August 7th, 2021 - The Catharsis Of Singularities

 

Hello and happy Saturday headbangers and hop-heads!  Today I'm pairing Machine Head's most recent studio album "Catharsis" with A Series of Singularities: Mandarina Bavaria from SaltFire Brewing Company!  This pairing goes out to my buddy Lewis!  Cheers my man!

Album Info:

• Artist: Machine Head
• Title: "Catharsis"
• Recorded: 2017 at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California
• Release date: January 26th, 2018 (9th studio album by Machine Head)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Robb Flynn and Zack Ohren 
• Album cover art: Seanen Middleton 
• Personnel: Phil Demmel (lead guitars), Robb Flynn (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jared MacEachern (bass and backing vocals), and Dave McClain (drums)
• Additional musicians: Charles Akert (viola), Phillip Brezina (violin), and Ivo Bukolic (cello) 
• Musical style: Groove metal, thrash metal, hard rock with hints of death metal and nu metal
• Sound: In the tradition of Pantera, Sepultura, and Soulfly, the sound on "Catharsis" combines the aggression and speed of thrash metal with deep-rooted grooves and bold rhythms.  
• Major themes: With socio-politically changed songs as well as deeply personal and emotional ideas, themes on the album include violence, rage, honesty, pain, suffering, grief, politics, death, hope, self preservation, inner strength, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Volatile"
2. "Catharsis"
3. "Beyond The Pale"
4. "California Bleeding"
5. "Triple Beam"
6. "Kaleidoscope"
7. "Bastards"
8. "Hope Begets Hope"
9. "Screaming At The Sun"
10. "Behind A Mask"
11. "Heavy Lies the Crown"
12. "Psychotic"
13. "Grind You Down"
14. "Razorblade Smile"
15. "Eulogy"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: SaltFire Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.saltfirebrewing.com/
• Brew: A Series of Singularities: Mandarina Bavaria  
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.3%
• Ingredients: Mandarina Bavaria hops
• Pour: The A Series of Singularities: Mandarina Bavaria pours a hazy golden yellow with a very frothy, bright white, 2-finger head with great retention and lots of layered, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, fruity, floral, and slightly grainy.  There are aromas of orange, tangerine, lemon zest, light mango, light berry, wild flowers, herbal tea, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the A Series of Singularities: Mandarina Bavaria is .  There are notes of mandarin orange, creamsicle, tangerine, light mango, cereal grain, and light caramel.  
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and juicy, yet smooth with a very dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The A Series of Singularities: Mandarina Bavaria is a hop-forward, crushable, flavorful brew... perfect for aggressive grooves of Machine Head's "Catharsis"!  Those punchy citrus flavors go great with Flynn's aggressive vocal attack and Demmel's killer guitar riffs while the sweeter characteristics are perfect for the thunderous rhythmic grooves of the mighty MacEachern and McCain!

Cheers and hails!!