June 5th, 2024 - Walking the Razor's Edge at the New Skool

 

Hello and happy Wednesday my friends!  The Meister here today pairing "Razor's Edge" (The Demos '88​/​'89), the great compilation album by Maryland metal band Taz and a hoppy and crushable New Skool India Pale Ale from the fine folks at the Ogden Beer Company!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Taz
• Title: "Razor's Edge" (The Demos '88​/​'89)
• Recorded: 1988 through 1989 at LSP Studios in Edgemere, Maryland and Basement Floor Productions in Sparrows Point, Maryland
• Release date: April 19th, 2024 (compilation album by Taz)
• Record company: Heaven and Hell Records
• Production: Jeremy Golden and Gary Shafer  
• Album cover art: Chris Ferguson (design), Kisley Andrey Valerevich (photography), and Vigo Von Doom (design)
• Personnel: Ed Avella (guitars), Mike Del Borello (drums), George Dimitri (bass), JR Kelly (guitars), Karen Kruetzer (guitars), Karl "Taz Von Holm" Peck (lead vocals), Lori Price (guitars), and John Sennett (drums)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock, glam rock
• Sound: With influence from bands like Dokken, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, and Tesla, the music on "Razor's Edge" is upbeat, and totally rockin'!  Peck's vocals soar over a richly textured musical tapestry of fiery guitars, thunderous bass lines, and powerfully rhythmic drums!
• Major themes: Life, love, rebellion, music, rock and roll, loss, hope, joy, desire, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Dream Like This"
2. "All My Fault"
3. "Somebody To Love" (Jefferson Airplane cover)
4. "Hell Without You" 
5. "When I Look In Your Eyes"
6. "Cross My Heart"
7. "Hell Without You '89"
8. "Razor's Edge"
9. "Streets Of Fire"
10. "The Way You Look"
11. "Don't Always Get What You Want"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/
• Brew: New Skool India Pale Ale
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.0%
• Ingredients: Citra hops
• Pour: The New Skool pours a fairly clear, golden-yellow hue with a 1-finger, bright white, frothy head with great retention and displays lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by citrusy, floral, dank, and grainy aromas.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, lemon zest, pine resin, cracked wheat, freshly cut hay, and grassy and herbal hops.
• Taste: Well-balanced, the New Skool has a nice blend of citrusy and earthy hop flavors.  There are notes of grapefruit juice, lemon zest, orange pith, pine, grainy crackers, fresh herbs, and light caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium in body and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp and refreshing with a dry, slightly bitter, yet clean finish. 

Overall pairing: The Ogden Beer Company's New Skool IPA is a crisp, complex, hoppy, yet very crushable brew... great for a hot summer day whilst rockin' the hell out to the kick-ass '80s metal of Taz!  And the album cover looks great alongside the New Skool beer label!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with members of Taz here: https://youtu.be/cFCPtdvSlxw

Cheers!!