March 7th, 2019 - Amargnac And Hel's Fury

Gott kvøld and hails craft brew lovers and headbangers!  Your pal the Meista here rocking the "Hel" out to "Hel", the brand-spanking-new, kickass album by Faroese Viking metal monsters Týr and an Armagnac Hel’s Fury from Barbarian Brewing Company!  This pairing goes out to my cousin and fellow Dane, Joe Jensen!  Skål and horns high my man!!

Album Info:

· Artist: Týr

· Title: "Hel"

· Recorded: 2018 at Jacob Hansen Studios

· Release date: March 8th, 2019 (8th studio album by Týr)

· Record company: Metal Blade Records

· Production: Týr

· Album cover art: Gyula Havancsak  

· Personnel: Heri Joensen (guitars and lead vocals), Tadeusz Rieckmann (drums), Terji Skibenæs (guitars and backing vocals), and Gunnar Thomsen (bass and backing vocals)

· Musical style: Viking metal, power metal, folk metal

· Sound: Musically, "Hel" is a powerhouse of metal integrity and artistry!  It combines wonderfully rich folk melodies and choruses with profoundly powerful and soaring Viking metal guitar, bass, and drum work!  It is both aggressive and melodic... and simply wonderful!

· Major themes: Viking lore and history, mythology, death, darkness, escape, drinking, good vs. evil, war, valor, bravery, power, might, fate, etc.

· Tracks:   

1.      "Gates Of Hel"

2.      "All Heroes Fall"

3.      "Ragnars Kvæði"

4.      "Garmr"

5.      "Sunset Shore"

6.      "Downhill Drunk"

7.      "Empire Of The North"

8.      "Far From The Worries Of The World"

9.      "King Of Time"

10.  "Fire And Flame"

11.  "Against The Gods"

12.  "Songs Of War"

13.  "Álvur Kongur"

Brew Info:

· Brewery: Barbarian Brewing Company (Garden City, Idaho)

· Website: https://barbarianbrewing.com/

· Brew: Armagnac Hel’s Fury 

· Style: Imperial Stout

· Serving: 16 ounce bottle

· ABV: 10.0%

· IBUs: 30

· Pour: The Armagnac Hel’s Fury pours an opaque deep, dark brown (almost black) with a thick and creamy 1-finger mocha head with great sustain and sticky, soapy lacing.

· Nose: The nose is very chocolaty, earthy, rich, boozy, and fruity.  There are aromas of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa, raspberries, black cherry, port wine, damp oak or cedar, boozy Armagnac, a hint of lemon, and an ever so light hint of horse blanket.

· Taste: The taste is very complex, earthy, chocolaty, fruity, boozy, and strong.  There are big notes of dark chocolate, light cream, boozy Armagnac (which gets boozier as it warms), red wine, dark fruits (black cherry, plum, raspberry, dates), bitter root, and very subtle toffee.

· Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Armagnac Hel’s Fury is very smooth and creamy with a very dry, slightly tart, slightly bitter, and slightly boozy finish. 

Overall pairing: Intense and complex extreme Viking metal deserves a brew of equal intensity and flavor... thus the Armagnac Hel’s Fury from Barbarian Brewing Company!  Those bold and complex Armagnac flavors are great for the fiery guitar work and pounding rhythm section while the sweeter and richer chocolate and dark fruit flavors go great with Heri's wonderful vocals!

Skål!!  Hails!!