February 22nd, 2015 - All The Way To The Netherworld With An Immortal Alt

Guten abend!  The Meista here with a Deutschland-rooted pairing... "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld (Part One)" by German progressive metal band Vanden Plas and an All The Way Alt from Desert Edge Brewery!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Vanden Plas
• Title: "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld (Part One)"
• Recorded: Bazement Studios, Hünstetten, Germany
• Release date: February 24th, 2014 (7th studio album by Vanden Plas)
• Record company: Frontiers Records
• Personnel: Andy Kuntz (vocals), Andreas Lill (drums), Stephan Lill (guitars), Torsten Reichert (bass guitar), and Günter Werno (keyboards)
• Additional vocals: Dave Esser, Christian Köbler, Manuel Lothschütz, and Julia Steingass
• Musical style: Progressive metal/rock, symphonic metal
• Sound: Epic, melodic, bombastic, symphonic, compelling - just a few of the attributes to this powerful album.
• Major themes: Written in collaboration with fantasy author Wolfgang Hohlbein, "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld (Part One)" is a concept album based on Hohlbein's series of books, the "Chronicles of the Immortals".  The story details the life and struggles of Andrej Delãny, an immortal vampire being who desires only to be a mortal mans. While living for centuries searching for answers, he is confronted by a dark shape-shifter with the temptation of becoming a god, but at a price of course.
• Tracks:

1. "Vision 1ne"
2. "Vision 2wo - The Black Knight"
3. "Vision 3hree - Godmaker"
4. "Vision 4our - Misery Affection Prelude"
5. "Vision 5ive - A Ghost Requiem"
6. "Vision 6ix - New Vampyre"
7. "Vision 7even - The King And Children Of Lost World"
8. "Vision 8eight - Misery Affection"
9. "Vision 9ine - Soul Alliance"
10. Vision 10n - Inside" 

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Desert Edge Brewery (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://desertedgebrewery.com/
• Brew: All The Way Alt
• Style: Altbier
• Serving: Pint glass off the tap at the Beer Hive
• ABV: 4%
• Pour: The All The Way Alt pours a clear toffee brown with orange flecks and a thin white head that leaves a minimal ring and very little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very malty, bready, and roasty.  There are aromas of hearty bread, caramel, toffee, roasted malt, and light spices.
• Taste: Lots of big toasty malt and caramel/toffee flavors in this one.  There are flavors of sweet malts, hearty grains, burnt toffee, cloves, nutmeg, and some nice bitterness.
• Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, the All The Way Alt is a rather crisp and refreshing brew with a clean finish.

Overall pairing: The hearty and sweeter notes of the All The Way Alt work well with the big, bombastic sound of Vanden Plas' "Chronicles of the Immortals - Netherworld (Part One)".  Kuntz's powerful vocals and Lill's ethereal and soaring guitar are amplified by the warm roastiness of the brew.

Prost... Zum Wohl!!