July 19th, 2024 - Cashmerizing the Phantoma

 

Hello and happy Friday!  Your pal the Meista here getting the weekend off right by rocking out with "Phantoma", the latest kick-ass album from the indelible Unleash The Archers along with a hoppy and bold Voodoo Ranger Cashmerize IPA from the fine folks at New Belgium Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Unleash The Archers
• Title: "Phantoma"
• Recorded: 2024 at Silverside Sound
• Release date: May 10th, 2024 (6th full-length studio album by Unleash The Archers)
• Record company: Napalm Records 
• Production: Andrew Saunders
• Album cover art: Dusty Peterson
• Personnel: Scott Buchanan (drums), Nicholas Miller (bass), Andrew Saunders (guitars and vocals), Brittney Slayes (lead vocals), and Grant Truesdell (guitars and vocals)
• Musical style: Power metal, heavy metal
• Sound: Highlighting Slayes' amazing vocal range and prowess along with the band's incredible musicianship, "Phantoma" is another powerful musical statement from the mighty Unleash The Archers!  It is characterized by fiery guitar work, rich hooks, intense and aggressive melodies, and thunderous drumming and bass!  In other words, it kicks ass!!
• Major themes: "Phantoma" is a futuristic sci-fi concept album about an Artificial Intelligence (AI) service becoming a sentient being in a dystopian world.  Themes on the album include humanity, self-awareness, technology, greed, freedom, vengeance, violence, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Human Era"
2. "Ph4/INTO-mA"
3. "Buried In Code"
4. "The Collective"
5. "Green & Glass"
6. "Gods In Decay"
7. "Give It Up Or Give It All"
8. "Ghosts In The Mist"
9. "Seeking Vengeance"
10. "Blood Empress"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/  / https://www.voodooranger.com/
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger Cashmerize IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA) 
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.5%
• IBUs: 26
• Ingredients: Cashmere hops
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger Cashmerize IPA pours a lightly hazy, golden-yellow with a frothy, bright white, 2+ finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very fruity, floral, citrusy, and malty.  There are aromas of tangerine, pink grapefruit, lemon zest, light mango, pineapple, wildflowers, bitter herbs, and caramel/toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Voodoo Ranger Cashmerize follows the nose with lots of punchy, hop-forward, citrusy flavors.  There are big notes of grapefruit and tangerine along with more subtle notes of mango, pineapple, black tea, pine, and caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the Voodoo Ranger Cashmerize IPA's mouthfeel is very crisp with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Intense and bombastic power metal about self-actualized AI deserves a brew of equal intensity and flavor... thus the Voodoo Ranger Cashmerize IPA from the fine folks at New Belgium!  Those intense and complex citrus flavors are great for the fiery guitar work and the explosive drumming of Buchanan, while the complex fruit flavors go great with Slayes' amazingly power vocals!

Check out my interview with Brittney Slayes from 2021 here; https://youtu.be/V4xcWOWiMvY

Cheers!!  Hails!!