July 31st, 2022 - Paradise Lost In The Phlow

 

Hello and hails rockers and craft brew lovers!  The Meista here today pairing "Paradise Lost", the kickass album by the mighty Cirith Ungol and a crisp and hoppy Phlow Sunshine IPA from Roadhouse Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Cirith Ungol
• Title: "Paradise Lost"
• Recorded: 1991 at Gold Mine Studios in Ventura, California 
• Release date: August 23rd, 1991 (4th studio album by Cirith Ungol)
• Record company: Restless Records / Metal Blade Records
• Production: Ron Goudie
• Album cover art: Michael Whelan
• Personnel: Tim Baker (lead vocals), Jim Barraza (guitars), Robert Garven (drums and percussion), and Vernon Green (bass)
• Additional musician: Joe Malatesta (guitars and vocals) and Robert L. Warrenburg (bass and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal, doom metal, progressive metal
• Sound: Characterized by fantasy-based lyrics and a fast-paced, aggressive, and epically doomy musical assault, Cirith Ungol's tunes are a hybrid between late 1970s hard rock and early 1980s heavy metal, very much in the vein of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) bands like Angel Witch, early Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Tygers of Pan Tang.  The songs are monstrous rock classics... powerful, epic, and heavy as hell!
• Major themes: Fantasy, mythology, sword and sorcery, good vs. evil, life and death, power, destruction, darkness, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Join The Legion"
2. "The Troll"
3. "Fire" (Arthur Brown cover)
4. "Heaven Help Us"
5. "Before The Lash"
6. "Go It Alone"
7. "Chaos Rising"
8. "Fallen Idols"
9. "Paradise Lost"
10. "Join The Legion" (alternate mix bonus track)
11. "The Troll" (alternate mix bonus track)
12. "Before The Lash" (alternate mix bonus track)
13. "Chaos Rising" (alternate mix bonus track)
14. "Paradise Lost" (alternate mix bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Roadhouse Brewing Company (Jackson Hole, Wyoming)
• Website: http://roadhousebrewery.com/
• Brew: Phlow Sunshine IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Ingredients: Vista, Sabro, and Idaho Gem hops
• Pour: The Phlow Sunshine IPA pours a very hazy, bright yellow-gold with a thin and bubbly, bright white head with good retention and light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, tropical, and slightly malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange pith, mango, pineapple, stone fruit, herbal tea, biscuit, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Phlow Sunshine IPA follows the nose with lots of citrus, tropical fruit, mineral, and light malt flavors.  There are notes of pineapple, orange juice, tangerine, lime, mango, melon, peach, grassy hops, sweet biscuit, and light toffee.
• Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is very crisp, juicy, and smooth with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Phlow Sunshine IPA is a punchy, yet very drinkable, crushable, and refreshingly crisp brew... great for pairing with the very underrated metal power that is Cirith Ungol!  The complex tropical fruit and citrus flavor of the beer aligns perfectly with the depth and heavy metal purity of the wonderful tracks on "Paradise Lost"!

Cheers and hails!!

And if haven't done so already, check out my interview with Cirith Ungol guitarist Jim Barraza: https://youtu.be/PZim_qal3Mo