October 17th, 2015 - Bow Down To The Imperial Ogre Tone King!

Hello hop-heads and rockers!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here pairing the kick-ass "Ogre Tones" by the very amazing and underrated power trio King's X and an Imperial Pelican Ale from Pelican Brewing Company!!  This pairing goes out to my buddies Mike Sargent and Jesse Nielsen, and my brother Dain-o... cheers dudes!!

Album Info:

• Artist: King's X
• Title: "Ogre Tones"
• Recorded: 2005
  Release date: September 27th, 2005 (11th studio album by King's X)
• Record company: InsideOut Music
• Production: Michael Wagener
• Album cover art: Jeff Wood at Drowning Creek Studio
• Personnel: Jerry Gaskill (drums and vocals), Doug Pinnick (bass and lead vocals), and Ty Tabor (guitars and vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive metal with elements of heavy blues, '60s British invasion, psychedelia, rock, funk, and soul
• Sound: As with all King's X albums, "Ogre Tones" is richly textured, soulful, wonderfully executed and delivered, and heavy as hell!  From the opening notes of "Alone" to the fade out of the brilliant "Goldilox (Reprise)", it is very obvious that these are master musicians at the top of their game!  Gaskill's drumming is hard-hitting and also swings, Pinnick's bass tone and vocal range is steeped in funk, blues, and soul with huge amounts of emotion and honesty, and Tabor's guitar work
• Major themes: Struggles with and criticism of religion and racism, along with themes of self-acceptance, loss, loneliness, desire, pain, love, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Alone"
2. "Stay"
3. "Hurricane"
4. "Fly"
5. "If"
6. "Bebop"
7. "Honesty"
8. "Open My Eyes"
9. "Freedom"
10. "Get Away"
11. "Sooner Or Later"
12. "Mudd"
13. "Goldilox (Reprise)"
14. "Bam"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Pelican Brewing Company (Pacific City, Oregon)
• Website: http://www.yourlittlebeachtown.com/pelican
• Brew: Imperial Pelican Ale
• Style: Double/Imperial India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8% 
• IBUs: 85
• Gravity: 17 degrees Plato
• Ingredients: Caramel and Pale ale malts, Cascade, Centennial, and Magnum hops along with pure ale yeast 
• Pour: Nice, clear deep orange-amber with a frothy 2-finger head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Imperial Pelican Ale is characterized by big citrus, floral, herbal, and malt aromas.  There are notes of pink grapefruit, orange/tangerine, lemon, pine resin, black tea, sweet caramel/toffee, and bready grains. 
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of this brew is complex, yet very inviting.  There are big citrus/tropical fruit notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, mango, melon, pineapple, and lemon along with a hearty and sweet malt backbone of caramel/toffee and sweet bread. 
• Mouthfeel: Moderate and prickly carbonation and medium bodied, the mouthfeel is slightly sticky and oily with a very dry and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Like the flavors of the Imperial Pelican Ale from Pelican Brewing Company, King's X's "Ogre Tones" is big, bold, face-melting monster of an album!  Those big, intricate citrus and malt notes work wonderfully well with the soulful, yet heavy delivery of the band, while the more bitter notes go great with the darker lyrical elements.  In short, both the album and brew kick some major ass!!

Cheers and hails!!