February 8th, 2014 - Symptom Of A Double Chocolate Stout Universe

Good evening my friends!!  Tonight I'm going big... and I mean f***ing BIG!!  I'm pairing the compilation double album "Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978" by Black Sabbath and a Double Chocolate Stout from Rogue Ales!!

Double Chocolate Stout from Rogue Ales is brewed to perfection with C120, Chocolate and Rogue Micro Barley Farm Risk™, Cascade and Rogue Micro Hopyard Revolution Hops, Rolled Oats, Honey, Natural Chocolate Flavoring, Rogue's Pacman Yeast, and Free Range Coastal Water.  Sabbath more than deserves an ale that is big, bold, complex, aggressive, and black as hell!  And that my friends is what you get with the Double Chocolate Stout!  It pours a deep, dark brown... almost black with a 2-finger mocha head and sustained, intricate spider web lacing.  The nose is chocolately/coffee goodness.  There are aromas of bittersweet cocoa, dark roasted coffee, oats, vanilla, and fresh cream.  The flavor, like the nose is a bombastic chocolate explosion on the taste buds.  There are notes of dark roasted malts, dark chocolate, espresso, vanilla, rich cream, and dark bread.  Full-bodied, the mouthfeel is creamy, velvety, and smooth.  I give this baby 10s across the board!  And at 9.00% ABV in a 750mL bottle, I strongly suggest you share it... or it at least take it slow.  It makes for a good sipper, especially when bagging your head to the 29 amazing tracks on "Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978"!!

In 2002, Black Sabbath released "Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978", a compilation 2-disc set chronicling their first eight years (the Ozzy-era as some fans call it).  Yeah, this is the stuff!!  29 mind-blowing tracks of sludgy, doomy, head-banging perfection from the godfathers of metal!!  You don't need me to tell you how bad-ass these fellas are... Ozzy, Iomi, Geezer, and Ward define themselves through their playing.  And I won't insult your intelligence by trying to give you some lame breakdown of my interpretation of each song, so here's the complete and AMAZING track list in all its rockin' glory:

Disc one:

1. "Black Sabbath" (Originally from Black Sabbath) - 6:19
2. "N.I.B." (Originally from Black Sabbath) - 6:07
3. "The Wizard" (Originally from Black Sabbath) - 4:24
4. "Warning" (Originally from Black Sabbath) - 10:32
5. "Evil Woman" (Originally from Black Sabbath)† - 3:25
6. "Paranoid" (Originally from Paranoid) - 2:47
7. "Iron Man" (Originally from Paranoid) - 5:58
8. "War Pigs" (Originally from Paranoid) - 7:55
9. "Fairies Wear Boots" (Originally from Paranoid) - 6:13
10. "Sweet Leaf" (Originally from Master of Reality) - 5:05
11. "Children of the Grave" (Originally from Master of Reality) - 5:18
12. "Into the Void" (Originally from Master of Reality) - 6:13
13. "Lord of This World" (Originally from Master of Reality) - 5:27

†Previously unavailable in the US

Disc two:

1. "After Forever" (Originally from Master of Reality) - 5:25
2. "Snowblind" (Originally from Black Sabbath, Vol. 4) - 5:33
3. "Laguna Sunrise" (Originally from Black Sabbath, Vol. 4) - 2:55
4. "Changes" (Originally from Black Sabbath, Vol. 4) - 4:44
5. "Tomorrow's Dream" (Originally from Black Sabbath, Vol. 4) - 3:11
6. "Supernaut (Originally from Black Sabbath, Vol. 4) - 4:49
7. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (Originally from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath) - 5:45
8. "Fluff" (Originally from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath) - 4:11
9. "Sabbra Cadabra" (Originally from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath) - 5:56
10. "Am I Going Insane (Radio)" (Originally from Sabotage) - 4:16
11. "Symptom of the Universe" (Originally from Sabotage) - 6:29
12. "Hole in the Sky" (Originally from Sabotage) - 3:59
13. "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" (Originally from Technical Ecstasy) - 3:30
14. "Dirty Women" (Originally from Technical Ecstasy) - 7:13
15. "Never Say Die" (Originally from Never Say Die!) - 3:50
16. "A Hard Road (Originally from Never Say Die!) - 6:04 

"Clap your fuckin' hands!!"  And raise those horns and pints high!!  Hails!!