August 24th, 2024 - An Invincible Plasma Shield

 

Hello rockers, rollers, heavy metal maniacs, and hop freaks!  Happy Saturday!  The Meista here pairing "Invincible Shield", the latest album from the mighty Judas Priest and a hoppy and juicy Plasma Hazy IPA from Roadhouse Brewing Company!  Hells yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Judas Priest
• Title: "Invincible Shield" 
• Recorded: 2023 at Premier Studios in Phoenix, Arizona, The Falcons Nest in Nashville, Tennessee, and The Southern Oracle in Eagleville, Tennesse, and additional recordings performed in Worcestershire, UK
• Release date: March 8th, 2024 (19th studio album by Judas Priest)
• Record company: Sony Music
• Production: Tom Allom and Andy Sneap
• Album cover art: Mark Wilkinson
• Personnel: Richie Faulkner (guitars), Rob Halford (lead vocals), Ian Hill (bass), Glenn Tipton (guitars), and Scott Travis (drums)
• Musical style: Heavy metal
• Sound: Explosive, bombastic, aggressive, classic... just a few attributes of this powerful album!  Halford's vocals are on point... pure metal!  The musicianship is tight - rapid fire guitars, machine gun drumming, and thunderous bass! 
• Major themes: Power, violence, heavy metal, evil, darkness, aggression, perseverance, death, mythology, fear, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Panic Attack"
2. "The Serpent And The King"
3. "Invincible Shield"
4. "Devil In Disguise"
5. "Gates Of Hell"
   
6. "Crown Of Horns"
7. "As God Is My Witness"
8. "Trial By Fire"
   
9. "Escape From Reality"
10. "Son Of Thunder"
11. "Giants In The Sky"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Roadhouse Brewing Company (Jackson Hole, Wyoming)
• Website: http://roadhousebrewery.com/
• Brew: Plasma Hazy IPA
• Style: Hazy India Pale Ale (IPA) 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.9%
• Ingredients: Elani, Pink, Salvo, Spectrum, and 1019 hops
• Pour: The Plasma pours a bright, hazy golden-yellow with a foamy half-finger, bright white head with good retention and sudsy lacing
• Nose: The nose is fruity (citrus, stone, and tropical), and citrusy with more subtle malt sweetness.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, peach, mango, guava, pineapple, honeydew melon, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Plasma is characterized by tropical fruit, citrus, stone fruit, and malty flavors.  There are notes of pineapple, tangerine, peach, pink grapefruit, watermelon, guava, mango, dank bitterness in the back, and light toffee/caramel. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium in body with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Plasma is crisp and juicy, yet somewhat thick and sticky with a dry, soft, yet somewhat bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The is a bold, fruity, complex, and punchy brew... perfect for the face-melting metal onslaught of Priest's latest masterpiece, "Invincible Shield"!!  Both demand your undivided attention, both are full of flavor, and both are tasty as hell!

Cheers!!  And hails!!