Hey there rockers, rollers, headbangers, and hop lovers! Happy Friday! The Meista here today pairing Faith No More's brilliant 7th album "Sol Invictus" and a delightfully juicy and hoppy Separation Anxiety Hazy IPA from the fine folks at Mother Earth Brewing Company! This pairing is lovingly dedicated to my good friends Sonia and Jason.... cheers and thank you kindly for the request!!
Album Info:
- Artist: Faith No More
- Title: "Sol Invictus"
- Recorded: 2014 at Estudios Koolarrow, Vulcan Studios in Oakland, California
- Release date: May 19th, 2015 (7th studio album by Faith No More)
- Record company: Reclamation! / Ipecac
- Production: Billy Gould
- Album cover art: Ossian Brown (cover and booklet photos) and Martin Kvamme (album design)
- Personnel: Mike Bordin (drums), Roddy Bottum (piano and keyboards), Billy Gould (bass), Jon Hudson (guitars), and Mike Patton (lead vocals)
- Musical style: Alternative metal/rock, post punk, art rock with country / western, blues-based rock, and R&B elements
- Sound: An inventive, complex, and inspired blend of heavy metal, punk, alternative rock, experimental art rock, and even a little country / western, "Sol Invictus" is powerful, honest, dark, aggressive, and very, very wonderful! Of the album, bassist and producer Gould stated, "it’ll be much different than everything else out there – but that’s sort of the point. It's a combination of what we don’t hear in the outside world and what we feel is lacking from other bands. And in the end, it will sound like Faith No More."
- Major themes: States of mind, life, death, honesty, anger, loss, memories, fear, heroism, etc.
- Tracks:
- "Sol Invictus"
- "Superhero"
- "Sunny Side Up"
- "Separation Anxiety"
- "Cone Of Shame"
- "Rise Of The Fall"
- "Black Friday"
- "Motherfucker"
- "Matador"
- "From The Dead"
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: Complex, intricate, yet very inviting, the Mother Earth Separation Anxiety is a great beer to pair with the inventive, experimental, and aggressive genius that is Faith No More's fantastic "Sol Invictus"! Those bright, fruity notes go great with Patton's uniquely compelling voice and lyrics while the malty backbone and hint of booze go great with the heaviness and musical prowess of these great musicians!

















