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!!

September 4th, 2026 - Bathory's Doppelbock

 

Hey there evil-doers, headbangers, and craft brew freaks!   Happy Friday!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here with another killer pairing for ya... the seminal, infernal, groundbreaking, self-titled debut album by Bathory and a bold and flavorful Becker's Doppelbock from the fine folks at Becker's Beer and brewed by Proper Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Bathory
• Title: "Bathory"
• Recorded: June 1984 at Heaven Shore Studio in Stockholm, Sweden
• Release date: October 2nd, 1984 (1st full-length studio album by Bathory)
• Record company: Black Mark Production / 
• Production: Quorthon aka Thomas Börje Forsberg and The Boss aka Stig Börje Forsberg
• Album cover art: The cover image is a portion of a drawing retouched by Quorthon that was originally rendered in 1981 by Jos A. Smith for Erica Jong's book, Witches.
• Personnel: Stefan Larsson (drums) and Quorthon (guitars and vocals)
• Additional musician: Rickard "Ribban" Bergman (bass)
• Musical style: Extreme metal, black metal, thrash metal
• Sound: 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. "Storm Of Damnation / Hades"
2. "Reaper"
3. "Necromansy"
4. "Sacrifice"
5. "In Conspirasy With Satan"
6. "Armageddon"
7. "Raise The Dead"
8. "War"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Becker's Beer brewed by Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.beckersbeeroriginal.com/ and http://www.properbrewingco.com/ 
• Brew: Becker's Doppelbock
• Style: German-style Doppelbock / Bock Beer
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.2%
• IBUs: 25
• Pour: The Becker's Doppelbock pours a dark mahogany red hue with a thin, light mocha head with good retention and light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by malty, grainy, and slightly boozy and sweet aromas.  There are notes of bready malts, dark toasted bread, dark fruits, hearty barley, a hint of rich bourbon, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: The Becker's Doppelbock's taste, like the nose is malty, bread, and bold.  There are notes of hearty bread, roasted barley, a hint of booze, and sweet caramel/toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very smooth with a slightly sweet and slightly boozy finish with very low bitterness.

Overall pairing: The Becker's Doppelbock from Becker's Beer brewed by Proper Brewing Company is a very bold and solid offering of the style... great to pair with the intensity and heavy metal punch that is the infernal and powerful "Bathory"!  Those bold, hearty notes go great with the darker lyrics and overall aggressive metal attack, while the crushable maltiness is great for the terse and infernal vocals!   I highly recommend both the album and the brew!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!! 

August 30th, 2026 - Do You Think the Headless Children Have Separation Anxiety?

 

Good evening rivet-heads and hopheads!  Let's get back to the metal!  The Meista here tonight with one more pairing for ya today... W.A.S.P.'s killer 4th album "The Headless Children" and a wonderfully juicy and hoppy Separation Anxiety Hazy IPA from the fine folks at Mother Earth Brewing!  Hell yeah!  This pairing goes out to my friend Ollie!  Cheers buddy!

Album Info:

• Artist: W.A.S.P.
• Title: "The Headless Children"
• Recorded: 1988 in Hollywood, California
• Release date: March 21st, 1989 (4th album by W.A.S.P.)
• Record company: Capitol Records
• Production: Blackie Lawless
• Album cover art: John Kosh
• Personnel: Frankie Banali (drums), Chris Holmes (lead guitar), Blackie Lawless (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), and Johnny Rod (bass) 
• Additional musicians: Diana Fennel (backing vocals), Lita Ford (backing vocals), and Ken Hensley (keyboards)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: The release of "The Headless Children" marked a huge shift in style for the band, more lyrically than musically.  The rather juvenile sexual themes of Blackie Lawless' lyrics from the previous 3 albums were replaced with songs with a much darker and social-political focus... which is also reflected on the album's cover art.  Quite possibly my favorite album by the band, several of the all-time best W.A.S.P. tracks are included on this album: "The Heretic (The Lost Child)", the title track, "Mean Man", "Rebel In The F.D.G.", and classic cover (also of darker themes): "The Real Me" by the Who.  
• Major themes: Violence, poverty, addiction, children of the streets, depression, aggression, rage, madness, war, corruption, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "The Heretic (The Lost Child)"
2. "The Real Me" (The Who cover)
3. "The Headless Children"
4. "Thunderhead"
5. "Mean Man"
6. "The Neutron Bomber"
7. "Mephisto Waltz"
8. "Forever Free"
9. "Maneater"
10. "Rebel In The F.D.G."

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brewing Company (Vista, California and Nampa, Idaho)
• Website: https://www.motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Separation Anxiety Hazy IPA 
• Style: New England-style Hazy India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 25
• Pour: The Separation Anxiety 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, grapefruit rind, bright mango, stone fruit (soft peach and dried apricot), melon, wildflowers, freshly picked and cut strawberries, grassy hay, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: Fruit-forward and very juicy, the taste of the Separation Anxiety Hazy IPA is citrusy, fruity, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of tangerine, orange juice, orange pith, juicy melon, mango, a hint of pineapple, cantaloupe, sweet peach, ripe strawberries, 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 bold, juicy, punchy hop blast of Separation Anxiety Hazy IPA is perfect for the fast-paced sonic metal attack of W.A.S.P.'s classic and definitive "The Headless Children"!  After drinking a can or two of , the songs become your battle anthems!  So get on over to your favorite LOCAL heavy metal record store, pick up a copy of "The Headless Children," and grab a can of Mother Earth's Separation Anxiety Hazy IPA ... and prepare yourself for an evening of intensity, big flavour, big guitars, big hair, and unadulterated fun!  And if you down a few cans all by yourself in the time it takes the album to play through, you can relive Chris Holms' appearance in the movie "The Decline of Western Civilization!"  Ha! 

Cheers!!  Hails!!

August 30th, 2026 - Rotating IPA Tries to Look on the Bright Side of the Special Beat Service

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, rudeboys, skankers, and hop freaks!  Happy Sunday!  The Meista here today with a pairing dedicated to my friends Greg and Theresa Evans... "Special Beat Service" by the English Beat and a hoppy and very tasty Fisher Rotating India Pale Ale from the fine folks at Fisher Brewing Company!  Cheers you crazy kids!

Album Info:

• Artist: The English Beat (aka The Beat)
• Title: "Special Beat Service"
• Recorded: 1982 at Roundhouse Studios in London, England
• Release date: October 1st, 1982 (3rd full-length album by The English Beat)
• Record company: Go-Feet / I.R.S. Records
• Production: Bob Sargeant, Ranking Roger, and Mike Hedges
• Album cover art: Martyn Atkins (art direction) and Bruce Fleming (photography)
• Personnel: Andy Cox (guitar and mandolin), Wesley Magoogan (clarinet, lyricon, saxophone, sax FX unit), Everett Morton (drums), Ranking Roger (toasting, lead and backing vocals, and percussion), Saxa (saxophone), David Steele (bass and banjo), Dave Wakeling (guitars, and lead and backing vocals), and Dave "Blockhead" Wright (keyboards and piano)
• Guest musician: Pato Banton (toasting), Jack Emblow (accordion), Marc Fox (percussion), Dave Lord (trumpet), Markandey Mishra (tabla), Bob Sargeant (telephone and marimba), Steve Sidwell (trumpet), and Vince Sullivan (trombone) 
• Musical style: Ska, 2-tone, new wave, pop rock
• Sound: Blending ska, pop, soul, rock, reggae, new wave, and a bit of punk rock, with "Special Beat Service", The English Beat produced an upbeat, inviting, yet compelling and artistic album.  For me, this ablum is a paradox of both being nostalgic and also timeless.  And it will definitely get you bouncing! 
• Major themes: Life, love, relationships, loss, music, joy, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "I Confess"
2. "Jeanette"
3. "Sorry"
4. "Sole Salvation"
5. "Spar Wid Me"
6. "Rotating Head"
7. "Save It For Later"
8. "She's Going"
9. "Pato And Roger Ago Talk"
10. "Sugar And Stress"
11. "End Of The Party"
12. "Ackee 1-2-3"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Fisher Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: 
• Brew: Fisher Rotating India Pale Ale
• Style: West Coast Style India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.0% 
• Ingredients: Galaxy and Comet hops
• Pour: The Fisher Rotating India Pale Ale pours a slightly cloudy, bronze-amber color with frothy and billowy, 2+ finger off-white head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, dank, floral, herbal, and slightly bitter.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, wildflowers, pine resin, crackery grains, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Fisher Rotating India Pale Ale follows the nose with big notes of pink grapefruit juice, orange zest and pith, tangerine, pine, black tea, white pepper, and light toffee/caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Fisher Rotating India Pale Ale is very crisp, yet smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Fisher Rotating India Pale Ale is very crushable, yet a very punchy, complex, and flavorful brew ... a perfect brew to accompany the classic "Special Beat Service" album by the indelible The English Beat!  I also thought the colors of the beer label and the album art look rather nice together.  'Nuff said! 

Cheers!!