April 3rd, 2015 - Defenders Of The Tricerahops Double IPA

Good evening evildoers!  Your pal the Meister here tonight with a special pairing for all you rockers out there: "Defenders Of The Faith" (Special 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Remastered) by the metal gods themselves, Judas Priest and a Tricerahops Double IPA from Ninkasi Brewing Company!!  HAILS!!   
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Judas Priest
• Title: "Defenders Of The Faith" (Special 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Remastered)
• Recorded: Studio album recorded September through November 1983, Ibiza Sound Studios, Ibiza, Spain. Live material recorded May 5th, 1984 at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California.
• Release date: Original album released on January 4th, 1984 (9th album by Judas Priest). 30th Anniversary Edition released on March 9th, 2015.  
• Record company: Columbia
• Album cover art: Doug Johnson (based on a concept by Judas Priest)
• Personnel: K.K. Downing (lead and rhythm guitars), Rob Halford (lead vocals), Ian Hill (bass), Dave Holland (drums), and Glenn Tipton (lead and rhythm guitars)
• Musical style: Heavy fucking metal!!!
• Sound: A power metal album to the nth degree, on "Defenders..." Priest lays down heavy, aggressive, and melodic classic monster rockers!  Songs like opener "Freewheel Burning," "Jawbreaker," "Rock Hard Ride Free," "The Sentinel," "Eat Me Alive," "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll," and "Heavy Duty/Defenders Of The Faith" have inspired more personal head banging nights than I can count and have definitely influenced myriad rockers!  The dual guitar work of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton is mind-blowing!  Just listen to that opening of "Freewheel Burning" and the solo work throughout the album!  Ian Hill and original drummer Dave Holland lay down some heavy-ass rhythm, the likes of which you rarely find!  And what can I say of Rob Halford's vocals on this album??  AWE INSPIRING!!
• Major themes: Everything you want in a metal album: vengeance, aggression, sex, violence, and straight-up rocking!!
• Tracks:

Disc 1 (remastered studio album):

1. "Freewheel Burning"
2. "Jawbreaker"
3. "Rock Hard Ride Free"
4. "The Sentinel"
5. "Love Bites"
6. "Eat Me Alive"
7. "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll"
8. "Night Comes Down"
9. "Heavy Duty"
10. "Defenders Of The Faith"

Disc 2 (Live at Long Beach Arena 1984):

1. "Love Bites"
2. "Jawbreaker"
3. "Grinder"
4. "Metal Gods"
5. "Breaking The Law"
6. "Sinner"
7. "Desert Plains"
8. "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll"
9. "The Sentinel"
10. "Rock Hard Ride Free"

Disc 3 (Live at Long Beach Arena 1984):

1. "Night Comes Down"
2. "The Hellion"
3. "Electric Eye"
4. "Heavy Duty"
5. "Defenders Of The Faith"
6. "Freewheel Burning"
7. "Victim Of Changes"
8. "The Green Manalishi"
9. "Living After Midnight"
10. "Hell Bent For Leather"
11. "You've Got Another Thing Coming"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, Oregon)
• Website: http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/
• Brew: Tricerahops Double IPA
• Style: Imperial/Double IPA
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8%
• IBUs:100
• Ingredients: Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Palisade, and Summit hops, and 2-Row Pale, Carahell, and Munich malts
  Pour: Reddish honey-copper with a thin white, very bubbly head.
• Nose: Dank, herbal, floral, and slightly sweet, the nose is characterized by aromas of black tea, forest moss, pine resin, citrus zest, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: Rather bitter and bold, this complex brew is characterized by tasty notes of bitter black tea, pine, orange rind, grapefruit, hints of mango, and a solid caramel malt backbone.
• Mouthfeel: Crisp and very dry, this full-bodied double IPA is moderately carbonated with an oily, slick, and bitter finish.

Overall pairing: With a brew as bold and in-your-face as the Tricerahops Double IPA, I needed an album that could compliment the richness, complexity... and the heaviness!!  So I picked up the amazing Special 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of "Defenders Of The Faith" at the Heavy Metal Shop... and you should too!!  www.heavymetalshop.com  (Buy local!)  Hell yeah!

"Rising from darkness where Hell hath no mercy and the screams for vengeance echo on forever. Only those who keep the faith shall escape the wrath of the Metallian... Master of all metal."  March on my metal brethren!!  Cheers!!