocalist and founding member of the German heavy metal band Edguy.  "The Scarecrow" is the third full-length album coming from his Avantasia project.  It was released on January 25th, 2008 and is a concept album about the "tragic story of a lonesome creature, emotionally isolated from his environment and suffering from a distorted sensory perception."  (The sad story of the Scarecrow continues on the next two albums by Avantasia.)  The kick-ass super group on "The Scarecrow" is made up of Sammet on lead vocals, bass guitar, and additional keyboards; master session musician Sascha Paeth (Edguy, Angra, Shaaman, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot, After Forever, and Epica) on lead and rhythm guitars; producer/musician Miro (Angra, Shaaman, Luca Turilli, Rhapsody of Fire, Kamelot and Heavens Gate) on keyboards and orchestration; and Eric Singer (KISS/Alice Cooper) on drums.  Guest vocalists include the amazing talents of Jørn Lande (ex-Ark, ex-Masterplan, Jorn) (tracks 2, 6, 8); Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween, Place Vendome, Unisonic) (tracks 2, 3, 5); Bob Catley (Magnum) (tracks 3, 9); Amanda Somerville (Aina) (tracks 5, 11); Alice Cooper (track 7); Roy Khan (ex-Kamelot, ex-Conception) (track 1); and Oliver Hartmann (ex-At Vance) (track 10).  Characterized by machine-gun fire drumming, thunderous bass, soaring guitars, and explosive vocal performances, "The Scarecrow" is a power metal head's wet dream!  It is energetic, powerful, fast-paced, aggressive, and a joy to listen to again and again and again!!

Prost!!