April 30th, 2021 - Apocalyptic Raids From The Burning Ones

 

Good evening evil-doers and artisan brew fans!  Happy Friday!  The Meista here tonight Hellhammer's killer EP "Apocalyptic Raids" and I'm pairing it with a tart and tasty Serafina Syrah from SaltFire Brewing Company!

  
Album Info: 

• Artist: Hellhammer
• Title: "Apocalyptic Raids" EP
• Recorded: March 1984 at Caet Studios in Berlin, Germany 
• Original release date: March 7th, 1984 (1st studio EP released by Hellhammer); re-released remastered version: April 24th, 2020
• Record company: Noise Records
• Production: Martin E. Ain
• Album cover art: Tom G. Warrior 
• Personnel: Martin E. Ain (bass), Denial Fiend (drums), and Tom G. Warrior (guitars and vocals) 
• Musical style: Heavy metal, extreme metal, black metal
• Sound: Raw, aggressive, underproduced, yet highly energetic, the sound on Hellhammer's EP "Apocalyptic Raids" is historically fascinating.  The song structure is loose, the playing is rather sloppy, the recording is quite low-fi, yet there all sorts of great riffs and hooks.
• Major themes: Evil, darkness, doom, hell, death, mythology, aggression, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Third Of The Storms (Evoked Damnation)"
2. "Massacra"
3. "Triumph Of Death"
4. "Horus / Aggressor"
5. "Revelations Of Doom"
6. "Messiah"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: SaltFire Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.saltfirebrewing.com/
• Brew: Serafina Syrah 
• Style: Wild Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.0%
• Ingredients: 2-Row, Utah wheat, Utah oats, and Utah grapes
• Pour: The Serafina Syrah pours a deep maroon-wine red with a very, very thin, white head that dissipates very quickly, leaving no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is sweet, tart, floral, and fruity.  There are aromas of grape juice, Merlot, red wine vinegar, plum, wild flowers, light grain, light honey, and oak.
• Taste: The taste of the Serafina Syrah is a refreshingly tart blend of fruity, earthy, sour, and sweet flavors.  There are notes of chunky Merlot, sweet red grapes, light lemon, red wine vinegar, cherry juice, plum, a hint of cracked wheat, and light honey.  
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and juicy, yet somewhat thick and rather tart with a very dry, lip-puckering finish.

Overall pairing: The SaltFire Serafina Syrah is a well-balanced, tart, sweet, and juicy brew that goes down easy, making it a great foil to the wild aggression and raw energy of the mighty and infernal Hellhammer!  Also, Serafina is Hebrew for "burning ones", which I think goes well with the album's title.  Like the brew, "Apocalyptic Raids" may not be for everyone, but I really love that early, low-fi extreme metal sound as well as tart wild ales.  'Nuff said!

Proscht!!  Salute!!  Hails!!