February 24th, 2019 - Okkult Doubled

Good evening evil-doers!  Your drinking buddy, the Meista here tonight getting heavy and aggressive with Atrocity's latest album, "Okkult II" and an Ogden Double IPA from Roosters Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Atrocity
• Title: "Okkult II"
• Recorded: 2018
• Release date: July 6th, 2018 (9th full-length studio album)
• Record company: Massacre Records
• Production: Alexander Krull
• Album cover art: Stefan Heilemann
• Personnel: Thorsten Bauer (guitars, bass, and backing vocals), Joris Nijenhuis (drums and backing vocals), Alexander Krull (lead and backing vocals, keyboards, and sampling), and Pete Streit (guitars)
• Additional musicians: Andreas Bösch (choir and backing vocals), Zoë Marie Federoff (backing vocals on tracks 7 and 9) Christel and Uwe Fichtner (choir and backing vocals), Marc Grewe (vocals on track 6), Katie Halliday (additional sampling), L-G Petrov (vocals on track 10), Elina Siirala ( choir and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Death metal with elements of symphonic death metal and thrash metal
• Sound: Combining classic Atrocity death metal with some really nice and melodic choir and symphonic elements, "Okkult II" is a powerful musical journey!  With heavy riffing and explosive blast beats, the musicianship is spot on and Krull's vocals are as infernal and brutal as their his early work!  Bauer is quickly becoming one of my favorite guitar players.  His riffing and soloing is on par with Azagthoth and Schuldiner!  And on the thrashy "Spell Of Blood", he seems to channel Testament's Skolnick's tone.
• Major themes: Evil, darkness, the occult, death, destruction, , etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Masters Of Darkness"
2. "Shadowtaker"
3. "Blood And Triumph"
4. "Spell Of Blood"
5. "Menschenschlachthaus"
6. "Gates Of Oblivion"
7. "Infernal Sabbath"
8. "All Men Must Die"
9. "Phantom Ghost"
10. "Devil's Covenant"
11. "The Golden Dawn"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Roosters Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: http://www.roostersbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Ogden Double IPA
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA)  
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 8.0% 
• Pour: The Ogden Double IPA pours a very hazy, bright orange-golden amber with an off-white, 1-finger, rocky head with good retention and intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very hoppy, earthy, dank, citrusy, tropical, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of pineapple, grapefruit rind, lemon zest, mango, light pine resin, green hops, and light caramel. 
• Taste: The taste of the Ogden Double IPA is hoppy, citrusy, earthy, dank, bitter, and malty.  There are notes of grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, orange, mango, pineapple, pine, herbs, black tea, toasty malt, and light caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp, yet a little sticky, and bitter with a dry, bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The hop-forward, very drinkable tastiness of Roosters' Ogden Double IPA is perfect for the heavy, ass-kicking power of Atrocity's latest outing!  Those wonderful hoppy flavors and aromas really pop with the hard-hitting blast beats, fiery guitars, and Krull's brutal growls!

HAILS!!