December 4th, 2015 - Deconstructing A Zarabanda

Hello my friends!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here with another pairing for you... I'm going with The Devin Townsend Project's inventive "Deconstruction" and a Zarabanda Saison from Deschutes Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Devin Townsend Project
• Title: "Deconstruction"
• Recorded: November 2010 through February 2011
• Release date: June 20th, 2011 (13th studio album by Devin Townsend and the 3rd in the Devin Townsend Project series)
• Record company: HevyDevy Records / InsideOut Music
• Production: Devin Townsend
• Album cover art: Anthony Clarkson
• Personnel: Devin Townsend (vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming, and production), Ryan Van Poederooyen – drums on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 10), and Dirk Verbeuren (drums on tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9)
• Additional vocals and musicians: Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth, ex-Bloodbath) – vocals on "Stand", Joe Duplantier (Gojira) – vocals on "Sumeria", Tommy Giles Rogers (Between the Buried and Me) – vocals on "Planet of the Apes", Ihsahn (Emperor) – vocals on "Juular", Floor Jansen (ex-After Forever, ReVamp, Nightwish) – soprano vocals on "Pandemic", Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom) – vocals on "Praise the Lowered", Florian Magnus Maier (Morean) (The Hungry Gods, Dark Fortress, Noneuclid) – undertones on "Stand" and "The Mighty Masturbator", Paul Masvidal (ex-Death, Cynic) – vocals on "Sumeria", the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra,  Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan) – vocals on "The Mighty Masturbator", Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah) – solo on "Deconstruction", and Oderus Urungus (Gwar) – vocals on "Deconstruction"
• Musical style: Extreme metal, industrial metal, and progressive metal with elements of symphonic metal, electronica, and progressive rock
• Sound: As with much of Townsend's work, "Deconstruction" is an intricate, somewhat chaotic, but always compelling sonic wall of sound!  Townsend has a knack for creating musical experiences rather than merely albums.  His music is always intricate, always challenging, and demands your undivided attention!  I'm continually amazed at the prolific complexity that Townsend unleashes on his listeners. 
• Major themes: A concept album, "Deconstruction" is about a man who is obsessed with finding the true nature of reality.  Townsend stated that it is "a musical representation of facing your fears and overcoming them".
• Tracks:  

1. "Praise The Lowered"
2. "Stand"
3. "Juular"
4. "Planet Of The Apes"
5. "Sumeria"
6. "The Mighty Masturbator"
7. "Pandemic"
8. "Deconstruction"
9. "Poltergeist"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Deschutes Brewing Company (Bend, Oregon)
• Website: http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/
• Brew: Zarabanda Saison
• Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.1%
• IBUs: 18
• Ingredients: Crystal, Flaked Oats, Munich, Pilsner, Spelt, and Vienna malts; Saaz hops; French Saison yeast, sour wort, dried lime, pink peppercorn, sumac, and lemon verbena
• Pour: Very hazy, clover honey-amber with a thin white head that leaves minimal lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Zarabanda is zesty, yeasty, citrusy, and spicy.  There are aromas of lemon and lime zest, fruit ester, peppery spice, yeast, and wheat.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Zarabanda is full of tangy and zesty fruits, peppery spice, yeast, and some barnyard funk for good measure.  There are notes of lemon zest, lime and lemon juice, tangerine, coriander, pineapple, cracked wheat, yeast, and white pepper.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is somewhat sticky and creamy, yet crisp and tart with a dry and slightly tart and bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The zippy and zesty flavors of Deschutes' Zarabanda Saison is great for the zany, chaotic, and somewhat overwhelming sound experience that is The Devin Townsend Project's "Deconstruction"!  The complexity of the Zarabanda seems to have been brewed specifically for the mind-bending intricacies of Townsend's compositions!

Cheers!!