July 9th, 2023 - Killing The Dragon With Hibiscus

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, headbangers, and hop lovers!  Today I'm rocking the hell out with "Killing The Dragon", the fantastic 9th album by the legendary Dio and a crisp and tart Hibiscus Sour from Roosters Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Dio
• Title: "Killing The Dragon"
• Recorded: 2002 at Total Access Recording in Redondo Beach, California
• Release date: May 21st, 2002 (9th full-length studio album by Dio)
• Record company: Spitfire Records 
• Production: Ronnie James Dio
• Album cover art: Marc Sasso
• Personnel: Ronnie James Dio (vocals) with Doug Aldrich (guitars), Jimmy Bain (bass and keyboards), and Simon Wright (drums), 
• Additional musicians: Scott Warren (keyboards) and the King Harbour Children's Choir
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: With that classic Dio sound, "Killing The Dragon" is full of richly textured metal anthems, mid-tempo rockers, fiery and soaring guitars, thunderous bass and drums, and RJD's incredible vocals! 
• Major themes: The dangers of society totally reliant on technology, rock and roll, insanity, fear, runaways, and good and evil, etc. Of the album's title track, RJD was quoted as describing it thus, the song is about "those who perpetrate injustices and what the world is doing to stop them. In fantasy tales, dragons were notorious for stealing children and feeding them to their babies. During the first part of the song, I sing 'Someone has taken a child.' The second part is about a cruel feudal lord. The third part is about 'electronic serfdom.'" 
• Note: Guitarist Craig Goldy contributed to some of the songwriting before leaving the band prior to when recording began.
• Tracks:

1. "Killing The Dragon"
2. "Along Comes A Spider"
3. "Scream"
4. "Better In The Dark"
5. "Rock & Roll"
6. "Push"
7. "Guilty"
8. "Throw Away Children"
9. "Before The Fall"
10. "Cold Feet" 

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Roosters Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://www.roostersbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Hibiscus Sour 
• Style: Sour Ale 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Hibiscus Sour pours a fairly clean, bright violet-red hue with a frothy, 1+ finger, bright pink head with good retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is floral, fruity, and tart. There are aromas of hibiscus tea, wildflowers, tart, ripe berries, lemon juice and zest, and a hint of earthy honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Hibiscus Sour follows the nose with fruity, floral, herbal, and tart flavors.  There are notes of hibiscus, lemon juice, and a splash of sweet honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Hibiscus Sour is very crisp, juicy, and tart with a dry, fairly clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Roosters Hibiscus Sour is a crisp, tart, and very crushable brew with great flavors and aromas... perfect for an afternoon of rocking the hell out with the mighty DIO!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!  Raise those horns!