April 12th, 2023 - The Mystic Frog Meets The Norwegian Rat

 

God kveld headbangers and hop freaks!  The Meister here pairing the kick-ass "Rattus Norvegicus" from Norwegian thrash metal band Under The Oak and a crisp and hoppy Mystic Frog IPA from the fine folks at the Ogden Beer Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Under The Oak
• Title: "Rattus Norvegicus"
• Recorded: 2022
• Release date: September 2nd, 2022 (2nd full-length studio album by Under The Oak)
• Record company: WormHoleDeath Records
• Production: Under The Oak 
• Album cover art: Christopher Rakkestad
• Personnel: Thomas Bolverk (guitars), Hillbilly Bill aka Steinar Jørgensen (bass), Marius Paulsberg Vedal (drums), and Jostein Sandaker (vocals)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal, heavy metal
• Sound: Blending thrash metal with old-school NWOBHM and speed metal, on "Rattus Norvegicus", Under The Oak presents a high-adrenalin, straight-forward, sonic journey of 10 original kick-ass tracks and 2 great covers!  Bolverk's guitar soars over a tapestry of heavy hitting, thunderous rhythms provided by Hillbilly Bill and Vedal, while Sandaker channels a host of thrash and NWOBHM vocalists to create one powerful delivery!  These guys bring the hammer down!
• Major themes: Metal, aggression, rage, violence, suffering, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Total Trash Metal"
2. "Running With Scissors"
3. "Our Own Choice"
4. "Inner Demon"
5. "Walls Of Pain"
6. "Loyal To The Core"
7. "Bangkok Haircut"
8. "Everything Became Nothing"
9. "Pandemic"
10. "Rattus Norvegicus"
11. "Echoes Of A Distant Battle" (Tank cover)
12. "Mad Butcher / Bestial Invasion" (Destruction cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/
• Brew: Mystic Frog IPA
• Style: New Zealand-style India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 64 ounce growler bottle
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Mystic Frog pours a hazy, bright yellow hue with a billowy, bright white, 2-finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by citrusy, fruity, floral, grassy, and grainy aromas.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, orange zest, tangerine, lemon zest, light pineapple, gooseberry, a hint of pine resin, crackery grains, and light honey.
• Taste: Well-balanced, the Mystic Frog has a nice blend of citrusy, tropical, floral, herbal, and bready flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, lemon zest, light pine, bitter herbal tea, pale malt, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium in body and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp, yet smooth with a refreshing profile.  The finish is dry, slightly bitter, yet clean. 

Overall pairing: The Ogden Beer Company Mystic Frog IPA is a very refreshing and crushable, yet punchy and hoppy brew... perfect to slam with the headbanging, fist-pumping, thrashing metal of Under The Oak's killer "Rattus Norvegicus" album!

Skal!!  Hails!!