October 19th, 2018 - Our Raw Heart Is An Abyss

Hello and happy Friday headbangers and artisan brew lovers!  The Meista here today getting really heavy with a pairing of  The Abyss - Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged from Deschutes Brewery and YOB's latest album, "Our Raw Heart"!  This pairing goes out to friends of the page Sonia and Jason, and to my metal sista, Stephanie... cheers guys!!

Album Info:

• Artist: YOB
• Title: "Our Raw Heart"
• Recorded: 2017 through 2018 at Gung Ho Studios in Eugene, Oregon
• Release date: June 8th, 2018 (8th studio album by YOB)
• Record company: Relapse Records
• Production: Billy Barnett
• Album cover art: Orion Landau
• Personnel: Travis Foster (drums), Aaron Rieseberg (bass), and Mike Scheidt (guitars and vocals) 
• Additional musicians: Billy Barnett (piano on "Lungs Reach")
• Musical style: Doom metal, sludge metal, stoner metal
• Sound: Slow, sludgy, and heavy as hell, YOB's latest album "Our Raw Heart" is a beast! 
• Major themes: Nature, death, darkness, life, isolation, sickness, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Ablaze"
2. "The Screen"
3. "In Reverie"
4. "Lungs Reach"
5. "Beauty In Falling Leaves"
6. "Original Face"
7. "Our Raw Heart"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Deschutes Brewery (Bend, Oregon)
• Website: https://www.deschutesbrewery.com/
• Brew: The Abyss - Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged
• Style: American Imperial Stout
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 11.5%
• Pour: The Abyss pours an ink black with a very slight, mocha head that dissipates immediately, leaving virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is boozy, earthy, roasty, and sweet.  There are aromas of rye whiskey, dark roasted malt, dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, burnt toffee, black licorice, a hint of smoke, and light cherry liquor.
• Taste: The taste of The Abyss follows the nose with lots of boozy, malty, earthy, and sweet flavors .  There are big, bold, and complex notes of black licorice, dark chocolate, molasses, raisin, cherry, whisky, and a hint of soy sauce.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of The Abyss is very thick, sticky, and sludgy with a dry and lingering boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The Abyss is big, bold, complex beast of a brew that will easily kick your ass.. perfect for the sludgy, heavy doom of YOB's wonderful "Our Raw Heart"!  Those boozy and earthy flavors mingle wonderfully well with the thunderous hammer of YOB's slow and churning, yet startling power!
    

Cheers and hails!!  Raise those horns to the mighty YOB and The Abyss!!