May 8th, 2026 - There's So Much Room in the Ayreon Universe!

 

Hello and happy Friday rockers, proggers and hop lovers!  The Meista here today rocking out with a pairing of "Ayreon Universe: Best Of Ayreon Live" by legendary Dutch progressive metal project Ayreon and a delicious, juicy, and hoppy So Much Room Hazy IPA from the fine folks at Revision Brewing Company!  Yes!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Ayreon
• Title: "Ayreon Universe: Best Of Ayreon Live"
• Recorded: September 15th through 16th, 2017
• Release date: March 30th, 2018 (2nd live DVD released by Ayreon)
• Record company: Mascot Label Group / Music Theories 
• Production: Arjen Anthony Lucassen
• Album cover art: Lori Linstruth
• Personnel: Marcela Bovio (vocals), Marcel Coenen (lead guitar), John Jaycee Cuijpers (vocals), Ferry Duijsens (guitar), Jeroen Goossens (flute and various woodwinds), Marco Hietala (vocals), Floor Jansen (vocals), Irene Jansen (vocals), Tommy Karevik (vocals), Hansi Kürsch (vocals), Arjen Anthony Lucassen (guitar and vocals), Maggy Luyten (vocals), Ben Mathot (violin), Mike Mills (vocals), Maaike Peterse (cello), Edward Reekers (vocals), Jonas Renkse (vocals), Rob Snijders (percussion), Robert Soeterboek (vocals), Joost van den Broek (keyboards), Lisette van den Berg (vocals), Jay van Feggelen (vocals), Anneke van Giersbergen (vocals), Johan van Stratum (bass), Peter Vink (bass), Ed Warby (drums and backing vocals), Damian Wilson (vocals), 
• Musical style: Progressive metal / rock 
• Sound: With "Ayreon Universe: Best Of Ayreon Live", the master musicians that are Ayreon present some of Arjen Lucassen's most compelling and engaging work.   over a tapestry of wonderful rhythms, grooves, and melodies! 
• Major themes: Life, death, beingness, beauty, music, love, fantasy, magic, time, time travel, space and space exploration, science, mathematics, knowledge, science fiction, aliens, violence, dreams, danger, valor, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Prologue"
2. "Dreamtime"
3. "Abbey Of Synn"
4. "River Of Time"
5. "The Blackboard"
6. "The Theory Of Everything"
7. "Merlin's Will"
8. "Waking Dreams"
9. "Dawn Of A Million Souls"
10. "Valley Of The Queens"
11. "Ride The Comet"
12. "Star Of Sirrah"
13. "Comatose"
14. "Day Sixteen: Loser"
15. "And The Druids Turned To Stone"
16. "The Two Gates"
17. "Into The Black Hole"
18. "Actual Fantasy"
19. "Computer Eyes"
20. "Magnetism"
21. "Age Of Shadows"
22. "Intergalactic Space Crusaders"
23. "Collision"
24. "Everybody Dies"
25. "The Castle Hall"
26. "Amazing Flight In Space"
27. "Day Eleven: Love"
28. "The Eye Of Ra"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Revision Brewing Company (Sparks, Nevada)
• Website: https://revisionbrewing.com/
• Brew: So Much Room Hazy IPA 
• Style: New England-style Hazy India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 24
• Pour: The So Much Room Hazy IPA pours a very hazy, pale golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with good retention and sudsy, sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy and tropical with more subtle floral and malt elements.  There are aromas of tangerine, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, lemon zest, lime juice and peel, grapefruit rind, bright mango, apricot, wildflowers, light pine resin, freshly cut hay, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: Fruit-forward and very juicy, the taste of the So Much Room Hazy IPA is citrusy, fruity, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of tangerine, orange juice, orange pith, lime, mango, pineapple, guava, very light pine, and light honey.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and very juicy, yet smooth and creamy with a dry, slightly sweet, slightly boozy, pillowy-soft finish.

Overall pairing: The So Much Room Hazy IPA from Revision Brewing is a punchy, yet very smooth, drinkable, and refreshing hoppy brew... great for pairing with the progressive brilliance that is the legendary Ayreon!  The citrusy hops and sweet fruit elements of the beer align well with the high energy of the live performances and the brightness and brilliance of fantastic lyricism and note progressions!  I also love the look of "Ayreon Universe: Best Of Ayreon Live" DVD cover art juxtaposed against the cool beer can label!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!! 

May 3rd, 2026 - It's Double Trouble for the Fruit Creep!

 

Hello and happy Sunday rockers, rollers, and hop creeps!  The Meista here pairing Gillan's fantastic "Double Trouble" album with a Fruit Creep Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA from Illuminated Brew Works!  Hell yes!  Oh, and this pairing is dedicated to my friend Dustin Mitchell... cheers brother!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Gillan
• Title: "Double Trouble"
• Recorded: August 1981 at Kingsway Recorders in London, England, and March 4th, 1981at the Rainbow Theater in London, England and August 29th, 1981 at the Reading Festival in Reading, England
• Release date: October 30th, 1981 (5th studio album by Gillan)
• Record company: Virgin Records
• Production: Steve Smith 
• Album cover art: Jean Luke Epstein (design and artwork) and Jon Prew (photography) 
• Personnel: Janick Gers (guitars on all studio tracks and live tracks 1-4 and 6-8), Ian Gillan (lead vocals), John McCoy (bass), Bernie Tormé (guitars on live tracks 5 and 9-11), Colin Towns (keyboards), and Mick Underwood (drums)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal
• Sound: Fast-paced and fun as hell, the sound on "Double Trouble" is straight-forward rockin' goodness!  Both Gers' and Tormé's guitar work is angry and punchy, yet wonderfully rich and compelling, McCoy and Underwood lay down some heavy-duty rhythms, Towns' keys soar, and Gillan is at the top of his game here!  This album is such a joy!
• Major themes: Violence, anger, rebellion, war, life, death, desire, sex, joy, music, etc.
• Tracks: 

Studio LP:  

1. "I'll Rip Your Spine Out"
2. "Restless"
3. "Men Of War"
4. "Sunbeam"
5. "Nightmare"
6. "Hadely Bop Bop"
7. "Life Goes On"
   
8. "Born To Kill"

Live LP: 

1. "No Laughing In Heaven"
2. "No Easy Way"
3. "Trouble"
4. "Mutually Assured Destruction"
5. "If You Believe Me"
6. "New Orleans"
7. "Bite The Bullet"
8. "On The Rocks"
9. "Mr. Universe"
10. "Vengeance"
11. "Smoke On The Water" (Deep Purple cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Illuminated Brew Works (Chicago, Illinois)
• Website: http://www.ibw-chicago.com/
• Brew: Fruit Creep Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA
• Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA) / Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.5%
• Ingredients: Motueka, Citra, and Mandarina Bavaria hops
• Pour: The Fruit Creep pours a very murky, bright orange (it looks just like orange juice!) with a creamy, 1-finger head with good retention and sustained spider web lacing.
• Nose: Lots of great citrus and sweet malts in the nose of this one.  There are big aromas of juicy orange, lemon, grapefruit, caramel/toffee, and fresh bread.
• Taste: Like the nose, the flavor is a really well-balanced blend of huge juicy and hoppy citrus, tropical flavors, and sweet malts.  There are big citrusy notes of orange, tangerine, grapefruit, along with tropical notes of mango, pineapple, papaya, pear, melon, guava, and more subtle notes of soft caramel, butter toffee, cereal, and slight hints of herbal tea.
• Mouthfeel: Well-carbonated, this light to medium-bodied brew is crisp, smooth and refreshing with a clean finish.

Overall pairing: Those punchy, citrusy, fruity, and slightly bitter flavors of the Illuminated Fruit Creep Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA just work so perfectly well with the amazing heavy rock and roll stylings of the might Gillan!  The soaring vocals and guitar work shines even brighter with the citrus notes, while that hoppy bite is right in line with the lyrics and thunderous rhythm section!!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!

May 2nd, 2026 - The Cold Slither of Hop Venom

 

Minions of Cobra... and metal maniacs and hop heads of all ages!  It is I, Cobra Commander!  I've commandeered this silly blog from that bubbling fool, the Meista to post the only pairing that matters... "Cold Slither", the kick-ass, self-titled debut album by Cold Slither, a band that I masterfully created, produced, and promoted and a hoppy and delicious Hop Venom Double IPA from the slaves of Cobra at Boneyard Beer!  Hell yeah!! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Cold Slither
• Title: "Cold Slither"
• Recorded: 2025 
• Release date: July 25th, 2025 (1st studio album by Cold Slither)
• Record company: Reigning Phoenix Music (now a subsidiary of Cobra)
• Production: Gus Rios, who will claim he produced this album, but it was me, Cobra Commander!
• Album cover art: Steve Beach (as "persuaded" by Destro and Dr. Mindbender)
• Personnel: Buzzer aka Andy Selway (drums), Ripper aka Matt Harvey (guitars), Torch aka Ross Sewage (guitars), and Zartan aka Gus Rios (bass and lead vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock, glam metal
• Sound: Steeped in 1980s metal and hard rock, the sound on "Cold Slither" is as rockin' as it is nostalgic!  Sure, this is silly, but silliness perfectly executed by master musicians from the likes of Exhumed, Ghoul, Gruesome, Impaled, Left To Die, KMFDM, Pounder, etc.!  While the lyrics may be silly, the music and musical prowess of these guys is definitely not... the guitars are fiery, the bass is heavy, and the drums are thunderous!
• Major themes: With songs based on mid-1980s G.I. Joe (clowns!) cartoon plots, themes on the album include anti-establishment, rebellion, mind control, the unstoppable Cobra, the Dreadnoks, crime, light terrorism, revenge, new world order, greed, danger, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Welcome To The Swamp (Intro)"
2. "Cold Slither"
3. "Knock 'Em Dead"
4. "Thunder Machine"
5. "Zartan's Revenge"
6. "Snakes On The Bayou"
7. "Torched"
8. "Under The Dreadnok's Spell"
9. "Master Of Disguise"
10. "The Ballad Of Buzzer"
11. "These Fluffies Are Fatal"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Boneyard Beer (Bend, Oregon)
• Website: https://boneyardbeer.com/
• Brew: Hop Venom Double IPA
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 9.0%
• IBUs: 60
• Ingredients: Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook, and CTZ hops
• Pour: The Hop Venom pours a hazy, amber hue with a frothy, off-white, 1-finger head with good retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, dank, earthy, herbal, malty, and floral.  There are aromas of tangerine, orange zest, grapefruit rind, pine resin, cedar, fresh herbs, wildflowers, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Hop Venom follows the nose with lots of punchy, hop-forward, citrusy, herbal, and malty flavors.  There are notes of tangerine, pink grapefruit juice, light mango, pine, black tea, burnt toffee, and bitter herbs.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the Hop Venom's mouthfeel is very crisp and hoppy with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The punchy and aggressive, yet fruity and complex flavors and aromas of the Hop Venom Double IPA is sure to get you all charged up for the (snake) pit!  And that my friends is exactly the kind of beer you want when blasting the highly intense, powerfully rockin' sonic punch that is the mighty and indelible Cold Slither!  I also think the album artwork and the can label work well together. 

Hail Cobra!!  I will rule this world, and you will all bow before me!

"We're Cold Slither; you'll be joining us soon. A band of vipers playin' our tune. With an iron fist/ And a reptile hiss/ We shall rule! CHORUS: We're tired of words! We've heard it before. We're not gonna play the game no more! Don't tell us what's right, don't tell us what's wrong! Too late to resist, 'cause Cobra is strong. We're Cold Slither, heavy metal machine Through the eyes of a lizard king you will dream. When the venom stings/ A new order brings/ Our control!"

May 2nd, 2026 - The Gooding Farms Demos

 

Hello, hails, and happy Saturday evil-doers and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here today pairing "The Demos", the wonderful snapshot of the early years of death metal legends Malevolent Creation and a very tasty and hoppy Gooding Farms India Pale Ale from Offset Bier!  Hell yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Malevolent Creation 
• Title: "The Demos"
• Recorded: 1987 through 1993 at various locations
• Release date: November 27th, 2020 (9th compilation album released by Malevolent Creation)
• Record company: Vic Records
• Production: Malevolent Creation
• Album cover art: Thomas Pinheiro 
• Personnel: Jason Blachowicz (bass), Phil Fasciana (guitars), Lee Harrison (drums), Brett Hoffmann (vocals), Dennis Kubas (drums), Alex Marquez (drums), Jim Nickles (guitars), Scott O'Dell (bass), Jon Rubin (guitars), Mark Simpson (drums), and Mark Van Erp (bass) 
• Musical style: Death metal, thrash metal
• Sound: Raw, 
• Major themes: Death, horror, murder, evil, isolation, loss, darkness, violence, war, crime, etc.
• Tracks: 

Disc 1:

1. "Sacrificial Annihilation" (Demo 1987) 
2. "The Traitor Must Pay" (Demo 1987) 
3. "Confirmed Kill" (Demo 1987) 
4. "Injected Sufferage" (Demo 1989) 
5. "Epileptic Seizure" (Demo 1989) 
6. "Violent Offspring" (Demo 1989) 
7. "Remnants Of Withered Decay" (Demo 1990) 
8. "Decadence Within" (Demo 1990) 
9. "Impaled Existence" (Demo 1990) 
10. "Decadence Within" (Live at The Thrashcan 17/08/1990) 
11. "Multiple Stabwounds" (Live at The Thrashcan 17/08/1990) 
12. "Impaled Existence" (Live at The Thrashcan 17/08/1990) 
13. "Sacrificial Annihilation" (Live at The Thrashcan 17/08/1990) 
14. "Epileptic Seizure" (Live at The Thrashcan 17/08/1990) 

Disc 2: 

1. "Malevolent Creation" (Live Demo 1989) 
2. "Remnants Of Withered Decay" (Live Demo 1989) 
3. "Darkness Within (The Human Corporation)" (Live Demo 1989) 
4. "Epileptic Seizure" (Live Demo 1989) 
5. "Sacrificial Annihilation" (Live Demo 1989) 
6. "Scout Woman" (Live Demo 1989) 
7. "Violent Offspring" (Live Demo 1989) 
8. "Injected Sufferage" (Live Demo 1989) 
9. "No Flesh Shall Be Spared" (Live EP 1993)
10. "Coronation Of Our Domain" (Live EP 1993)
11. "Premature Burial" (Live EP 1993)
12. "Slaughter Of Innocence" (Live EP 1993)
13. "Thou Shall Kill" (Live EP 1993)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
• Website: https://offsetbier.com/
• Brew: Gooding Farms India Pale Ale
• Style: West Coast India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Vera, Idaho Gem, Citra, and Amarillo Cryo hops
• Pour: The Gooding Farms IPA pours a slightly cloudy, muted, golden-yellow hue with a frothy, but thin, bright white head that dissipates to a thin ring with light lacing. 
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, dank, floral, and malty.  There are aromas of tangerine, grapefruit rind, stone fruit (apricot), freshly cut pineapple, pine resin, a hint of toffee, and light, crackery biscuit.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: citrusy, hoppy, grainy and malty.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, pineapple, lemon zest, hints of dank pine, white pepper, and soft, sweet toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Gooding Farms IPA is very crisp, yet smooth with a dry, clean, and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Offset's Gooding Farms IPA is wonderfully balanced, hoppy, and bold... a perfect brew for throwing back while the extreme metal insanity and artistic integrity of Malevolent Creation's raw, brutal, and fiery "The Demos" is crushing your fragile soul!!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out these interviews I conducted with former Malevolent Creation members: 

• Lee Harrison: https://youtu.be/9YBn3gNFyBU
• Alex Marquez: https://youtu.be/MMjyl0-4B40
• Mark van Erp: https://youtu.be/53fZFW7YzVU

Cheers and hails!!

May 1st, 2026 - The Knights Who Say Wee for the Album of the Soundtrack of the Trailer of the Film Monty Python and the Holy Grail

 

"And Now For Something Completely Different..."

Good evening keepers of the sacred words!  It is Friday, so what the hell... let's do another pairing!  Your drinkin' pal the Meista here pairing Monty Python's "The Album Of The Soundtrack Of The Trailer Of The Film Monty Python And The Holy Grail" and a The Knights Who Say Wee, Wee Heavy Scotch Ale from the fine folks at Proper Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Monty Python
• Title: "The Album Of The Soundtrack Of The Trailer Of The Film Monty Python And The Holy Grail"
• Recorded: 1974 though1975 at Sunrise Music And Recording Ltd.
  Release date: July 1975
• Record company: Charisma / Arista
• Production: Kay Gee Bee Music Ltd. for Python (Monty) Pictures
• Album cover art: Terry Gilliam
• Personnel: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin
• Additional personnel: Douglas Adams, Connie Booth, Bee Duffell, Neil Innes, and John Young
• Style: Comedy Soundtrack
• Major themes: Pure silliness!
• Tracks: 

1. "Introduction To The Executive Version"
2. "Tour Of The Classic Silbury Hill Theatre"
3. "Live Broadcast From London: Premiere Of The Film"
4. "Narration From The Silbury Hill Gentlemen's Room / You're Using Coconuts"
5. "Bring Out Your Dead"
6. "King Arthur And The Old Woman: A Lesson In Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune Living"
7. "A Witch?"
8. "A Lesson In Logic"
9. "Knights of the Round Table"
10. The Quest For The Holy Grail"
11. "Live From The Parking Lot At The Silbury Hill Theatre"
12. "The Castle Of Louis De Lombard: A Strange Person"
13. "Bomb Scare"
14. "This Is Side Two!"
15. "Executive Version Announcement - Apology"
16. "The Story Of The Film So Far"
17. "The Tale Of Sir Robin"
18. "The Knights Who Say Ni!"
19. "Interview with Filmmaker Carl French"
20. "The Tale Of Sir Lancelot: At Swamp Castle"
21. "Tim the Enchanter/ A Shakespearean Critique"
22. "A Foul-Tempered Rabbit"
23. "Executive Version Addendum"
24. "The Castle Aaargh / The End"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/ 
• Brew: The Knights Who Say Wee, Wee Heavy Scotch Ale
• Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.0%
• IBUs: 25
• Pour: The Knights Who Say Wee pours a deep, dark mahogany brown hue with a thin, off-white head that dissipates fairly quickly, leaving only trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, bready, sweet, roasty, and toasty.  There are aromas of roasted barley, dark toasted sweet bread, oak, a hint of bourbon, caramel, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste of The Knights Who Say Wee follows the nose with malty, sweet, roasty, and toasty flavors.  There are notes of dark roasted malts, hearty barley, sweet caramel, burnt toffee, and a hint of bourbon.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of The Knights Who Say Wee is thick and smooth, yet crisp with a dry and somewhat sweet and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: "Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say `Ni' at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history."

Cheers!!

May 1st, 2026 - Prepare the Longships and Sing Your Battle Ballads!

 

Góðan dag and happy Friday my friends!  The Meista here today channeling my Viking heritage with a pairing of a bold and tasty Longship IPA from the fine folks at the Mad Swede Brewing Company and the wonderful "Battle Ballads" from the mighty Týr!  Hells yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Týr 
• Title: "Battle Ballads" 
• Recorded: late 2023 at Hansen Studios, Studio Bloch, and Sono Studios
• Release date: April 12th, 2026 (9th studio album by Týr)
• Record company: Metal Blade Records 
• Production: Týr 
• Album cover art: Gyula Havancsák 
• Personnel: Hans Hammer (guitars and choir), Heri Joensen (guitars, and lead and choir vocals), Tadeusz Rieckmann (drums and choir vocals), and Gunnar Thomsen (bass, and backing and choir vocals)
• Guest musicians: Haraldur Sveinbjörnsson (orchestration on "Torkils Døtur") and Lars Vinther (orchestration)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, folk metal, Viking metal 
• Sound: With "Battle Ballads", the mighty Týr proves once again that they are not only thoughtful, outstanding musicians, but adaptable and relevant.  Musically, "Battle Ballads" is a powerhouse of metal integrity and artistry!  It combines wonderfully rich folk melodies and choruses with profoundly powerful and soaring Viking metal guitar, bass, and drum work!  It is both aggressive and melodic... and simply wonderful!  This is yet another gem in the vast Týr anthology!  
• Major themes: With songs about the principal lifestyle and culture of ancient Vikings, themes on the album include Viking lore, history, and paganism, tradition, culture, mythology, life, violence, death, valor, music, destiny, etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Hammered"
2. "Unwandered Ways"
3. "Dragons Never Die"
4. "Row"
5. "Torkils Døtur"
6. "Vælkomnir Føroyingar"
7. "Hangman"
8. "Axes"
9. "Battle Ballad"
10. "Causa Latronum Normannorum"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mad Swede Brewing Company (Boise, Idaho)
• Website: https://madswedebrewing.com/
• Brew: Longship IPA 
• Style: Northwest India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.6%
• IBUs: 60
• Pour: The Longship IPA pours a fairly clear, deep bonze-amber with a billowy, 1+ finger, off-white head with great retention and lot of sticky, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is earthy, citrusy, spicy, and malty.  There are aromas of wet pine needles, cedar, grapefruit rind, tangerine, lemon zest, hints of onion, herbal tea, and light toffee.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Longship IPA is very hoppy and malty.  There are notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pine resin, black tea, black pepper, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium in body with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, slightly bitter, yet smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The well-balanced Longship IPA from Mad Swede is a complex, hoppy, yet very drinkable brew... great for tossing back on whilst singing battle songs with your brethren and rocking out to the wonderful melodies of the amazing Týr and their most recent triumph, "Battle Ballads"!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with drummer Tadeusz Rieckmann from waaaay back in 2019 here: https://brewsandtunes.blogspot.com/2019/08/august-24th-2019-far-from-worries-of.html

Skål!  Rock on!!

April 30th, 2026 - Togo, Obey!

 

Good evening and happy Thursday metal maniacs, and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here tonight pairing a delicious Togo Vienna Lager from my friends at Ogden Beer Company in collaboration with Wolfdog Brewing and the heavy hitting "Obey" from San Diego/Phoenix metal band Benedictum!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Benedictum
• Title: "Obey"
• Recorded: 2013
• Release date: November 29th, 2013 (4th studio album by Benedictum)
• Record company: Frontiers Records
• Production: John Herrera 
• Album cover art: Robert Mello (artwork and design)
• Personnel: Aric Avina (bass and backing vocals), Veronica Freeman (lead vocals), Rikard Stjernquist (drums and backing vocals), and Pete Wells (guitars and backing vocals)
• Guest musicians: Tony Martin (vocals on "Cry"), Nina Osegueda (vocals on "Thornz"), Joshua Schwartz (acoustic guitar on "Cry"), and Lissa Voigt (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal
• Sound: In the tradition of bands like Chastain, Doro, and Hellion, Benedictum's sound on "Obey" is a pure adrenaline heavy metal sonic attack!  With Freeman's aggressive, yet beautiful vocals as the focal point, the band lays down track after track of stellar musical prowess!  
• Major themes: Life, death, darkness, freedom, inner strength, aggression, anger, rebellion, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Dream Of The Banshee"
2. "Fractured"
3. "Obey"
4. "Fighting For My Life"
5. "Scream"
6. "Evil That We Do"
7. "Crossing Over"
8. "Cry"
9. "Thornz"
10. "Die To Love You"
11. "Apex Nation"
12. "Retrograde"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah) in collaboration with Wolfdog Brewing (Sandy, Utah)
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/ 
• Brew: Togo Vienna Lager 
• Style: Vienna Lager
• Serving: 32 ounce crowler can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Hallertau Mittelfrüh, Czech Saaz, and Tettnang hops
• Pour: The Togo pours a clear, rich burnt toffee color with a 1-finger, off-white, frothy head with great retention and lots of soapy, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by malty, biscuity, slightly fruity, floral, and lightly herbal aromas.  There are aromas of toasted malts, apple/pear, wildflowers, fresh herbs, and soft caramel.
• Taste: Well-balanced, the Togo is a nice blend of bready, grainy, malty, and herbal flavors.  There are notes of toasted bread, bread crust, roasted malts, crackery biscuit, light apple, herbal hops, and light, sweet caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with a dry, clean finish. 

Overall pairing: The inviting and crushable flavors and aromas of the delicious Togo Vienna Lager from Ogden Beer Company/Wolfdog Brewing is a great brew for the crush whilst banging your head and shaking your fists to the heavy-duty, yet melodic metal onslaught that is Benedictum!  The roasty, toasty, and malty flavors are great for Freeman's powerful vocal attack along with the intensity of the band as a whole!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!