January 11th, 2024 - You Had Better Let Chad Smoke... or There's Going to be Retaliation!

 

Hey there rebels, rockers, thrashers, and craft brew lovers!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here today with a pairing of Carnivore's classic thrasher "Retaliation" and a smoky and flavorful Let Chad Smoke from my friends and family at Fisher Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Carnivore
• Title: "Retaliation"
• Recorded: 1987 at Systems Two in Brooklyn, New York and Pyramid Studio in Ithaca, New York
• Release date: 1987 (2nd full-length studio album by Carnivore)
• Record company: Roadrunner Records / Listenable Records
• Production: Alex Perialas 
• Album cover art: Sean Taggart (artwork and design)
• Personnel: Louie Beateaux (drums, percussion, and backing vocals), Marc Piovanetti (guitars and backing vocals), and Peter Steele (bass and lead vocals)
• Additional musicians: Bensonhoist Lesbian Choir (backing choir vocals), Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (orchestra on "Inner Conflict"), Richard Darkside (synthesizers), Tommy McGivney (backing vocals), 
• Musical style: Thrash metal, crossover
• Sound: Wonderfully blending hardcore punk with thrash metal and even a little doom, the sound on "Retaliation" is pure late '80s New York crossover/thrash!  It is fiery, fast, aggressive, and angry as hell!
• Major themes: Cynical, humorous and steeped in socio-political critique, themes on the album include rebellion, sex, violence, war, political correctness, hate, rage, religion, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Jack Daniels And Pizza"
2. "Angry Neurotic Catholics"
3. "S.M.D."
4. "Ground Zero Brooklyn"
5. "Race War"
6. "Inner Conflict"
7. "Jesus Hitler"
8. "Technophobia"
9. "Manic Depression" (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
10. "U.S.A. For U.S.A."
11. "Five Billion Dead"
12. "Sex And Violence"
13. "World Wars III and IV" (demo)
14. "Carnivore" (demo)
15. "The Subhuman" (demo)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Fisher Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.fisherbeer.com/
• Brew: Let Chad Smoke
• Style: Bamberg Style Smoked Light Lager / Helles
• Serving: 32 ounce crowler can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Let Chad Smoke pours a clear, golden-yellow hue with a thin, bright white head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving only trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grassy, floral, grainy, and smoky.  There are aromas of summer grass, wildflowers, freshly cut hay, lemongrass, herbs, crackery biscuit, smoked grains, charred wood, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: crackery, grainy, grassy, smoky, and slightly hoppy.  There are notes of floral hops, lemon zest, lemongrass, crackery biscuit, smoked malts, liquid smoke, and very light caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with good carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Let Chad Smoke is very crisp, smoky, and dry, yet smooth with a clean, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Let Chad Smoke from the fine folks at Fisher Brewing is ais a very good offering of the style... great to pair with the intensity and heavy metal punch that is the mighty Carnivore!  Those smoky notes go great with the darker lyrics and aggressive vibe, while the crushable maltiness is great for the overall metal attack!!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!