February 26th, 2024 - El Gato and Una Vampiro Both Clad in Black

 

Hails and happy Monday headbangers and hopheads!  The Meista rocking the hell out to a pairing of Helstar's fantastic "Clad In Black" (on its 3rd birthday) and a dark and delicious El Gato Negro Black IPA from the fine folks at Fisher Brewing Company!  Oh, hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Helstar
• Title: "Clad In Black"
• Recorded: 2016 and 2020 at Mob Hits Studios in Missouri City, Texas and Hombre Malo Studios in Houston, Texas 
• Release date: February 26th, 2021 (compilation album by Helstar)
• Record company: Massacre Records / Hellion Records
• Production: Helstar
• Album cover art: John Fossum
• Personnel: Andrew Atwood (guitars), Larry Barragán (guitars), Michael Lewis (drums), James Rivera (vocals), and Garrick Smith (bass)
• Additional musicians: Imelda Barragán (backing vocals), Chris Cannella (guitar), Michael Heald (cello), Christina Pumarejo-Urbieta (backing vocals), and Nathan Salazar (backing vocals) 
• Musical style: Heavy metal with elements of speed metal, thrash metal, and power metal
• Sound: "Clad In Black" is powerful and fast-paced musical delivery.  Combining the aggression and punch of speed metal with the complexity and melody of traditional metal, Helstar creates a wonderfully rich musical tapestry!
• Major themes: Folklore, mythology, horror, life and death, good vs. evil, darkness, violence, vampires, the occult, etc.
• Tracks: 

Disc 1: "Clad In Black"

1. "Dark Incantation (Mother Of The Night)"
2. "Black Wings Of Solitude"
3. "Across The Raging Seas"
4. "Restless And Wild" (Accept cover)
5. "After All (The Dead)" (Black Sabbath cover)
6. "Sinner" (Judas Priest cover) (
   

Disc 2: "Vampiro"

1. "Awaken Unto Darkness"
2. "Blood Lust"
3. "To Dust You Will Become"
4. "Off With His Head"
5. "From The Pulpit To The Pit"
6. "To Their Death Beds They Fell"
7. "Malediction"
8. "Repent In Fire"
9. "Abolish The Sun"
10. "Black Cathedral"
11. "Dreamless Sleep"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Fisher Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.fisherbeer.com/
• Brew: El Gato Negro
• Style: Black India Pale Ale (IPA) / Cascade Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.1%
• IBUs: 70
• Pour: The El Gato Negro pours a deep, dark brown with 1+ finger, light beige, frothy head with good retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by roasty, toasty, malty, and piney notes.  There are aromas of pine resin, cedar, grapefruit rind, orange zest, pine resin, a hint of dark chocolate, rye bread, dark roasted malts, oak, and hints of toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the El Gato Negro follows the nose with lots of malty, roasty, piney flavors.  There are notes of pine resin, grapefruit juice, barley, bitter herbs, black tea, black pepper, and light toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp, yet a little thick and chewy with a dry and somewhat bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Fisher El Gato Negro is a bold and flavorful black IPA... perfect for the high-octane metal brilliance of the mighty Hellstar!  Those roasty and toasty notes got great with heavy duty rhythm section of Lewis and Smith, while the hoppier elements go great with the soaring and biting guitars of Atwood and Barragán, and Rivera's stellar vocals!

And make sure you check out my interview with very talented and friendly Helstar guitarist Larry Barragán here: https://youtu.be/72xGjV8ClUI 

Salud!!  Hails!!