February 6th, 2016 - Order Of The Shallow Grave

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight getting heavy with a Shallow Grave from Heretic Brewing Company and "Order Of The Black" by Black Label Society!  Hells yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Black Label Society
• Title: "Order Of The Black"
• Recorded: 2010
• Release date: August 10th, 2010 (8th studio album by Black Label Society)
• Record company: E1 Music
• Production: Zakk Wylde
• Album cover art: John Irwin (John Irwin Design) and Zakk Wylde
• Personnel: John DeServio (bass and backing vocals), Will Hunt (drums) and Zakk Wylde (vocals, guitars, and piano)
• Musical style: Heavy metal with elements of doom metal, hard rock, and heavy blues
• Sound: Big, meaty, and heavy, the sound on "Order Of The Black" combines early Black Sabbath with a more modern and faster-paced metal.  Wylde's signature vibrato is not as noticeably present as it was during his tenure with Ozzy, but his playing is fast, fiery, and inspired.  DeServio and Hunt do a great job keeping up with Wylde and hitting it hard. 
• Major themes: Darkness, death, destruction, war, servitude, etc. 
• Tracks:  

1. "Crazy Horse"
2. "Overlord"
3. "Parade Of The Dead"
4. "Darkest Days"
5. "Black Sunday"
6. "Southern Dissolution"
7. "Time Waits For No One"
8. "Godspeed Hellbound"
9. "War Of Heaven"
10. "Shallow Grave"
11. "Chupacabra"
12. "Riders Of The Damned"
13. "January"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Heretic Brewing Company (Fairfield, California)
• Website: www.hereticbrewing.com
• Brew: Shallow Grave
• Style: American Porter
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.0%
• IBUs: 33
• Pour: A very dark (almost black) brown with a frothy, light tan head that leaves a thin ring and sparse lacing throughout. 
• Nose: The nose of the Shallow Grave is roasty, toasty, chocolaty, and earthy.  There are sweet notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, cream, hints of smoke, and dark roasted coffee. 
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste is very malty, chocolaty, earthy, and sweet.  There are notes of milk chocolate, vanilla bean, fresh cream, marshmallow, cold brewed coffee, caramel/toffee, and roasted malt.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with lower carbonation, the mouthfeel is creamy, velvety, and smooth, with a dry, chocolaty finish.

Overall pairing: The heavy duty metal might of Black Label Society's "Order Of The Black" required a brew that could keep up with the heaviness, match the darkness, and provide some sweet balance.  I think the Shallow Grave from Heretic Brewing Company does that quite well!  And it doesn't hurt that track 10 is titled Shallow Grave!

Cheers!!  Hails!!