Good afternoon! Today I'm pairing a Red Rock Bobcat Nutbrown Ale with Yngwie Malmsteen's shredder,"Facing The Animal"! This pairing is dedicated to the memory of the late, great drummer Cozy Powell! "Facing The Animal" was the last album he played on before his untimely death in April of 1998. Rest in peace Mr. Powell.
"Facing The Animal" is the 10th studio album by neo-classical/metal guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen and was released on February 10th, 1998 in the U.S. and February 23rd, 1997 in Japan. Arguably the most technically accomplished hard rock/metal guitarist to emerge from the "shredders" of the 1980s, Malmsteen unleashes a collection of furious rockers with "Facing The Animal"! The band is tight, aggressive, and heavy! The combination of Malmsteen and Powell is worth every penny (and more)! Opening track, "Braveheart" is a fast-paced, Celtic-inspired monster rocker. It also includes a riff from Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away" as a nod to Moore's amazing guitar work. Title track "Facing The Animal" is reminiscent of Mark II era Deep Purple - heavy, pervasive, and compelling. Songs like "Enemy," "Sacrifice," "My Resurrection," "Heathens From The North," "End Of My Rope," and Poison In Your Veins" follow suit... heavy as hell, fiery rockers all! Although the album is more rooted in hard rock and heavy metal than some of his previous works, the song "Air on a Theme" is an arrangement of the second movement of Vivaldi's "Piccolo Concerto in C Major." Musicians on "Facing the Animal": Yngwie Malmsteen – guitar, bass (on tracks 1, 4, 6, 12), background vocals, and production; Mats Leven – vocals; Mats Olausson – keyboards; Cozy Powell – drums; Barry Dunaway – bass (except on tracks 1, 4, 6, 12).
I thought a solid rocking album needed a solid rocking brew... thus, the Bobcat Nutbrown Ale from Red Rock Brewing Company out of Salt Lake City, UT! The Bobcat is a an exceptionally smooth and delicious brown ale. It pours a very dark and cloudy golden-brown color (like burnt toffee) with a rather creamy, one-finger plus off-white head that displays strong and sustained lacing. The nose is malty and nutty. There are notes hazelnut, freshly baked wheat bread, vanilla, subtle fruit, and caramel. The flavor is hearty and complex like any good brown ale, but completely refreshing and very drinkable. Incredibly well-balanced, there are notes of nut, malts, and crisp hops. I'm tasting almond, vanilla, and subtle cherry-cola. It has a nice clean, nutty finish as well with a bit of a hop kick. The Bobcat Nutbrown Ale is definitely a great beer and goes well with the rocking goodness of Mr. Malmsteen and crew!
Cheers and hails my friends!!
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