Good afternoon! Time for some metal and artisan beer my friends! The Meista here with a killer pairing for you today... Epic Brewing Company's Capt'n Crompton's Pale Ale and Týr's "By The Light Of The Northern Star"!! Bunden i vejret eller resten i håret!!
Released May 29th of 2009 through Napalm Records, "By The Light Of The Northern Star" is the 5th studio release by Faroese Viking/folk/power metal band Týr. As with all of Týr's music, "By The Light Of The Northern Star" is steeped in richly textured power metal riffs and brilliantly crafted lyrics exploring Viking history, lore, and mythology. The album include what may very well be my favorite Týr track, the fast-paced metal beast "Hold the Heathen Hammer High". Along with "Hold the Heathen Hammer High", the album include these kick-ass monster rockers: "Into The Storm", "Northern Gate", "By The Sword In My Hand", "Ride", "Hear The Heathen Call", and the title track, "By The Light Of The Northern Star"! The album also includes two traditional Faroese poems: "Tróndur í Gøtu" and "Turið Torkilsdóttir". "Tróndur í Gøtu" tells the story of the Viking of the same name, a central figures in the Færeyinga Saga, which tells the early history of the Faroe Islands and Tróndur's opposition to the coming of Christianity to the islands. (Note the album cover's portrayal of Tróndur.) "Turið Torkilsdóttir" tells the story of an early Viking woman who married Sigmundur Brestisson, also central figures in the Færeyinga Saga. Players on this amazing album include: Heri Joensen (lead vocals, guitars), Terji Skibenæs (backing vocals, guitars), Gunnar H. Thomsen (backing vocals, bass), and Kári Streymoy (backing vocals, drums). What I love about this band and this album is the interesting and refreshing complexity and metal power they exude along with the Viking histoy!
And speaking of interesting and refreshing complexity and power, one of my favorite breweries is Epic Brewing Company hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah. As with Týr's musical style, Epic's brewing approach is bombastic and complex. One of my favorites of theirs is Capt'n Crompton's Pale Ale. It is a wonderfully flavorful pale ale brewed with Pacific Northwest Cascade, Centennial, Mount Hood in the boil and dry hopped with more Cascade hops. The Capt'n Crompton's Pale Ale pours a brilliant clover honey amber with a huge, rocky, off-white head with wonderful retention and chunky lacing. The nose is very floral, very hoppy, with a nice bicuity balance from the Maris Otter malt. A nice, traditional pale, the Capt'n Crompton's Pale Ale is a very well balanced brew with just the right blend of citrusy and bitter hoppiness and malty sweetness. There are notes of sweet biscuit, malty bread, caramel, pine, lemon grass, and grapefruit. Incredibly drinkable, it is complex, yet goes down very smooth with a nice, dry finish. Capt'n Crompton's Pale Ale is a very inviting ale to be sure... perfect for the wonderful heaviness, complexity, and engaging music of Týr's "By The Light Of The Northern Star"!!
Hails and Skál!!! Raise those horns... raise those steins to Týr!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment