September 18th, 2026 - I'm a Man on a Mission to Oktoberfest!

Guten Abend!  With Oktoberfest starting tomorrow in Munich, Germany, I thought I'd pair an Oktoberfest lager with a Munich metal band, so I'm rocking out with "The Best (Of)" from German power metal monsters Gamma Ray and a tasty, smooth, and crisp Oktoberfest German-Style Lager from the fine folks at Mother Earth Brew Company!  Hell yeah!!  This pairing is dedicated to my friend and fellow Gamma Ray fan, Mr. Carlos Alvarez... prost, brother!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Gamma Ray
• Title: "The Best (Of)"
• Recorded: 1991 through 2014 in various studios
• Release date: January 30th, 2015 (4th compilation album released by Gamma Ray)
• Record company: EarMusic
• Production: various and Gamma Ray (remastered by Eike Freese)
• Album cover art: Alexander Mertsch
• Personnel: Michael Ehré (drums), Kai Hansen (rhythm and lead guitar, and lead and backing vocals), Uli Kusch (drums), Thomas Nack (drums), Henjo Richter (lead and rhythm guitar, and keyboards), Jan Rubach (bass), Ralf Scheepers (lead vocals), Dirk Schlächter (bass, lead and rhythm guitar, keyboards, and piano), Uwe Wessel (bass), and Dan Zimmermann (drums)
• Additional musicians: Tommy Hansen (keyboards), Michael Kiske (vocals), Hansi Kürsch (vocals), Axel Mackenrott (keyboards), Tommy Newton (guitars), Sascha Paeth (keyboards), Piet Sielck (vocals, keyboards, and guitars), and Thomas Stauch (drums)
• Musical style: Power metal, speed metal
• Sound: Fiery fast, bombastic, melodic - all traits of the wonderful over 30-year career of the mighty Gamma Ray!  Highlighting some of their greatest songs and all remastered to perfection, "The Best (Of)" is wonderful metal romp!  Kai Hansen's guitar work alone is worth every penny!!
• Major themes: Good vs. evil, life and death, heavy metal, love, power, might, perseverance, aggression, etc.
• Tracks:

Disc 1: 

1. "Armageddon"
2. "Heaven Can Wait"
3. "Hellbent"
4. "Dream Healer"
5. "Land Of The Free"
6. "To The Metal"
7. "Somewhere Out In Space"
8. "Real World"
9. "Induction"
10. "Dethrone Tyranny"
11. "Rebellion In Dreamland"
12. "Heading For Tomorrow"

Disc 2:

1. "Eagle"
2. "Avalon"
3. "Man On A Mission"
4. "The Spirit"
5. "Tribute To The Past"
6. "Empathy"
7. "Valley Of The Kings"
8. "Lust For Life"
9. "Master Of Confusion"
10. "Blood Religion"
11. "Time To Break Free"
12. "Insurrection"
13. "Send Me A Sign"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brew Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Oktoberfest German-Style Lager
• Style: Festbier / Märzen / German Lager
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• IBUs: 24
• Ingredients: German Pilsner, Vienna, and Munich malts with Hallertau Mittelfruh and Tettnanger hops
• Pour: The Oktoberfest pours a clear, golden orange hue with an off-white, frothy, 1-finger head with good retention and lots of sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grainy, bready, earthy, and floral.  There are aromas of toasted bread, cracked wheat, honey, and light, grassy hops.
• Taste: The taste of the Oktoberfest follows the nose with bready, grainy, malty, and earthy flavors.  There are notes of toasted white bread, earthy honey, crackery biscuit, light floral hops, and light caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and low bitterness, the mouthfeel of the Oktoberfest is very crisp and smooth with a dry, crackery, and clean finish.

Overall pairing: When you are rocking the hell out to the intense metal prowess of the ass-kickers known as Gamma Ray, you want a brew that goes down easy, but with great flavor... thus the wonderful Oktoberfest German-Style Lager from Mother Earth Brew Company!  Those toasty and malty notes are perfect for the meaty guitars and heavy-duty rhythm section while the sweeter notes go great with those wonderful melodies!

Zum Wohl!!  Hails!!  Cheers To The Metal!!!

September 13th, 2026 - Rise Up Under the Sign of the Black Mark

 

Hey there evil-doers, headbangers, and craft brew freaks!   Happy Sunday!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here with another killer pairing for ya... "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark", the infernal 3rd album by Bathory and a Rise Oak Aged Witbier from Home Range Brewing!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Bathory
• Title: "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark"
• Recorded: September through November 1986 at Heaven Shore Studio in Stockholm, Sweden
• Release date: May 11th, 1987 (3rd full-length studio album by Bathory)
• Record company: Black Mark Production / Under One Flag
• Production: Quorthon aka Thomas Börje Forsberg and The Boss aka Stig Börje Forsberg
• Album cover art: Gunnar Silins (photography)
• Personnel: Quorthon (guitars, bass, keyboards, and vocals)
• Additional musician: Paul Lundburg (drums) and Christer Sandström (additional bass)
• Musical style: Extreme metal, black metal, thrash metal
• Sound: Considered the first true wholly black metal album, "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark" is raw, aggressive, definitive... this is groundbreaking and highly influential stuff!  Combining the aggressive and evilness of Venom and the punky speed and ferocity of Motorhead, Bathory was years ahead of their time and creating blackened metal.  
• Major themes: Hell, death, war, evil, darkness, black magic, Satanism, the occult, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Nocternal Obeisance"
2. "Massacre"
3. "Woman Of Dark Desires"
4. "Call From The Grave"
5. "Equimanthorn"
6. "Enter The Eternal Fire"
7. "Chariots Of Fire"
8. "13 Candles"
9. "Of Doom......"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Home Range Brewing (Logan, Utah
• Website: https://www.homerangebeer.com/
• Brew: Rise Oak Aged Witbier
• Style: Witbier
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Rise pours a cloudy, bright golden-pear yellow hue with a bright white, very frothy 2+ finger head with great retention and lots of soapy, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, yeasty, malty, woody, and slightly tart.  There are notes of lemon zest and juice, orange zest, coriander, cracked wheat, Belgian yeast, chamomile, freshly baked sourdough bread, oak, a hint of banana, and light hops.
• Taste: Following the nose, the flavor of the Rise is characterized by notes of lemon juice and zest, Belgian yeast, chamomile tea, oak, honey, and light hops and grains.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Rise is crisp and malty with a dry, slightly tart finish.

Overall pairing: The Rise Oak Aged Witbier from Home Range Brewing is a crisp, light, ... a great foil the blackened intensity and heavy metal punch that is the infernal and powerful "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark"!  I highly recommend both the album and the brew!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!! 

September 12th, 2026 - Breaking the Silence... With "Lasers"

 

Guten tag and hails thrashers and hop heads!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out today to "Breaking The Silence", the killer 4th album from the legendary German thrash metal band Assassin and a delicious and hoppy Laser Kiwi India Pale Ale from Offset Bier Company!  Hells yeah!!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Assassin
• Title: "Breaking The Silence"
• Recorded: 2010 at AGD Hauptquarter in Düsseldorf, Germany, Airport 1 Studio in Düsseldorf, Germany, and Klangwelt Studio in Essen, Germany
  Release date: February 25th, 2011 (4th studio album by Assassin)
• Record company: Steamhammer
• Production: Harris Johns 
• Album cover art: Plamen Kolev 
• Personnel: Robert Gonnella (vocals), Michael Hoffmann (guitars), Joachim Kremer (bass), Jürgen "Scholli" Scholz (guitars), and Björn "Burn" Sondermann (drums) 
• Additional musician: Harris Johns (lead guitar on "I Like Cola")
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal
• Sound: Fast, aggressive, and raw, this is true, classic Teutonic thrash at its best!  This will take you right back to those early days of the thrash metal movement!
• Major themes: Violence, war, death, darkness, survival, politics, rebellion, humor, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Breaking The Silence"
2. "Raise In The Dark"
3. "Judas"
4. "Turf War"
5. "Destroy The State"
6. "No Fear"
7. "Kill Or Be Killed"
8. "Real Friends"
9. "Strike Back"
10. "I Like Cola" (Outo cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
• Website: https://offsetbier.com/
• Brew: Laser Kiwi India Pale Ale
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Nectaron, Nelson, and Riwaka hops
• Pour: The Laser Kiwi IPA pours a hazy, bright golden-yellow hue with a 1+ finger, frothy, bright white head with great retention and lots of sudsy lacing. 
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is tropical, citrusy, sweet, and malty.  There are aromas of kiwi, gooseberry, pineapple, passion fruit, grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange zest, a slight hint of pine resin, crackery biscuit, and light caramel.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: fruity, citrusy, hoppy, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of kiwi, gooseberry pineapple, passion fruit, mango, pink grapefruit juice, orange juice, tangerine, peach, apricot, and a hint of soft toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Laser Kiwi IPA is very crisp, juicy, and smooth with a clean, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The complex, yet very inviting flavors and aromas of the Offset Laser Kiwi India Pale Ale are perfect for the thrash metal punch and high energy of Assassin!  Those hoppy aromas and flavors are great for the straightforward rocking depth of the dual guitar work of Hoffmann and Scholli, while the sweeter malt notes are great for the fast, melodic rhythms of Kremer and Burn, and Gonnella's vocal prowess shines even more with those tropical fruit flavors!

Make sure to check out with my interview with ex-Assassin vocalist Robert Gonnella from several years ago here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfX-gk0ONX4&t=1s

Prost and hails!!

September 11th, 2026 - This Hazification is a Prelude to Our Demise

 

Hello metal maniacs, evil-doers, and hop lovers!  Happy Friday!  The Meista here getting the weekend started off right with a kick-ass brew and rockin' album... Fisher Brewing Company's East Coast Style Hazification IPA and the fantastic "A Prelude To Our Demise", the debut album by 3 Mile Scream!

Album Info: 

• Artist: 3 Mile Scream
• Title: "A Prelude To Our Demise"
• Recorded: 2006 at JFD Studio and Mixart Studios
• Release date: November 21st, 2006 (1st studio album by 3 Mile Scream)
• Record company: Corporate Punishment Records 
• Production: J-F Dagenais
• Album cover art: Gab.357
• Personnel: Alex Delis (guitars), Norm Geneau (drums), Kyle Kozlan (guitars), Mike Marino (bass), and Matt McGachy (vocals) 
• Musical style: Melodic death metal, metalcore, thrash metal
• Sound: Aggressive, fiery fast, intense, yet melodic, the sound on "A Prelude To Our Demise" is a wonderful blend of melo death and metalcore elements with a splash of thrash.  And as always, McGachy's vocals are both impressive and mesmorizing!  
• Major themes: Death, darkness, oblivion, sorrow, demise, rebellion, regret, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Prelude"
2. "Mourning The Lost"
3. "Forced Entry"
4. "Our Blackened Sun"
5. "Dare To Question"
6. "Confession"
7. "Escape The Irony"
8. "What Once Was"
9. "Apathy"
10. "Crippled Nation"
11. "Repent"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Fisher Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.fisherbeer.com/
• Brew: Hazification 
• Style: East Coast India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.0%
• Ingredients: Citra and Mosaic hops 
• Pour: The Hazification pours a hazy copper-amber with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with great retention and lots of intricate sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a big hop blast of citrus and tropical fruit along with berries and sweet malts.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, orange, tangerine, lemon zest, strawberry, lime, mango, passion fruit, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose... big citrus, tropical fruit, berries, and sweet malts.  There are notes of juicy pink grapefruit, orange juice, strawberry, tangerine, lemon zest, mango, herbal tea, light herbs, and sweet caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, yet smooth with a dry, rather clean finish.

Overall pairing: I put together this particular pairing for 2 specific reasons: 1) I really dig both this album and this brew! 2) I think the complex and punchy citrusy hop flavors of the Hazification work great with the profoundly powerful, well-written, and intense metal punch of 3 Mile Scream's "A Prelude To Our Demise"!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with vocalist Matt McGachy here: https://youtu.be/OVxRheCol7s 

Cheers and hails!!

September 7th, 2026 - Activate the Homemade Spaceship!

 

Hello and happy Labor Day evil-doers, thrashers, craft beer freaks, and amateur astronauts!  Your heavy metal drinking buddy, the Meista here today pairing "Activate", the 2-track single by badass thrashers Vektor and a crisp and delicious Homemade Spaceship NZ Pilsner from Lumberbeard Brewing!

Album Info:

• Artist: Vektor
• Title: "Activate" 2-track single
• Recorded: 2021 at Villain Records
• Release date: April 2nd, 2021 (4th single CD released by Vektor)
• Record company: District 19
• Production: Byron Filson and Vektor
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Stephen Coon (bass), David DiSanto (guitars and vocals), Erik Nelson (guitars), and Mike Ohlson (drums)
• Musical style: Technical thrash metal, progressive metal with elements of black metal and death metal
• Sound: Combining elements of old school thrash metal with technical death metal, progressive metal, and a touch of black metal and ambient, Vektor's sound is both unique and brutal!  Without being pretentious, "Activate / Dead By Dawn" is very complex, experimental, violent, and completely enthralling!   The guitar work is fast, furious, and sometimes chaotic!  The drumming is machine gun fire aggression!  And the bass work is in league with the guitar work... a blistering fast pummeling!
• Major themes: Isolation, darkness, death, sci-fi, horror, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Activate"
2. "Dead By Dawn"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lumberbeard Brewing (Spokane, Washington)
• Website: https://lumberbeardbrewing.com/
• Brew: Homemade Spaceship NZ Pilsner
• Style: New Zealand-style Pilsner
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.7%
• Ingredients: Linc Malt Spelt and Francin Pilsner malts, dry hopped with Motueka and Nectaron with Nelson Bliss hop kief
• Pour: The Homemade Spaceship pours a clear, bright golden-yellow hue with a 2-finger, frothy, bright white head that dissipates to a half-finger ring with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grainy, grassy, toasty, and slightly citrusy and hoppy.  There are aromas of crackery biscuit, freshly cut hay, orange zest, lemongrass, lemon zest, lime, mango, kiwi, a splash of honey, and a healthy dose of grassy and noble hops.
• Taste: The taste of the Homemade Spaceship follows the nose with grassy, citrusy, biscuity, and grainy flavors.  There are notes of lightly toasted white bread, crackery biscuit, stoneground crackers, lemon zest, lime, orange peel, kiwi, mango, guava, and a hint of raw honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Postcards is very crisp and smooth with a very dry, slightly bitter, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Lumberbeard Homemade Spaceship ZN Pilsner is a crushable, crisp, and hop-forward pilsner... perfect for the power metal onslaught that is Vektor's "Activate" 2-track single!  Those bright and slightly citrusy notes go great with wonderful dual guitar work of Nelson and DiSanto, while the crackery, malty flavors are great for lyrical content and the wonderfully rich and aggressive vocal attack of DiSanto, and the monster rhythm section of Coon and Ohlson!

And make sure to check out my interview from a few years back with Vektor guitarist Erik Nelson here: https://youtu.be/Kz_Y5t3kWo4

Hails!!

September 6th, 2026 - A Back Draught for the Arsonist

 

Guten tag and happy Sunday, thrashers, metal maniacs, and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here pairing a delicious Back Draught American Style Pilsner from my friends at Ogden Beer Company and the fast, furious, and heavy hitting "The Arsonist", the most recent album from the mighty Sodom!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Sodom
• Title: "The Arsonist"
• Recorded: August through December 2024 at "Staudio-Studio" in Essen-Altenessen, Germany and Studio "Zeche König Ludwig" in Recklinghausen, Germany
• Release date: June 27th, 2025 (17th studio album from Sodom)
• Record company: Steamhammer / SPV
• Production: Toni Merkel, Sebastian "Sebel" Breidecker, and Sodom
• Album cover art: Zbigniew Bielak
• Personnel: Tom Angelripper (bass and vocals), Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (guitars) and backing vocals, Toni Merkel (drums and backing vocals), and Yorck Segatz (guitars and backing vocals)
• Guest musicians: Stian Hiller (choir vocals on "Battle Of Harvest Moon" and "Witchhunter") and Alan Kassab (choir vocals on "Battle Of Harvest Moon" and "Witchhunter")
• Musical style: Thrash metal
• Sound: This is classic Sodom... fast, fiery, aggressive as hell, and just as angry, but with a fresh, more modern approach!  Sodom is a juggernaut... Angelripper's vocals are gripping and harsh, and totally perfect!  The guitar work of Blackfire and Segatz is fiery, crushing, and furious!  And Merkel's machine gun drumming coupled with Angelripper's thunderous bass is the embodiment of thrash metal perfection!
• Major themes: War, fire, anger, hate, death, violence, evil, darkness, the occult, power, mythology, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "The Arsonist"
2. "Battle Of Harvest Moon"
3. "Trigger Discipline"
4. "The Spirits That I Called"
5. "Witchhunter"
6. "Scavenger"
7. "Gun Without Groom"
8. "Taphephobia"
9. "Sane Insanity"
10. "A.W.T.F."
11. "Twilight Void"
12. "Obliteration Of The Aeons"
13. "Return To God In Parts"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah) 
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/ 
• Brew: Back Draught American Style Pilsner
• Style: American Pilsner
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Back Draught pours a clear, bright golden-yellow hue with a 2-finger, bright white, frothy head with great retention and lots of soapy, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by grainy, malty, and slightly fruity aromas.  There are aromas of freshly cut hay, lightly toasted white bread, Pilsner malt, light biscuit, and a hint of apple.
• Taste: Well-balanced, the Back Draught is a nice blend of bready, grainy, malty, and subtly fruity flavors.  There are notes of toasted white bread, crackery biscuit, .
• Mouthfeel: Light in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is of the Back Draught is crisp and smooth with a dry, clean finish. 

Overall pairing: The inviting and crushable flavors and aromas of the delicious Back Draught American Style Pilsner from Ogden Beer Company is a great brew for the crush whilst banging your head and shaking your fists to the heavy-duty thrash metal onslaught that is the legendary Sodom!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my recent interview with ex-Sodom guitarist, Andy Brings here: https://youtu.be/QzmN0eWnIqU

Prost and hails!!

September 5th, 2026 - The Lizard King's Satanic Chaos Legions

 

Hello and happy Saturday evil-doers, metal maniacs, and hop heads!  The Meista here getting heavy and aggressive today with the wonderful "Satanic Chaos Legions", the last album by the legendary and kickass Nunslaughter and a bright and hoppy Lizard King Mosaic Hopped Pale Ale from Pipeworks Brewing Company!  Hells yes!

Album Info:

• Artist: Nunslaughter
• Title: "Satanic Chaos Legions"
• Recorded: 2026 at Mercinary Studios in Avon, Ohio
• Release date: June 26th, 2026 (7th full-length studio album by Nunslaughter)
• Record company: BLKIIBLK Records
• Production: Nunslaughter
• Album cover art: Necrodevourer
• Personnel: Don of the Dead (vocals), Malum (bass), Tormentor (guitars), and Wrath (drums)
• Musical style: Death metal, thrash metal
• Sound: Fast, furious, and full of piss and vinegar, the sound on "Satanic Chaos Legions" is pure Nunslaughter... infernal blast beats, fiery riffs, and Don's intrepid vocal attack!  Absolutely fantastic!
• Major themes: Evil, darkness, violence, aggression, rage, the occult, Satanism, anti-Christianity, blasphemy, corruption, death, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Satanic Chaos Legions"
2. "Jesus Fucking Dies"
3. "Unsacrament"
4. "Christian Ruse"
5. "Die Your Own Death"
6. "Rotten Mesiah"
7. "Peukharist"
8. "In The Flames Of Inferno"
9. "Heavenless"
10. "Lucifer The Light"
11. "Cathedral Of Stench"
12. "Listen To the Lies"
13. "Infernal Reign"
14. "The Spear Of Satan"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Company (Chicago, Illinois)
• Website: https://pdubs.net/
• Brew: Lizard King Mosaic Hopped Pale Ale
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.0%
• Pour: The Lizard King pours a hazy golden-yellow with a frothy and firm, bright white, 1-finger head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by dank, herbal, fruity, citrusy, floral, and earthy aromas.  There are notes of melon, orange, grapefruit rind, hints of strawberry, lime, wet pine needles, wildflowers, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose with lots of citrus, fruity, herbal, and flavors.  There are notes of cantaloupe melon, orange peel, orange juice, and orange pith along with tangerine, grapefruit, light lime, light pine resin, crackery biscuit, and black pepper in the finish.  
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, a bit sharp (almost metallic), and a bit bitter with a dry, peppery finish.

Overall pairing: The big, bold, yet crushable hop flavors and aromas of Pipeworks' Lizard King seem to have been specifically brewed for the powerful, punchy, and infernal heaviness that is the mighty Nunslaughter!  Those melon and citrus hop notes go great with the aggressive approach this band takes to metal! 

Make sure to check out my interview with Don "Don of the Dead" Crotsley here: https://youtu.be/LIiLMLo_Nzo 

Cheers!!  And hails!!