August 31st, 2015 - An Undercover Investigation Of The Rolling Stones

Good evening friends!  Let's do some rocking with the very underrated "Undercover" by The Rolling Stones and an Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Rolling Stones
• Title: "Undercover"
• Recorded: November 11th through December17th, 1982 and May through August 1983
• Release date: November 7th, 1983 (19th studio album by The Rolling Stones)
• Record company: Rolling Stones Records
• Production: The Glimmer Twins and Chris Kimsey
• Album cover art: Peter Corriston and Hubert Kretzschmar
• Personnel: Mick Jagger (lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, and harmonica), Keith Richards (electric guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Wanna Hold You", bass guitar on "Pretty Beat Up"), Charlie Watts (drums), Ronnie Wood (electric and slide guitar, backing vocals, and bass guitar on "Tie You Up" and "Wanna Hold You"), and Bill Wyman bass guitar, percussion, and piano on "Pretty Beat Up")
• Additional musicians: Jim Barber (electric guitar on "Too Much Blood"), CHOPS (horns), Moustapha Cisse (percussion), Brahms Coundoul (percussion), Martin Ditcham (percussion), Sly Dunbar (percussion), Chuck Leavell (keyboards, organ, and piano), David Sanborn (saxophone), Robbie Shakespeare (bass guitar), and Ian Stewart (piano on "She Was Hot" and "Pretty Beat Up" and percussion)
• Musical style: An interesting blend of hard rock, rock, pop, blues, soul, jazz, reggae, and new wave
• Sound: Big, bold, and significantly different from anything The Stones had produced prior.  With the additional percussionists coupled with Watt's precision drumming there is a very ethnic and tribal thing going on.  The always amazing guitar work of Richards and Wood makes for an interesting foil to the more new wave elements.  And Jagger wails like only Jagger can wail.
• Major themes: Sex, lust and desire, S&M, violence, politics, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Undercover Of The Night"
2. "She Was Hot"
3. "Tie You Up (The Pain of Love)" 
4. "Wanna Hold You"
5. "Feel On Baby"
6. "Too Much Blood"
7. "Pretty Beat Up"
8. "Too Tough"
9. "All The Way Down"
10. "It Must Be Hell"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California)
• Website: http://www.lagunitas.com/
• Brew: Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale
• Style: American Strong Ale (somewhere between a Double IPA and a Barleywine)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 9.3%
• IBUs: 6.66
• Pour: Hazy iced-tea caramel hue with a thick and creamy 1-2 finger off-white, mashed potato head with great sustain and intricate and layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is nice blend of big, sweet malts, dank and earthy herbs, caramel, hops, booze, and a little smokiness.  There are aromas of pine resin, cedar, herbal tea, burnt toffee, bourbon, and a slight hint of liquid smoke.
• Taste: Lots of sweet, bitter, earthy, and boozy flavors going on here!  There are notes of pine, juniper, bitter grapefruit, black tea, toasted biscuit, soft caramel, and minerals. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with minimal carbonation, the mouthfeel is thick, chewy and creamy with some booziness and a bitter finish.

Overall pairing: I think the big, crazy complexity of the Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company is perfect for the bold and blended (sometimes conflicting) styles on "Undercover" by The Rolling Stones!  Those sweeter flavors go well with the phenomenal tone of Richards while the more bitter notes go well with the darker lyrical subject matter and Jagger's intense wails!

Rock on!!

August 30th, 2015 - Goin' Girl Happy With A Summer Wheat

My 96 year old grandmother passed away this past week.  She loved Elvis Presley and beer so this pairing is dedicated to the life and memory of Maicie Jensen!!  Rest in peace Grandma!!  Here's Elvis Presley's "Girl Happy" (Original Soundtrack Album) and an Anchor Summer Wheat from Anchor Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Elvis Presley
• Title: "Girl Happy" (Original Soundtrack Album)
• Recorded: June 10th, 11th, 12th, and 15th, 1964 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California
• Release date: March 2nd, 1965 (22nd studio album by Elvis Presley)
• Record company: RCA Victor Records
• Production: George Stoll
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Elvis Presley (vocals) with Frank Carlson (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano), D. J. Fontana (drums), Buddy Harman (drums), The Carole Lombard Trio, The Jordanaires, and The Jubilee Four (backing vocals), Bob Moore (double bass), Scotty Moore (electric guitar), Boots Randolph (saxophone), Tommy Tedesco (electric guitar), Tiny Timbrell (acoustic guitar)  
• Musical style: Rock and roll, pop
• Sound: Poppy, polished, and swinging.
• Major themes: Girls, girls, and goin' girl crazy!
• Tracks: 

1. "Girl Happy"
2. "Spring Fever"
3. "Fort Lauderdale Chamber Of Commerce"
4. "Startin' Tonight"
5. "Wolf Call"
6. "Do Not Disturb"
7. "Cross My Heart And Hope To Die"
8. "The Meanest Girl In Town"
9. "Do The Clam"
10. "Puppet On A String"
11. "I've Got To Find My Baby"
12. "You'll Be Gone" (Special Bonus Song)

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Anchor Brewing Company (San Francisco, California)
• Website: http://www.anchorbrewing.com/
• Brew: Anchor Summer Wheat
• Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5%
• Ingredients: Blend of 2-Row Pale and Malted Wheat, Cascade and Golding hops and dry-hopped with Golding and Simcoe
• Pour: Clear wheat-gold with a frothy, bright white 1-2 finger head that dissipates quickly, leaving a thin white cap without lacing.
• Nose: The nose is crisp, crackery, grainy, and grassy.  There are notes of sourdough bread, cracked wheat, summer grass, and light citrus.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Anchor Summer Wheat is characterized by malted wheat flavor, grassy hops, light lemon/orange notes, crisp crackery biscuits, and lemongrass.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Anchor Summer Wheat is very crisp, very smooth, and very refreshing with a clean, somewhat dry finish.

Overall pairing: The easy drinking crisp flavor of the Anchor Summer Wheat from Anchor Brewing Company is perfect for the mellow Presley pop stylings of yesteryear.  Great pairing for a lazy Sunday evening and thinking fondly of fallen loved ones.

Cheers!!

August 30th, 2015 - A Strong Arm ESB

Good evening!  The Meista here this evening rockin' out with Saxon's compilation best of album "Strong Arm Metal" and a Redhook ESB from Redhook Brewery!  This pairing is dedicated to my pal Forgach from Maximum Distortion!!  Cheers buddy!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Saxon
• Title: "Strong Arm Metal"
• Recorded: Between 1979 and 1981
• Release date: 1984
• Record company: Carrere Records
• Production: Pete Hinton, Nigel Thomas, John V, and Saxon
• Album cover art: Peter Keller
• Personnel: Peter "Biff" Byford (vocals), Steve Dawson (bass), Pete Gill (drums), Nigel Glockler (drums), Graham Oliver (guitar), and Paul Quinn (guitar)
• Musical style: Heavy metal / hard rock
• Sound: One of the original New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands, Saxon helped defined metal in the late '70s and early '80s.  This is the real deal folks!  Heavy, rockin', and a hell of a lot of fun to play at full volume! 
• Major themes: The heavy metal / rock and roll attitude, fast cars and motorcycles, power, aggression, and fear.
• Tracks: 

1. "Strong Arm Of The Law"
2. "Wheels Of Steel"
3. "Never Surrender"
4. "747 (Strangers In The Night)"
5. "Frozen Rainbow"
6. "Motorcycle Man"
7. "Stallions Of The Highway"
8. "And The Bands Played On"
9. "Dallas 1 P.M."
10. "Denim And Leather"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Redhook Brewery (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)
• Website: http://redhook.com/
• Brew: Redhook ESB
• Style: Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB) / Amber Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.8%
• IBUs: 28
• Pour: Hazy peach-amber hue with a frothy, white 1-finger head that dissipates quickly leaving only a think cap and very little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is sweet and malty, toasty and biscuity, and slightly fruity. There are aromas of caramel, sweet bread, Graham cracker, grains, apple, and pear syrup.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose... lots of sweet malts, hearty grains, fruit ester, and subtle spices.  There are notes of toasted bread, Graham cracker, burnt toffee, apple cider, subtle grassy hops and black pepper.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is slick and oily, but still crisp and refreshing.  The finish is fairly clean, but with a subtle sweet lingering note and some spicy bitterness.

Overall pairing: So I just saw Saxon a few nights ago and they sound as fresh, heavy, and kick-ass now as they did 36 years ago!  "Strong Arm Metal" highlights their early big hits and is heavy metal perfection in my humble opinion!  I paired it with the Redhook ESB to pay homage to that classic British sound and taste.  Those sweet flavors of the ESB go well with the killer melodies and harmonies of Saxon, while the bitter and peppery finish is great for the heaviness of the album!

Cheers!!

August 30th, 2015 - Sliding Across The Upslope

Hey there all you gold-galactic ravers and hop-heads!!  The Meista here today pairing one of the greatest glam rock albums ever recorded, "The Slider" (Expanded Edition) by T. Rex and an Upslope India Pale Ale from Upslope Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: T. Rex
• Title: "The Slider" (Expanded Edition)
• Recorded: March through April 1972 at Rosenberg Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark; Château d'Hérouville, Paris, France; and Elektra Studios, Los Angeles, United States
• Release date: July 21st, 1972 (7th studio album by T. Rex)
• Record company: EMI (UK) and Reprise (US)
• Production: Tony Visconti
• Album cover art: Ringo Starr credited, but both Ringo Starr and Tony Visconti claim to have taken the album cover photo.
• Personnel: Marc Bolan (guitar and lead vocals), Steve Currie (bass guitar), Mickey Finn (percussion and backing vocals), Bill Legend (drums), Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, aka Flo and Eddie (backing vocals), and Tony Visconti (string arrangements)
• Musical style: Glam rock, rock and roll, and hard rock with elements of pop and folk rock
• Sound: For as simple as some of the songs are on "The Slider", the sound is huge and just grooves from the opening notes of "Metal Guru" to the fade out of "Main Man". 
• Major themes: Rock and roll, love, desire, sex, mysticism, states of being, etc.
• Tracks: 

Disc 1:

1. "Metal Guru"
2. "Mystic Lady"
3. "Rock On"
4. "The Slider"
5. "Baby Boomerang"
6. "Spaceball Ricochet"
7. "Buick Mackane"
8. "Telegram Sam"
9. "Rabbit Fighter"
10. "Baby Strange"
11. "Ballrooms Of Mars"
12. "Chariot Choogle"
13. "Main Man"
14. "Cadillac" (extended play)
15. "Thunderwing" extended play)
16. "Lady" extended play)

Disc 2:

1. "Metal Guru" (demo)
2. "Mystic Lady" (demo)
3. "Rock On" (demo)
4. "The Slider" (demo)
5. "Baby Boomerang" (demo)
6. "Spaceball Ricochet" (demo)
7. "Buick Mackane" (demo)
8. "Telegram Sam" (demo)
9. "Rabbit Fighter" (demo)
10. "Baby Strange" (demo)
11. "Ballrooms Of Mars" (demo)
12. "Chariot Choogle" (demo)
13. "Main Man" (demo)
14. "Lady" (demo)
15. "Sucken Rags" (extended play)

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Upslope Brewing Company (Boulder, Colorado)
• Website: http://www.upslopebrewing.com/
• Brew: Upslope India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 65
• Pour: Murky, deep copper amber with a thick, 2-finger off-white head that has great sustain and lots of sticky lacing with strong retention.
• Nose: The nose is a well-balanced blend of citrusy hops and sweet malts, along with some woody notes.  There are aromas of cedar, pineapple, grapefruit, melon, pine resin, caramel, biscuit, and black tea. 
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste is a good blend of citrus and earthy hops along with more robust malts.  There are notes of pine and citrus (grapefruit and tangerine), bready malt, caramel/toffee, minerals, and black tea.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is somewhat thick, but very drinkable.  The finish is crisp and dry.

Overall pairing: The punchy, citrusy notes of the Upslope India Pale Ale are perfect for the glam rock groove of "The Slider", while the sweeter malt notes go great with Bolan's vocals and lyrics.

Cheers!!

August 29th, 2015 - Deth American Red Ale Sabaoth

Good evening rockers, rollers, and craft beer lovers!!  The Meista here tonight pairing an American Amber Ale from Rogue Ales and "Deth Red Sabaoth" from Danzig! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Danzig
• Title: "Deth Red Sabaoth
• Recorded: Between 2008 and 2010
• Release date: June 22nd, 2010 (9th studio album from Danzig)
• Record company: Evilive/The End Records
• Production: Glenn Danzig
• Album cover art: Joe Chiodo
• Personnel: Glenn Danzig (vocals, bass, guitar, piano, and drums on "Black Candy"), Johnny Kelly (drums), and Tommy Victor (bass and guitar)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, gothic metal, and doom metal with elements of hard rock and blues rock
• Sound: Big, meaty, slow, and heavy, "Deth Red Sabaoth" combines the sludgy heaviness of doom metal and the amped up aggression of heavy metal.  Of the album's sound, Danzig described his approach as wanting "to have an organic sound, bigger and thicker, so I went out and bought some 1970s Kustom tuck ’n’ roll bass amps to play some of the guitar parts through. You’ll hear real reverb, real tremolo on this album, which sounds completely different than the stuff that's done with computer chips.”
• Major themes: Norse mythology, evil, darkness, seduction, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Hammer of the Gods"
2. "The Revengeful"
3. "Rebel Spirits"
4. "Black Candy"
5. "On a Wicked Night"
6. "Deth Red Moon"
7. "Ju Ju Bone"
8. "Night Star Hel"
9. "Pyre of Souls: Incanticle"
10. "Pyre of Souls: Seasons of Pain"
11. "Left Hand Rise Above"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon)
• Website: http://www.rogue.com/
• Brew: American Amber Ale
• Style: American Amber Ale / Red Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.3%
• IBUs: 53
• Ingredients: Brewed with C40, C150, 2-Row, and Rogue Farms Dare and Risk malts, along with Kent Golding and Cascade hops, Rogue Farms Rebel hops, free range coastal water, and Pacman yeast
• Pour: It pours a beautiful copper/honey mahogany red with a tightly knit off-white head. 
• Nose: The nose is both earthy and sweet. There are aromas of coffee, toffee, honey, cinnamon bread, and a hint of rum. 
• Taste: The flavor of the Rogue American Amber Ale is both malty and hoppy.  There are tasty notes of hearty barley, lots of roasty malts, bitter black tea, smooth caramel, and grassy hops.  The finish is smooth and creamy with just a bit of lingering bitterness.
• Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with sharp carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp and dry, but with some creaminess in the mid-range and some hoppy slickness in the finish.  

Overall pairing: The hearty and roasty flavors of the Rogue American Amber Ale goes well with the doomier elements of "Deth Red Sabaoth", while the sharper and grassier bitter notes go well with the more aggressive and biting tones and themes.

Cheers!!

August 29th, 2015 - Piper Down At The Gates Of Dawn!

Good afternoon my friends!!  The Meista here pairing Pink Floyd's  seminal psychedelic rock album "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" and a Piper Down Scottish Ale from Ballast Point Brewing Company! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Pink Floyd
• Title: "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn"
• Recorded: February 21st, 1967 through May21st, 1967 at EMI Studios, London, England
• Release date: August 5th, 1967 (debut album by Pink Floyd)
• Record company: EMI Columbia / Tower Records
• Production: Norman Smith
• Album cover art: Vic Singh
• Personnel: Syd Barrett (lead guitar and vocals), Nick Mason (drums and percussion), Roger Waters (bass and vocals), and Richard Wright (Farfisa Compact Duo organ, piano, celeste, and vocals)
• Musical style: Psychedelic rock and experimental art rock with elements of jazz, blues, and pop
• Sound: Of the revolutionary sound on the album, Abbey Road engineer Pete Brown was once quoted as saying, "I opened the door and nearly shit myself ... by Christ it was loud. I had certainly never heard anything quite like it before."
• Major themes: Drugs, states of mind, states of being, mythology and folklore, space travel, etc.
• Notes: The album is named after the 7th chapter of Kenneth Grahame's classic The Wind in the Willows, which contains a description of the mythological god Pan playing his pipes at dawn.  The Wind in the Willows was one of Syd Barrett's favorite books.  It is also the only Pink Floyd album produced under the leadership of Syd Barrett.  His drug abuse and mental break would force him to leave the band the following year.
• Tracks: 

1. "Astronomy Domine"
2. "Lucifer Sam"
3. "Matilda Mother"
4. "Flaming"
5. "Pow R. Toc H."
6. "Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk"
7. "Interstellar Overdrive"
8. "The Gnome"
9. "Chapter 24"
10. "Scarecrow"
11. "Bike"

  Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
• Website: http://www.ballastpoint.com/
• Brew: Piper Down Scottish Ale
• Style: Scottish Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.8%
• IBUs: 22
• Ingredients: UK Maris Otter malt, roasted barley, and UK hops
• Pour: Deep mahogany red with a thick and creamy 1-1.5 finger tan head that leaves some nice sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Piper Down is characterized by big malt, caramel, spice, and dark fruit aromas.  There are notes of burnt toffee, soft caramel, hearty bread, nutmeg, raisin, and plum.
• Taste: With loads of roasted caramel flavor, spices, sweet fruit, and hearty grains, the Piper Down is a bold yet easy drinking brew with lots of complexity.  There are notes of caramel/toffee, light coffee, hearty fresh bread, nutmeg, clove, raisin, fig, and plum.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Piper Down is very smooth and creamy with a sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The psychedelic rock/pop sound of "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" is bold, completely original, and compelling musical journey.  I feel the hearty malty and roasty flavor of the Piper Down Scottish Ale makes for a great companion, as it is also very complex without being overwhelming.

Cheers!!

August 22nd, 2015 - A Black Rose For My Black IPA

Good afternoon my friends!!  The Meista here pairing a favorite of mine, "Black Rose: A Rock Legend" by the mightly Thin Lizzy with a Black IPA from Santa Fe Brewing Company!  This one goes out to my buddy Kevin down at the Heavy Metal Shop(www.heavymetalshop.com)!!  Cheers Kevin!!

 
Album Info:

• Artist: Thin Lizzy
• Title: "Black Rose: A Rock Legend"
• Recorded: December 1978 through February 1979 in Paris and London
• Release date: April 13th, 1979 (9th studio album by Thin Lizzy)
• Record company: Warner Bros.
• Production: Tony Visconti
• Album cover art: Jim Fitzpatrick
• Personnel: Brian Downey (drums and percussion), Scott Gorham (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals), Phil Lynott (bass, twelve-string guitar, and vocals), and Gary Moore (rhythm and lead guitars, and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians:  Jimmy Bain (bass guitar on "With Love"), Huey Lewis (harmonica on "Sarah" and "With Love"), and Mark Nauseef (drums on "Sarah")
• Musical style: Hard rock, blues rock, Irish folk music
• Sound: HUGE double lead guitar harmonies, killer hooks, driving and grooving rhythms, and Lynott's soulful voice are all captured on "Black Rose: A Rock Legend"... that perfect, classic Thin Lizzy sound!!
• Major themes: Love, drugs, alcohol, partying, despair, rock and roll, and Celtic themes.
• Tracks: 

1. "Do Anything You Want To"
2. "Toughest Street In Town"
3. "S&M"
4. "Waiting For An Alibi"
5. "Sarah"
6. "Got To Give It Up"
7. "Get Out Of Here"
8. "With Love"
9. "Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Santa Fe Brewing Company (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
• Website: http://www.santafebrewing.com/
• Brew: Black IPA
• Style: American Black Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.1%
• Ingredients: Dry English Ale yeast; Two-Row, Pale, Crystal, Chocolate, and Midnight Wheat malts; and Columbus, Citra, Eldorado,Simcoe, and Amarillo hops
• Pour: Dark ebony with a big, creamy 2-finger mocha head that displays intricate and sustained lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose blends fruity, citrusy, and dank earthy aromas with dark, roasty malts.  There are aromas of passion fruit, pine resin, tangerine, dark chocolate, herbs, and roasted coffee beans.
• Taste: The taste of Santa Fe Brewing Company's Black IPA is characterized by pine, citrus, and dark malt flavors.  There are notes of pine, cedar, tangerine, orange zest, floral hops, black tea, dark roasted coffee, and bitter dark chocolate with subtle spices.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is smooth, crisp, and a bit punchy with a dry finish.

Overall pairing: The roasty chocolate and coffee notes of the Black IPA from Santa Fe Brewing Company goes great with the soulful vocals of the late, great Lynott and rhythmic groove of Lynott's bass and Downey's drumming, while the punchier, hoppier notes go great with the fiery dual guitar work of Gorham and the late, great Moore!

Cheers!!

August 20th, 2015 - Mongo The Satanist

Dobry wieczór evil-doers!!  The Meista here tonight pairing a Mongo India Pale Ale from Port Brewing and "The Satanist" by Polish extreme metal band Behemoth!  Hell yeah!!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Behemoth
• Title: "The Satanist"
• Recorded: February through June 2013 at Hertz Studio in Białystok, Poland
• Release date: February 3rd, 2014 (10th studio album by Behemoth)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast / Metal Blade Records  
• Production: Daniel Bergstrand, Sławomir Wiesławski, and Wojciech Wiesławski
• Album cover art: Denis "Forkas" Kostromitin
• Personnel: Nergal (vocals and guitars), Zbigniew Robert "Inferno" Promiński (drums and percussion), and Tomasz "Orion" Wróblewski (bass guitar)
• Additional musicians: Jan "Dziablas" Galbas (backing vocals), Pawel Hulisz (flugelhorn and trumpet) , Marcin Janek (saxophone), Artur Jurek (orchestration), Bogdan Kwiatek (trombone), Łukasz Lacny (French horn), Michał Łapaj (Hammond organ), Alicja Leoniuk-Kit (cello), Grażyna Michalec (cello), Magda Miotke-Bajerska (cello), Krzysztof "Siegmar" Oloś (samples), Adam Sierżęga (percussion), Michał Szczerba (French horn), and Patryk Dominik "Seth" Sztyber (guitar)
• Musical style: Black metal, death metal, and progressive death metal with elements of thrash metal and middle eastern folk music
• Sound: Heavy, aggressive, in-your-face, and mesmerizing, the sound on "The Satanist" is an all-out sonic war on your sensibility!  The music vacillates between intensely fast to slow and droning.  All the while, Nergal's vocals cut you to the core!
• Major themes: The occult, darkness, hell, destruction, war, violence, aggression, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel"
2. "Furor Divinus"
3. "Messe Noire"
4. "Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer"
5. "Amen"
6. "The Satanist"
7. "Ben Sahar"
8. "In the Absence ov Light"
9. "O Father O Satan O Sun!"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Port Brewing (San Marcos, California)
• Website: http://portbrewing.com/
• Brew: Mongo India Pale Ale
• Style: American Double / Imperial India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: pint glass off the tap
• ABV: 8.5%
• Ingredients: Columbus, Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade, and Simcoe hops
• Pour: Hazy, bright orange-copper with a thick, white 1-2 finger head that recedes to a ring with chunky and layered lacing. 
• Nose: The nose is characterized by big citrus, tropical fruit, and dank pine resin aromas along with more subtle malty bread and sweet caramel notes.  There are aromas of pink grapefruit, orange, mango, and pineapple along with biscuit and caramel / toffee.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Mongo is a big, juicy blast of citrus and tropical fruit coupled with more earthy and herbal flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit, orange, tangerine, lemon, mango, pineapple, black tea, burnt toffee, and biscuit.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is sticky and oily with a bitter, dry finish.

Overall pairing: Don't let the fun and frolic of Port Brewing's label for Mongo fool you... this is a big, kick-ass, monster IPA with lots of complex and bitter flavor... perfect for the insane and face-melting intensity of Behemoth's "The Satanist"!!

Na zdrowie and hails!!

August 15th, 2015 - A Hot, Spicy, Blackened Little Number

Evening hop-heads, rivet-heads, and evil-doers!!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here tonight pairing black/thrash metal legends Venom and their album "Metal Black" with a spicy Chipotle IPA from Aztec Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Venom
• Title: "Metal Black"
• Recorded: 2006 at DoomtooN Facilities UK, Off World Mobile Recording, Insomniac Vision
• Release date: March 27th, 2006 (11th studio album by Venom)
• Record company: Castle/Sanctuary
• Production: Conrad Lant
• Album cover art: Cronos?
• Personnel: Antony "Antton" Lant (drums), Conrad "Cronos" Lant (bass guitar and vocals), and Mike "Mykvs" Hickey (guitar)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal, black metal
• Sound: A fast, furious, aggressive, in-your-face metal bombardment, the sound on Venom's "Metal Black" is a roaring runaway train bearing down on you!  Cronos' vocals are the wonderful embodiment of angry metal while Mykvs' guitar work is a buzz-saw of intensity and Antton's drumming is a powerhouse of machine gun fire, exploding bombs, and a driving and rhythmic stampede! 
• Major themes: The occult, hell, Satan, evil, death and destruction, violence, murder, pain and suffering, religious criticism, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Antechrist"
2. "Burn In Hell"
3. "House Of Pain"
4. "Death & Dying"
5. "Rege Satanas"
6. "Darkest Realm"
7. "A Good Day To Die"
8. "Assassin"
9. "Lucifer Rising"
10. "Blessed Dead"
11. "Hours Of Darkness"
12. "Sleep When I'm Dead"
13. "Maleficarvm"
14. "Metal Black"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Aztec Brewing Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://aztecbrewery.com/
• Brew: Chipotle IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA) / Chili Beer
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle 
• ABV: 6.6%
• IBUs: 61
• Ingredients: Smoked jalapeño peppers (chipotles) and Cascade hops
• Pour: Murky, deep copper amber with a big, 2-finger frothy/creamy head with great retention that displays sticky and intricately layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Chipotle IPA is very hoppy and spicy with a solid malt backbone.  There are notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, pine resin, smoked peppers, and soft caramel/toffee and biscuit.
• Taste: Like the nose, the Chipotle IPA's taste is a nice blend of bitter and citrusy hops with sweet malts and a nice spicy kick. 
• Mouthfeel: Moderate carbonation and a medium-body, the mouthfeel of the Chipotle IPA is crisp, bitter, and spicy with a clean, but spicy finish that lingers.

Overall pairing: Like the bold flavor of the Chipotle IPA from Aztec Brewing Company, "Metal Black" is a powerful and aggressive treat!  The bitter hop notes and that lovely peppery bite of the chipotle is perfect for the head-banging intensity of Venom!!

Cheers and hails!!

August 15th, 2015 - The Grand Tripel Karmeliet Experiment

Good afternoon!!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today pairing the brilliant neo-prog rock album "The Grand Experiment" by The Neal Morse Band and an equally brilliant Tripel Karmeliet from Belgian brewer Brouwerij Bosteels!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: The Neal Morse Band
• Title: "The Grand Experiment"
• Recorded: late 2014
• Release date: February 10th, 2015 (8th solo album by Neal Morse)
• Record company: InsideOut Records/Radiant Records
• Production: The Neal Morse Band
• Album cover art: Thomas Ewerhard
• Personnel: Neal Morse (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) with Randy George (bass and backing vocals), Eric Gillette (guitars and lead and backing vocals), Bill Hubauer (keyboards and lead and backing vocals), and Mike Portnoy (drums and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Chris Carmichael (strings), Jim Hoke (saxophone), and David F. McKee (industrial loop on "Agenda")
• Musical style: Progressive rock
• Sound: Experimental and very progressive, the sound on "The Grand Experiment" is full of wonderful melodies, harmonies, and hooks with influence from early Genesis, the Beatles, and '70s rock.
• Major themes: Self-actualization, human emotion, dreams, spirituality, life and death, etc.
• Notes: The album was entirely written in the studio.  The band entered the studio with absolutely nothing prepared.  Of this process, Morse stated, "I wanted to see what it would be like to create freely in the room with no preconceived notions. It was quite a risk!  I made a lot of room for the other guys to create and express themselves and the result is outstanding! We wanted to experiment, do something a bit different, and see what everyone is capable of...we found out...in SPADES!"
• Tracks: 

1. "The Call"
2. "The Grand Experiment"
3. "Waterfall"
4. "Agenda"
5. "Alive Again"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Brouwerij Bosteels (Buggenhout, Belgium)
• Website: http://www.bestbelgianspecialbeers.be/main_eng.html
• Brew: Tripel Karmeliet
• Style: Tripel
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle 
• ABV: 8.4%
• Ingredients: 3 grains (barley, oats, and wheat), Belgian house yeast, and Styrian hops
• Pour: Hazy golden yellow with a 1-2 finger frothy white head that dissipates quickly.
• Nose: The nose is a wonderfully complex blend of spice, fruit ester, and grains with a hint of booze.  There are aromas of ripe banana, lemon, pear, coriander, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, apricot and peach along with hearty grains.
• Taste: Like the nose, the Tripel Karmeliet displays an almost dangerously complex and sweet flavors.  There are lots of Belgian yeast and Belgian candy sugar flavors upfront along with an explosive of banana and spices (cloves, nutmeg, and pepper).  There are also notes of pink bubble gum, pear syrup, grapes, peach, and alcohol.
• Mouthfeel: Well-carbonated, bubbly, and medium bodied, the mouthfeel is slightly sticky and creamy, crisp, and refreshing with a dry, slightly boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The compelling, experimental, and progressive sound of "The Grand Experiment" blends wonderfully well with the complex fruit esters, spices, and Belgian yeast flavors of the Tripel Karmeliet!  It is as if the Tripel Karmeliet had been a part of those experimental writing/recording sessions!

Cheers!!

August 14th, 2015 - Some Bang Mangö From The Hip

Good afternoon!!  The Meista here pairing a Mangö American Kölsch from Clown Shoes Beer and "From The Hip" from melodic hard rock Sunset Strip metal band Bang Tango!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Bang Tango
• Title: "From The Hip"
• Recorded: Tempe, Arizona
• Release date: October 17th, 2006
• Record company: Perris Records
• Production: ?
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Lance Eric (bass), Joe Lesté (vocals), Timmy Russell (drums), and Mark Simpson (guitar)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy blues rock, glam metal
• Sound: With elements of the mid-80s Sunset Strip raunchy glam metal sound fused with heavier blues rock (much like AC/DC), Bang Tango brings a fun, rockin' sound with "From The Hip"!  Lesté's gravelly vocals go great with the fiery guitar of Simpson and driving rhythm of Eric and Russell
• Major themes: Girls, sex, lust, love, rock and roll, self-reliance, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "It's All OK"
2. "Ain't Nothin' Better"
3. "Go, Go, Go"
4. "Cary Me Up"
5. "Mother Mary"
6. "Get Use To It"
7. "I'm The One"
8. "Simple"
9. "One More Spin"
10. "Angel Devil"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Clown Shoes Beer (Ipswich, Massachusetts)
• Website: http://www.clownshoesbeer.com/
• Brew: Mangö American Kölsch
• Style: Kölsch
• Serving: pint off the tap at the Yardhouse (San Diego, California)
• ABV: 6.0%
• Ingredients: Orange peel and mango
• Pour: Straw golden yellow with a 1-finger, frothy white head that leaves a nice cap with strong lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is a big fruity blast with more subtle grainy malts and hops.  Mango forward aromas with hints of citrus throughout and hidden aromas of doughy bread, caramel, and grassy hops.
• Taste: The taste (like the nose) is almost an overwhelming flavor of mangos with lighter citrus notes (orange zest, lemon, and lime), grainy cereal, doughy bread, and earthy hops.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp, juicy, and refreshing with a clean, but fruity finish.

Overall pairing: The Mangö American Kölsch from Clown Shoes is a wonderfully drinkable and refreshing summer brew.  As such, it goes great with the fast, fun, and raunchy rock and roll sensibility of Bang Tango's "From The Hip"! 

Cheers!!

August 13th, 2015 - King Diamond's [Big] Eye

Good evening evil-doers!!  The Meista here tonight pairing King Diamond's "The Eye" and a Big Eye India Pale Ale from Ballast Point Brewing Company! 
 
Album Info:

• Artist: King Diamond
• Title: "The Eye"
• Recorded: June through August 1990 at Sweet Silence Studio, Copenhagen
• Release date: October 30th, 1990
• Record company: Roadrunner Records
• Production: King Diamond
• Album cover art: Thomas Holm??
• Personnel: Pete Blakk (guitars), Roberto Falcao (keyboards), Andy LaRocque (guitars), Hal Patino (bass), Kim Bendix Petersen (aka King Diamond - vocals), and Snowy Shaw (electronic drums)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, progressive metal, theatrical rock, neo-classical metal
• Sound: One of my favorite King Diamond records, "The Eye" blends the shock rock glam sound of earlier Alice Cooper with a more driving and aggressive, powerful heavy metal sound (definitely some elements of Mercyful Fate and Judas Priest)!  As always LaRocque and crew tear it up while the King does what he does best!
• Major themes: "The Eye" is a concept album that blends actual historical events with occult fantasy.  The story revolves around a magic eye necklace that records the events it sees.  The album's major themes revolve around Christian atrocity (persecution, violence, murder, and sexual abuse) along with themes of witchcraft, seduction, evil, and darkness. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Eye of the Witch"
2. "The Trial (Chambre Ardente)"
3. "Burn"
4. "Two Little Girls"
5. "Into the Convent"
6. "Father Picard"
7. "Behind These Walls"
8. "The Meetings"
9. "Insanity"
10. "1642 Imprisonment"
11. "The Curse"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
• Website: http://www.ballastpoint.com/
• Brew: Big Eye India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.0%
• IBUs: 71
• Ingredients: Columbus and Centennial hops
• Pour: Lovely clear copper-amber with a frothy 1-2 finger white head that holds well and displays intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is dank, earthy, citrusy, fruity, and malty.  There are big aromas of pine resin and grapefruit, lemon, and tangerine along with more subtle notes of mango, caramel, herbal tea, and biscuit. 
• Taste: Like the nose, the flavor of the Big Eye IPA is a blend of bitter, citrus, and sweet malt.  There are notes of grapefruit, tangerine, mango, pineapple, pine, bitter root, black tea, and caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Well-carbonated and medium-bodied, the mouthfeel of the Big Eye is smooth and slightly creamy with a bitter, piney finish and aftertaste.

Overall pairing: The punchy and bitter bite of the Big Eye is great for the driving metal force of the band's musical prowess, while the citrus and malt complexity is perfect for the massive and haunting vocal range of King Diamond! 

Cheers and hails!!

August 8th, 2015 - A Little Peanut Butter And Milk Stout For Lucifer And The Belching Beaver

Good evening evil-doers!!  The Meista here tonight pairing the debut album from Lucifer, "Lucifer I" (that I picked up last night from Lucifer at concert where they are supporting High On Fire!!) and a Belching Beaver Brewery Peanut Butter Milk Stout! 
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Lucifer
• Title: "Lucifer I"
• Recorded: February through March 2015 at Candy Bomber Studio Berlin, Germany
• Release date: 2015 (debut album by Lucifer)
• Record company: Rise Above Records
• Production: Ingo Krauss
• Album cover art: Johanna Sardonis and Christopher Rambow
• Personnel: Johanna Sardonis (vocals, samples, and keys), Gary "Gaz" Jennings (guitars), Dino Gollnick (bass), and Andrew Prestidge (drums and keys)
• Musical style: Doom metal, stoner metal/rock with elements of rock and roll, blues rock, psychedelia, and folk rock
• Sound: Steeped in an early '70s proto-metal (Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Pentagram, etc.) feel and also firmly planted in the modern doom metal scene, the sound found on Lucifer's album "Lucifer I" is both heavy and sensuous.  Gollnick, Jennings, and Prestidge brink the doom metal hammer down with a sound reminiscent of Candlemass, yet wholly original, while Sardonis' haunting vocals are soulfully and emotionally beautiful.  I'm reminded a little of Nancy Wilson, but with some tinges of evil.
• Major themes: The occult, the fantastic, death, evil, demonology, magic, darkness, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Abracadabra"
2. "Purple Pyramid"
3. "Izrael"
4. "Sabbath"
5. "White Mountain"
6. "Morning Star"
7. "Total Eclipse"
8. "A Grave For Each One Of Us"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Belching Beaver Brewery (Vista, California)
• Website: http://belchinbeaver.com/
• Brew: Peanut Butter Milk Stout
• Style: Milk stout / sweet stout
• Serving: 4 ounce sample off the tap at the Yardhouse (Gaslight District - San Diego, California)
• ABV: 5.3%
• IBUs: 30
• Ingredients: Chocolate malt, peanut powder, rolled oats, and Lactose
• Pour: Opaque deep dark chocolate brown (almost ink black) with a firm and creamy 1-finger mocha head with great sustain and intricate and sticky lacing throughout.
• Nose: Very aromatic... sweet, bready, nutty, earthy, and chocolately.  There are notes of peanut butter, semi-sweet dark chocolate, freshly baked fudge brownies, dark roasted coffee, vanilla bean, and fresh cream.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste is characterized by rich and creamy peanut butter, hazelnut, baker's chocolate, marshmallow, vanilla, fresh cream, and espresso. It tastes like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup... just not as sweet!
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Peanut Butter Milk Stout is thick, chewy, creamy, and velvety with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The rich and earthy flavor of Belching Beaver Brewery's Peanut Butter Milk Stout is perfect for the sludgy, doomy, rockin' '70s sound of Lucifer's "Lucifer I" while the sweet chocolate/peanut butter flavor and silkiness of the mouthfeel is perfect for the sensuous and slightly sultry vocals of Ms. Sardonis! 

Prost, cheers, and hail Lucifer!!

Me with Lucifer vocalist Johanna Sardonis

August 6th, 2015 - My God-Given Hefeweissbier Dunkel

Guten abend!!  The Meista here tonight with a pairing from our friends in Deutschland... "My God-Given Right", the latest album from power metal gods Helloween and a Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel from Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan!  Oh, hell yeah!!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Helloween
• Title: "My God-Given Right"
• Recorded: October 2014 through February 2015 at Mi Sueño Studio, Tenerife, Spain
• Release date: May 29th, 2015 (15th studio album by Helloween)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Charlie Bauerfeind
• Album cover art: Martin Häusler
• Personnel: Andi Deris (lead vocals), Sascha Gerstner (lead and rhythm guitars), Markus Grosskopf (bass guitar), Daniel Löble (drums), and Michael Weikath  (lead and rhythm guitars)
• Additional musicians: Billy King and Olaf Senkbeil (backing vocals) and Matthias Ulmer (keyboards)
• Musical style: In-your-face, kick-ass power metal!!
• Sound: Blending the old-school, classic '80s Helloween power metal sound with a modern sound, Helloween's "My God-Given Right" is powerful heavy metal album with explosive drumming, thunderous bass, blisteringly fast and soaring guitars, and amazing vocals!
• Major themes: Everyday heroes, the evils of violence, nuclear war, and war profiteering, states of sanity, having fun, rock and roll, drinking, following one's own dreams and being an individual, self-actualization, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Heroes"
2. "Battle's Won"
3. "My God-Given Right"
4. "Stay Crazy"
5. "Lost In America"
6. "Russian Roulé"
7. "The Swing Of A Fallen World"
8. "Like Everybody Else"
9. "Creatures In Heaven"
10. "If God Loves Rock 'N' Roll"
11. "Living On The Edge"
12. "Claws"
13. "You, Still Of War"
14. "I Wish I Were There"
15. "Wicked Game"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (Freising, Germany)
• Website: http://us.weihenstephaner.com/
• Brew: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel
• Style: Dunkelweizen
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 5.3%
• IBUs: 14
• Pour: Very murky burnt toffee with a thick and creamy 2-finger head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by bready, malty, and sweet aromas blended with fruit ester.  There are big notes of fresh banana bread, caramel, spices, and pear syrup.
• Taste: Characterized by a big bready and malty backbone, the taste of the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel is filled with well-blended flavors of spice bread, overripe banana, nutmeg, cloves, caramel, hints of pink bubble-gum, and subtle notes of dark fruits (raisins and plums).
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with crisp and moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is frothy and creamy with a lingering spicy finish.

Overall pairing: The spicy, bready, fruity complexity and drinkability of the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel from Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan is perfect for the bombast, driving power, and sheer joy that Helloween conveys on the most excellent "My God-Given Right"!  I cannot think of anything I'd rather be doing right now than rockin' out to Helloween and sipping my tasty Hefeweissbier Dunkel!!

Prost... Zum Wohl!!

August 6th, 2015 - Buying A Stairway To Stone Heaven!

Good evening!!  The Meista here pairing the legendary 4th album by hard rock gods Led Zeppelin with a 4-beer flight from Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens at Liberty Station rather than a single brew!!  Hell yeah!! 
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Led Zeppelin
• Title: untitled, but commonly referred to as "Led Zeppelin IV" (sometime called "Runes" due to the 4 symbols that represent the band members)
• Recorded: November 1970 through May 1971 at various locations (mostly at Victorian house Headley Grange and Island Records in Basing Street Studios, London)
• Release date: November 8th, 1971 (4th studio album by Led Zeppelin)
• Record company: Atlantic Records
• Production: Jimmy Page and Peter Grant
• Album cover art: Graphreaks (design coordination) Of the album cover, Robert Plant explained, "It represented the change in the balance which was going on. There was the old countryman and the blocks of flats being knocked down. It was just a way of saying that we should look after the earth, not rape and pillage it.  The cover was supposed to be something that was for other people to savour rather than for me to actually spell everything out, which would make the whole thing rather disappointing on that level of your own personal adventure into the music."
• Personnel: John "Bonzo" Bonham (drums), John Paul Jones (bass guitar, electric piano, mellotron, mandolin on "Going to California", recorders, EMS VCS 3, and acoustic guitar on "The Battle of Evermore"), Jimmy Page (electric and acoustic guitars, and mandolin on "The Battle of Evermore"), and Robert Plant (lead and overdubbed backing vocals, tambourine, and harmonica on "When the Levee Breaks")
• Additional musicians: Sandy Denny (vocals on "The Battle of Evermore") and Ian Stewart (piano on "Rock & Roll")
• Musical style: Hard rock, blues rock, heavy metal with elements of folk, and rock and roll
• Sound: I won't insult your intelligence by even attempting to describe the monster sound on this album.  As "overplayed" as some might say, it definitely stands the test of time and definitely is a masterpiece, a masterpiece in songwriting, performance/execution, and in production!
• Major themes: There's a lot going on here, but major themes include rock and roll, love, lust, desire, loss, war, etc.
• Notes: Interesting fact, there actually is a 5th rune symbol on the album that represents guest vocalist Sandy Denny.
• Tracks: 

1. "Black Dog"
2. "Rock & Roll"
3. "The Battle Of Evermore"
4. "Stairway To Heaven"
5. "Misty Mountain Hop"
6. "Four Sticks"
7. "Going To California"
8. "When The Levee Breaks"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens at Liberty Station (San Diego, California)
• Website: http://www.stonelibertystation.com/

(from left to right in the pic for all bullets below):

• Brews: Stone Delicious IPA, Stone Liberty Station The Lupulin Loop Amarillo American IPA, Stone Liberty Station Aisha Tyler & Kris Ketcham Stone Cold Fox Chocolate-Orange Black IPA, and Stone Liberty Station/Bridge Road Brewers Red Stone Road
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA) with Lemondrop and El Dorado hops, American IPA With Amarillo hops, Black IPA, and American Amber Ale
• Serving: 4 ounce samplers off the taps
• ABV: 7.7%, 7.7%, 7.9%, and 4.8%
• Pour: The first two pour cloudy shades of golden-amber with bright white heads, the third pours an opaque jet black, and the fourth pours a slightly hazy deep mahogany red.
• Nose: Both the Delicious and the Lupulin Loop are full of citrusy and piney aromas, the Stone Cold Fox smells like an cream-cicle dipped in bittersweet chocolate, and the Red Stone Road is full of hearty malt and nutty aromas.
• Taste: all 4 are an explosion of taste - from citrus, mango, and pine to chocolate-orange sticks, to hazelnut, barley, and freshly backed hearty bread
• Mouthfeel: ranging from light, crisp and malty to medium-bodied and hearty, all the way to sticky and bitter

Overall pairing: Commercially and critically speaking, "Led Zeppelin IV" is one of the greatest rock albums of all time!  As such, it deserves nothing less than the a flight from the amazing folks at Stone Brewing!!  Those bold, balanced, interesting, and well-crafted flavors are perfect for the incredible musical journey that is the one and only "Led Zeppelin IV"!!

Cheers and hails!!  Keep on rockin' my friends!!



August 4th, 2015 - The [Not So] Silent Assassin: An Interview With Mike LePond!

Photo by Jatzi Nieto Photography

Bassist Mike LePond has had a busy last couple of years.  He released his first solo project, Mike LePond's Silent Assassins last fall and his other band, prog-metal giants Symphony X just released their 9^th studio album, “Underworld” on July 24^th, 2015.  And he is now gearing up for the Symphony X Underworld Tour that starts next month!!  (Check out my pairing/review of “Underworld” here: http://brewsandtunes.blogspot.com/2015/07/july-30th-2015-underworld.html)

I recently chatted with Mike about his work with Symphony X, his influences, his Silent Assassins project, and music in general.  Here’s that interview… enjoy!!

 

1. How did you originally get started in music?

My dad took me to see KISS at Madison Square Garden in New York when I was 13 years old. The show was a life changing experience. From that day on I knew I wanted to be a musician.

 

2. How did Symphony X form?  When and how did you all meet?

Founding member [guitarist] Michael Romeo was offered a record contract from demos he was sending around. So at that point he needed a full band. He found all the band members from the local metal scene here in New Jersey, USA.

 

3. What can you tell us about your fellow band mates in Symphony X?

These guys are top shelf when it comes to musicianship and songwriting. After all the years of recording, touring etc. we are like one big happy family.

 

4. What can you tell us about your Silent Assassins project and how did it come into fruition? 

My first love was classic heavy metal and I always wanted to release an album in that style. When Symphony X was touring on their last record, I would write songs all day long on the tour bus. By the end of our touring cycle, I had all the songs ready.

 

5. What was the songwriting process for the amazing new Symphony X album "Underworld"?  How about for your Silent Assassins album?

For Underworld, Michael Romeo would write the basic ideas for the tunes and then later on, the rest of the band would add their personalities into it. For Silent Assassins, I had to write all the music and lyrics. It was very difficult but I loved it.

 

6. What gear do you currently use?

I currently use Caparison basses and Peavey amplification.

 

7. Both your bass work and songwriting prowess is wonderfully and profoundly powerful!  What musicians have influenced you the most… both in terms bass work and as a songwriter?

My main influences are Joey Demaio, Steve Harris, Geezer Butler, Geddy Lee, and Gene Simmons. 

 

8. Do you follow other progressive metal bands?  What musicians/bands are currently on your radar?  Who do you listen to in your down time?  Who do you think we should be listening to more?

I'm really not a fan of other progressive bands other than Rush.  Lately I've been listening to the Viking/folk metal that's been coming out of Europe.  I think you should listen to anything and everything that moves you. 

 

9. What is your favorite song from "Underworld" and why?  How about from Silent Assassins?

From Underworld, I love "In my Darkest Hour". It's just a perfectly written song from beginning to end. From Silent Assassins, my favorite is "The Outsider". It's got a grooving riff that is really original.

 

10. Any touring plans for your band Silent Assassins in the future?

I am currently assembling a live solo band to take out on the road. As soon as I know Symphony X's touring schedule for next year, I will start planning some high profile shows.

 

11. Apart from your brilliant Silent Assassins project, are there any other side projects you are working on currently or in the near future?

At the moment I am writing a second Silent Assassins record.

 

12. Anything else you would like to convey about your music/career?

I want to thank everyone who has supported Symphony X all these years. Please check out our new CD, Underworld, and please listen to my solo album, Mike LePond's Silent Assassins. See you on tour!

 
Learn more about Mike LePond's Silent Assassins at https://www.facebook.com/mikelepondssilentassassins?fref=ts!!  And check out http://www.symphonyx.com/site/ for all your Symphony X tour dates, gear, and news!!

Hails!!!