Friday, February 21, 2020

February 21st, 2020 - Mandarina: A ReVamped Kölsch


Goedeavond and happy Friday!  The Meista here today pairing ReVamp's excellent self-titled debut album with a refreshingly delicious Mandarina Kölsch Ale from UTOG Brewing Company in collaboration with Zolupez Brewery!


Album Info:
  • Artist: ReVamp
  • Title: "ReVamp"
  • Recorded: 2009 through 2010 at Esound Studios, Excess Studios, Graveland Studio, and The Juicy Studio in The Netherlands
  • Release date: May 26th, 2010 (1st studio album by ReVamp) (2009-02-03)
  • Record company: Nuclear Blast
  • Production: Floor Jansen and Joost van den Broek
  • Album cover art: Floor Jansen (art direction)
  • Personnel: Floor Jansen (lead vocals), Waldemar Sorychta (guitars and bass), and Joost van den Broek  (keyboards and piano)
  • Additional musicians: Russell Allen (vocals on "Sweet Curse"), David Faber (cello), Koen Herfst (drums), Arno Krabman (guitar and bass), Ben Mathot (violin), Mark Mulder (viola), George Oosthoek (vocals on "Here's My Hell"), The PA'dam Choir (backing vocals), Björn "Speed" Strid (vocals on "In Sickness 'till Death Do Us Part: Disdain"), and Judith van Driel (violin)
  • Musical style: Progressive metal, power metal, symphonic metal, gothic metal
  • Sound: From the ashes of After Forever and with all the complexity and depth of symphonic metal, but with the heaviness and rocking aggression of power metal, ReVamp's sound is wonderful blend of the melodic and the intense!  The band is incredibly tight and versed in the essence of metal.  And Floor Jansen's vocals are some of the most powerful, most beautiful, most sensual this goofy blogger has ever had the luck of hearing!  Of the album's sound, Jansen stated: "the music is heavier than some of you might expect.  Bombastic; but with heavy riffing. Complex and pounding drums mixed with melancholic strings. Crazy synth-sounds mixed with a beautiful choir. A wall of sound, yet transparent and versatile."
  • Major themes: States of mind, relationships, loss, isolation, honesty, integrity, aggression, etc.
  • Tracks:   
  1. "Here's My Hell"
  2. "Head Up High"
  3. "Sweet Curse"
  4. "Million"
  5. "In Sickness 'till Death Do Us Part: All Goodbyes Are Said"
  6. "Break"
  7. "In Sickness 'till Death Do Us Part: Disdain"
  8. "In Sickness 'till Death Do Us Part: Disgraced"
  9. "Kill Me With Silence"
  10. "Fast Forward"
  11. "The Trial Of Monsters"
  12. "Under My Skin"
  13. "I Lost Myself"

Brew Info:
  • Brewery: UTOG Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah) in collaboration with Zólupez Brewery (Ogden, Utah)
  • Website: https://www.utogbrewing.com/ 
  • Brew: Mandarina Kölsch Ale
  • Style: Kölsch
  • Serving: 12 ounce can
  • ABV: 5.0%
  • IBUs: 25
  • Ingredients: Wheat and Pilsner malts with Mandarina Bavaria hops
  • Pour: The Mandarina Kölsch Ale pours a clear, straw-yellow with a bright white, half-finger head that dissipates to a thin ring with soapy lacing. 
  • Nose: The nose is a wonderful blend of citrusy, grassy, floral, and crackery aromas.  There are notes of Mandarin oranges, orange peel, lemon zest, hints of lime, summer grass, wild flowers, and crackery biscuit.
  • Taste: The taste of the Mandarina Kölsch Ale follows the nose with lots of hop forward citrus, grassy, floral, sweet, and crackery flavors.   There are notes of Mandarin oranges, tangerine, orange jelly candies, orange soda, grassy hops, cracked wheat, and crackery biscuit. 
  • Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is incredibly crisp, effervescent, juicy, and refreshing with a very clean finish.

Overall pairing: The very bright, citrusy aromas and flavors and wonderful drinkability of UTOG's Mandarina Kölsch Ale make for a great pairing with the progressive/symphonic/power metal onslaught that is ReVamp's kickass debut album!  Those sweet and citrusy Mandarin elements are perfect for the depth and beauty of Floor's amazing vocals!  'Nuff said!

Prost... Gezondheid!!

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