April 7th, 2021 - An Infernal Storm Of OG Juice

 

Hello and happy National Beer Day metal hellions and artisan brew fanatics!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here this evening with a killer pairing of a couple favorites of mine... "The Infernal Storm", the kick-ass 4th album by death metal legends Incantation and a deliciously juicy and dangerously crushable OG Juice IPA from my good friends at UTOG Brewing Company!  Hell yes!!  And behold the amazing beauty of the vinyl!!   \m/  \m/

Album Info:

• Artist: Incantation
• Title: "The Infernal Storm"
• Recorded: November through December 1999 at Mars Studios in Cleveland, Ohio
• Release date: May 9th, 2000 (4th full-length studio release by Incantation)
• Record company: Relapse Records
• Production: Bill Korecky and Incantation
• Album cover art: Miran Kim (artwork) and Bill Venner (band logo)
• Personnel: John McEntee (guitars), Mike Saez (guitars and vocals), and Robert Yench (bass)
• Guest musician: Dave Culross (drums)
• Musical style: Death metal
• Sound: Aggressive, heavy as hell, and a bit sludgy, the sound on "The Infernal Storm" is classic Incantation!  More than an album, it is a sonic experience of the highest degree!  From the opening notes of "Anoint The Chosen" to the final of "Nocturnal Kingdom of Demonic Enlightenment", this album grabs you by the collar, slams you against the wall, and demands your attention!
• Major themes: Death, destruction, rage, evil, darkness, the occult, mythology, anti-Christianity, blasphemy, Satan, misery, violence, etc.
• Tracks:   
  
1. "Anoint The Chosen"
2. "Extinguishing Salvation"
3. "Impetuous Rage"
4. "Sempiternal Pandemonium"
5. "Lustful Demise"
6. "Heaven Departed"
7. "Apocalyptic Destroyer Of Angels"
8. "Nocturnal Kingdom of Demonic Enlightenment"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: UTOG Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://www.utogbrewing.com/
• Brew: OG Juice IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.3%
• Ingredients: Citra, Idaho 7, and Simcoe hops, and Juicy yeast
• Pour: The OG Juice pours a very hazy golden yellow-orange hue with a billowy and foamy bright white, 1+ finger head with good sustain and lots of sticky, soapy, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy, very tropical, hoppy, malty, and sweet.  There are big aromas of stone fruit (peach along with fresh and dried apricot) upfront along with freshly cut pineapple, grapefruit rind, mango, melon, orange marmalade, orange zest, orange juice, a very subtle hint of pine resin, and a hint of caramel.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose with lots of citrusy, fruity, grainy, slightly sweet, and herbal characteristics.  There are notes of orange juice, orange pith, and orange zest, tangerine, pink grapefruit juice, pineapple, melon, apricot, peach, mango, herbal tea, very light pine, toffee/caramel, a hint of white pepper, and an ever so slight hint of booze (more so as it warms).
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, very juicy, and a smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish. 

Overall Pairing: The hop-forward, citrusy punch of UTOG's new and improved OG Juice IPA is perfect for the aggression, fiery riffs, and killer hooks of  this kick-ass album!  The more bitter flavors (grapefruit rind, orange pith, pine, tea, etc.) are great for the lyrics and Saez's powerful vocals while the brighter flavors go great with the amazing dual guitar attack of McEntee and Saez!  And those bolder malt notes are prefect for the thunderous drumming and bass onslaught of Yench and Culross!  I highly recommend both the album and the beer!

Cheers and hails!!