July 1st, 2022 - The Art Of Haze And Self Defense

 

Hello and happy Friday my friends!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here getting heavy and aggressive with a pairing of The Art Of Self Defense", the debut album of High On Fire and a hoppy and tasty Art Of Haze from the fine folks at Fisher Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: High On Fire
• Title: "The Art Of Self Defense" (2012 Re-release)
• Recorded: 1999 at Sharkbite Studio in Oakland, California and 
• Release date: March 7th, 2000 (1st studio album by High On Fire)
• Record company: Man's Ruin Records / Tee Pee Records (2001 re-release) / Southern Lord Records (2012 re-release
• Production: Billy Anderson and High On Fire
• Album cover art: Aaron D.C. Edge (design) and Arik Roper (illustration)
• Personnel: Des Kensel (drums), Matt Pike (guitars and vocals), and George Rice (bass)
• Musical style: Stoner metal / rock
• Sound: Heavy, aggressive, raw, and unapologetic, "The Art Of Self Defense" is one of those albums that grabs hold of you from note 1 and doesn't let go!  Riff-driven, the sound is akin to the heaviness of Pike's other band Sleep, but this is much faster, much more aggressive, much angrier.  The rhythm section is a thunderous juggernaut... the perfect foil for Pike's crunching guitar onslaught and his glass, gravel, and spit vocals!
• Major themes: Power, might, time, violence, darkness, death, knowledge, religion, mythology, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Baghdad"
2. "10,000 Years"
3. "Blood From Zion"
4. "Last"
5. "Fireface"
6. "Master Of Fists"
7. "Steel Shoe" (2001 7 Inch)
8. "The Usurper" (2001 7 Inch - Celtic Frost cover)
9. "Blood From Zion" (1999 demo)
10. "10,000 Years" (1999 demo)
11. "Master Of Fists" (1999 demo)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Fisher Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://fisherbeer.com/
• Brew: Art Of Haze
• Style: Northeast-style Hazy American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 32 ounce "crowler" can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• IBUs: 30
• Ingredients: Citra and Galaxy hops 
• Pour: The Art Of Haze pours a very murky and hazy, golden-caramel amber hue with a hefty 1+ finger, off-white, frothy, and firm head with great retention and loads of intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a wonderfully aromatic blend of citrus with more subtle tropical fruit, floral, and malty characteristics.  There are big aromas of grapefruit rind and juice, orange zest, tangerine, mango, peach, apricot, crackery grain, barley, wildflowers, and caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Art Of Haze follows the nose with lots of tasty citrusy and slightly tropical fruit hop flavor along with floral and malty notes.  There are notes of orange juice, grapefruit juice, tangerine, mango, peach, apricot, black tea, and toffee/caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Art Of Haze is very crisp, juicy, and refreshing, yet smooth with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Art Of Hazy is a bold and delicious pale ale... perfect for the hard-rockin' aggression and stoner might of High On Fire's debut album "The Art Of Self Defense"!  Those punchy hop notes go great with the hard driving rhythms and gruff vocals, while the fruitier notes go great with the fiery guitars!  'Nuff said!

Hails!!