May 15th, 2023 - Divi, The American Way

 

Hello and happy Monday hopheads and headbangers!  The Meista here today rocking the hell out with a pairing of the classic "The American Way", sophomore album (which turns 33 today) by thrashers Sacred Reich and a hoppy and crushable Divi India Pale Ale from Offset Bier Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Sacred Reich
• Title: "The American Way"
• Recorded: 1990 at Cornerstone Recorders and Track Record in California
  Release date: May 15th, 1990 (2nd full-length studio album by Sacred Reich)
• Record company: Hollywood Records / Metal Blade Records
• Production: Bill Metoyer and Sacred Reich
• Album cover art: Paul Stottler 
• Personnel: Wiley Arnett (lead guitar), Greg Hall (drums), Jason Rainey (rhythm guitar), and Phil Rind (bass and vocals)
• Guest musicians: The Unity Horns: Tony Brewster (trumpet), Will Donato (saxophone), and Tim Moynahan (trombone) on "31 Flavors" 
• Musical style: Thrash metal with elements of traditional metal, rock, and a little rap and funk
• Sound: Fast and furious, the sound on Sacred Reich's debut album is pure late '80s American thrash with a little rock, funk, and rap.  It blends machine gun fire guitar riffs with explosive and thunderous rhythms along with a great vocal delivery that is dripping with sarcasm, rage, and intelligence!  Of the album, Rind stated: "Musically, we've tried to expand our horizons without forgetting our roots. Some people will appreciate the changes. Others, let's just say, they'd be satisfied with 'Ignorance II." 
• Major themes: Politically charged and socially critical, themes and subject matter includes control, power, corruption, death, war, violence, anti-religion, music, open-mindedness, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Love...Hate"
2. "The American Way"
3. "The Way It Is"
4. "Crimes Against Humanity"
5. "State Of Emergency"
6. "Who's To Blame"
7. "I Don't Know"
8. "31 Flavors"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
• Website: https://offsetbier.com/
• Brew: Divi India Pale Ale
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: El Dorado, HBC 1019, Galaxy, and HBC 586 hops
• Pour: The Divi IPA pours a hazy, bright golden-yellow hue with a thin, yet frothy, bright white head with good sustain and lacing. 
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is tropical, citrusy, sweet, and malty.  There are aromas of pineapple, peach, passion fruit, grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange zest, a slight hint of pine resin, a hint of rum, and crackery biscuit.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: fruity, citrusy, hoppy, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of pineapple, passion fruit, mango, pink grapefruit juice, orange juice, tangerine, peach, apricot, and soft sweet toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Divi IPA is very crisp, juicy, and smooth with a clean, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The punchy citrus and tropical fruit flavors of Offset Divi IPA make it a great, drinkable beer!  It has lots of flavor and a hoppy kick... perfect for the thrashing metal aggression of Sacred Reich's killer 2nd album, "The American Way"!  'Nuff said!  

Cheers, hails, and happy birthday to "The American Way"!!