January 1st, 2026 - Chop it, Slice it, and Dice it Up!

 

Hails and happy New Year artisan beer drinkers and evil-doers!  The Meista here today rocking the hell out to a pairing of Blood Feast's more recent EP "Chopped, Sliced And Diced" and a Chop It Up Pale Ale from Talisman Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Blood Feast
• Title: "Chopped, Sliced And Diced"
• Recorded: 2018 at Cornholio Sound Works in Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Release date: December 21st, 2018 (2nd studio EP by Blood Feast)
• Record company: Hells Headbangers Records
• Production: Adam Tranquilli and CJ Scioscia
• Album cover art: Drew Elliot
• Personnel: Adam Kieffer (drums), Tom Lorenzo (bass), Chris Natalini (vocals), CJ Scioscia (guitars), and Adam Tranquilli (guitars) 
• Guest musician: Shawn Helsel (guitar solo on "Concubine")
• Musical style: Thrash metal with elements of death metal
• Sound: Wonderfully aggressive and raw, yet very tight, the band's sound on this EP is classic Blood Feast, but with modern production!  Of the EP, Tranquilli stated: "I felt early on that we should keep the pattern that was set back in the day – an album, followed by an EP with a brand-new track. However, unlike the Face Fate EP, this time, we went with re-recordings rather than remixes for the other tracks. These new studio versions of classic songs from the first two albums mark the recording debut of Adam Kieffer behind the kit and are ferocious beyond words. Plus, having a warts-and-all live track helps convey our live energy, while honoring our fans and friends in Osaka."
• Major themes: Sex, lust, violence, murder, horror, death, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Concubine"
2. "Hunted, Stalked And Slain"
3. "Darkside"
4. "Chopping Block Blues"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Talisman Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://www.talismanbrewingco.com/home
• Brew: Chop It Up Pale Ale 
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 32 ounce crowler can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Chop It Up pours a somewhat hazy, golden-yellow color with a frothy, 2+ finger, off-white head with good sustain and sticky, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, herbal, floral, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine peel, orange herbal tea, barley, fresh herbs, crackery biscuit. and a hint of burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Chop It Up follows the nose with herbal and sharp, citrusy flavors and more subtle malty and grainy flavors.  There are notes of grapefruit juice, orange pith, black tea, hearty barley, and white pepper. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full in body and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Chop It Up is very crisp and hoppy with a dry, bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Talisman Chop It Up Pale Ale is a hoppy and punchy, yet very drinkable brew... great for the wonderfully entertaining and powerful metal onslaught that is the mighty Blood Feast!  The hoppy elements work great with fiery guitars of Scioscia and Tranquilli and Natalini's brutal vocals, while the malty backbone is great for thunderous rhythm section of Kieffer and Lorenzo!

Cheers!!  Hails!!

If you haven't done so already, check out my interview from 2022 with Tom Lorenzo, former bassist of Blood Feast!  Here's a link to that video interview: https://youtu.be/n_nPMziFdHE