June 23rd, 2023 - A Piece Of Mountain Time

 

Hello and happy Friday metal heads and beer freaks!  In preparation and anticipation of tonight's Atheist and Cynic show, your drinking buddy the Meista is here today pairing "Piece Of Time", the kickass debut album by thrash/death metal band Atheist and a tasty and easy-drinking Mountain Time Lager from New Belgium Brewing Company!  Hell yes!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Atheist
• Title: "Piece Of Time"
• Recorded: November through December 1988 at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida
• Release date: 1990 (1st full-length studio album by Atheist)
• Record company: Active Records / Metal Blade Records
• Production: Scott Burns and Atheist
• Album cover art: Ed Repka
• Personnel: Rand Burkey (lead and rhythm guitars), Steve Flynn (drums), Roger Patterson (bass), and Kelly Shaefer (lead and rhythm guitars, and vocals)
• Musical style: Thrash metal with elements of technical death metal, jazz fusion and progressive metal
• Sound: Fast and furious, the sound on "Piece Of Time" blends aggressive thrash and death metal with elements of jazz fusion and progressive rock/metal to present a truly unique and creative experience!
• Major themes: Life, death, war, corruption, destruction, aggression, anti-religion, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Piece Of Time"
2. "Unholy War"
3. "Room With A View"
4. "On They Slay"
5. "Beyond"
6. "I Deny"
7. "Why Bother?"
8. "Life"
9. "No Truth"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/ 
• Brew: Mountain Time Premium Lager
• Style: American Lager
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.4%
• Ingredients: Lager yeast, Pale and Pilsner malts, and Nugget, Willamette, and Cascade hops 
• Pour: The Mountain Time Premium Lager pours a clear, golden-yellow hue with a frothy, off-white, 1+ finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grainy, grassy, and slightly fruity.  There are aromas of crackery biscuit, sweet malt, corn, floral and grassy hops, pear, a hint of white wine, and light honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Mountain Time Premium Lager follows the nose with grainy, grassy, fruity flavors.  There are notes of cracked wheat, light pear juice, corn, sweet malt, soft caramel, and light, grassy hops.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp and smooth with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crushable flavors of the Mountain Time Premium Lager from New Belgium Brewing is the perfect foil for the metal intensity and artistic integrity of Atheist's ass-kicking first album "Piece Of Time"!  Those crisp, grainy flavors are great for the thrash elements of the album, while the malty sweetness works wonderfully with the more complex and more intricate elements.  

And if you haven't done so already, please check out my interview from 2021 with the very friendly and talented Kelly Shaefer here: https://youtu.be/CXlaoSze_2s

Cheers and hails head bangers!!