November 22nd, 2020 - Land Conquered By A Demanding Blonde

Hello heavy metal hellions and craft beer freaks!  Your favorite metal-head drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out to "Conquered Lands", the brand new album from American power metal monsters Death Dealer and a Demanding Blonde, another tasty brew from brand new brewery, Ogden River Brewing here in O-Town!  Hells yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Death Dealer
• Title: "Conquered Lands"
• Recorded: 2020 at Maor Appelbaum Mastering, Frontiers Studios, Le Chateau Bow Wow Recording, Monolith Studios, and Twin Terror Studios
  Release date: November 13th, 2020 (3rd studio album by Death Dealer)
• Record company: Steel Cartel Records 
• Production: Stu Marshall and Death Dealer
• Album cover art: Dušan Marković (cover art) and Alex Yarborough (design, layout, and additional artwork)
• Personnel: Steve Bolognese (drums), Ross "The Boss" Friedman (guitars), Mike LePond (bass), Stu Marshall (guitars), and Sean Peck (vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal
• Sound: In the tradition of Armored Saint, Jag Panzer, and Manowar, this is high-energy, American power metal at its finest!  The album is characterized by explosive riffs, soaring and scorching guitar solos, thunderous bass and drums, and Sean Peck's always impressive and face-melting vocal acrobatics!  
• Major themes: With songs about Dr. Strange, witches, wolves, soldiers, PTSD, and vampires, themes on the album include magic, heroism, good vs. evil, war, valor, bravery, suicide, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Sorcerer Supreme"
2. "Every Nation (World Of Metal)"
3. "Beauty And Blood"
4. "Running With The Wolves"
5. "The Heretic Has Returned"
6. "Conquered Lands"
7. "Hail To The King"
8. "Slay Or Be Slain"
9. "Faith Under Fire"
10. "22 Gone"
11. "Born To Bear The Crown"
12. "Cold Dead Hands" (bonus track)
13. "Triumph And Victory" (remix - bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden River Brewing (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://ogdenriverbrewing.com/
• Brew: Demanding Blonde
• Style: American Blonde Ale 
• Serving: 32 ounce crowler can
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 25
• Ingredients: Idaho Gem and Simcoe hops
• Pour: The Demanding Blonde pours a slightly hazy, bright golden yellow with a 1+ finger, bright-white, frothy and firm head with great retention and lots of sticky, soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, slightly fruity, floral, and malty.  There are aromas of lemon zest, tangerine, grapefruit rind, light berry, wild flowers, crackery biscuit, bready malt, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Demanding Blonde follows the nose and is characterized by citrusy, grassy, and sweet flavors along with bready malts.  There are notes of freshly baked bread, sweet biscuit, grassy hops, herbal tea, bright citrus, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, yet smooth with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The very drinkable and crushable hop and malt flavors of the Demanding Blonde from Ogden River Brewing are great for the bold, yet straight-forward, heavy duty metal attack of Death Dealer's kick-ass album, "Conquered Lands"!  Those crisp hop notes and that solid malt backbone work really well with the intensity, power, and brilliance of each and every track on this wonderful album!  

Cheers and hails!!  Keep it heavy and keep it craft!