July 15th, 2017 - The Space Ghost And The Human Are Trapped In A Cosmis Sea Of Vacant Planets

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight getting heavy, aggressive, and introspective with Death's amazing 4th album, "Human" and a Space Ghost Golden Session Barleywine Ale, a collaborative brew from Ecliptic Brewing and Melvin Brewing!


Album Info:

• Artist: Death
• Title: "Human"
• Recorded: 1991
• Release date: October 22nd, 1991 (4th studio album by Death)
• Record company: Relativity Records / Relapse Records
• Production: Scott Burns and Chuck Schuldiner
• Album cover art: David Bett (art direction) and René Miville (art)
• Personnel: Steve DiGiorgio (bass guitar), Paul Masvidal (guitar), Sean Reinert (drums and percussion), and Chuck Schuldiner (guitar and vocals)
• Additional musicians: Skott Carino (bass on "Cosmic Sea")
• Musical style: Technical death metal, progressive death metal, progressive metal
• Sound: Highly influential, "Human" marked a shift in Schuldiner's musical approach to extreme metal.  The music became more technically complex and progressive with odd rhythms and tempo changes, intricate guitar work, and more personal lyrics.  The album is characterized by dissonant and harmonized guitar work with layered textures along with almost Avant garde jazz-like drumming and bass lines.
• Major themes: More introspective than previous albums, the themes and subject matter on "Human" explore loss, despondency, the assisted suicide debate, the masks we wear, deception, dishonesty, dreams, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Flattening Of Emotions"
2. "Suicide Machine"
3. "Together As One"
4. "Secret Face"
5. "Lack Of Comprehension"
6. "See Through Dreams"
7. "Cosmic Sea"
8. "Vacant Planets"
9. "God Of Thunder" (Kiss cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ecliptic Brewing (Portland, Oregon) and Melvin Brewing (Alpine, Wyoming)
• Website: http://eclipticbrewing.com/  and http://www.melvinbrewing.com/
• Brew: Space Ghost Golden Session Barleywine Ale
• Style: American Barleywine / Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA)
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.0%
• Ingredients: Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, and Southern Cross hops
• Pour: The Space Ghost pours a hazy, golden orange with a frothy, bright white, 2-finger head that dissipates to a creamy film with good sustain and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a blend of light fruit, light dankness, and light grains.  There are aromas of orange juice, creamsicle, pineapple, mango, very subtle pine resin, and cereal grain.
• Taste: The taste of the Space Ghost is characterized by .  There are notes of orange juice, pineapple, pine, cedar, hearty grains, crackery biscuit, light herbs and spices, light booziness, and a hint of caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderation carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp and thirst quenching with a dry, somewhat peppery finish. 

Overall pairing: The Space Ghost Golden Session Barleywine from Ecliptic Brewing and Melvin Brewing is an interesting and hoppy "session" barleywine that is more in the realm of an IPA than a barleywine.  The interesting and flavorful character of the brew makes for a good companion to the intricate and richly textured technical death metal stylings of Death on their "Human" album!

Cheers!!  Hails!!  RIP Chuck Schuldiner!!