December 18th, 2023 - Seizing the Day & New Horizons!

 

Hello headbangers and hopheads!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here rockin' the hell out with Saxon's most recent studio album, "Carpe Diem" and a tasty New Horizons Hazy IPA from Mother Earth Brewing Company!!  Hells yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Saxon
• Title: "Carpe Diem"
• Recorded: 2021 at Backstage Studios in Derbyshire, UK, Big Silver Barn in York, UK, and Velbyproductions in Grünenplan, Germany
• Release date: February 4th, 2022 (23rd studio album by Saxon) 
• Record company: Silver Lining Music
• Production: Bill Byford and Andy Sneap
• Album cover art: Paul Raymond Gregory
• Personnel: Biff Byford (lead vocals), Nibbs Carter (bass), Nigel Glockler (drums), Paul Quinn (guitars), and Doug Scarratt (guitars)
• Additional musicians: Seb Byford (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: Heavy, hard-hitting, yet very melodic and compelling, veteran NWOBHM bad-asses Saxon have released yet another amazing album with "Carpe Diem"!  I'm not sure if I can put into words how much I adore this album!  As always, the dual guitar work of Quinn and Scarratt soars, slays, and just roars!  Carter is a thunderous juggernaut of solid, energetic bass work!  Mr. Glockler is a powerhouse of crashing symbols, stampeding bass drum, and machine gun fire toms and snare!  And Mr. Byford may sound better than he did even in the early albums... seriously, this man's voice IS heavy metal!  
• Major themes: Living life to its fullest, history, valor, bravery, honoring the dead, life, death, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Carpe Diem (Seize The Day)"
2. "Age Of Steam"
3. "The Pilgrimage"
4. "Dambusters"
5. "Remember The Fallen"
6. "Super Nova"
7. "Lady In Gray"
8. "All For One"
9. "Black Is The Night"
10. "Living On The Limit"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brew Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: New Horizons Hazy IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.5%
• IBUs: 40
• Ingredients: El Dorado, Idaho 7, Mosaic, and Strata hops
• Pour: The New Horizons pours a hazy, golden yellow hue with a frothy half-finger, bright white head with great retention and delicate lacing.
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is tropical, citrusy, floral, and malty.  It is chalk full of notes of stone fruit (peach and apricot), light pineapple, mango, orange, ripe berries, grapefruit rind, wildflowers, soft caramel malt, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste of the New Horizons follows the nose with floral hops, citrus, tropical fruit, and sweet malt flavors.  There are big notes of orange juice and zest, tangerine, pineapple, mango, peach, apricot, strawberry, and a little booze with a strong malty backbone.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the New Horizons is crisp and juicy, with a soft and smooth finish.

Overall pairing: The punchy, hoppy, fruity, and complex flavors and aromas of Mother Earth's New Horizons Hazy IPA go great with the straight-forward heavy melt thunder of Saxon's amazing "Carpe Diem"!  They are both bold, they are both engaging, and they are both the real deal!

Cheers!!  Hails Saxon!!