April 1st, 2016 - Battle Cry Of The Instigator

Good afternoon and hoppy Friday!  The Meista is here today pairing "Battle Cry", the latest live album from the metal gods themselves, Judas Priest and an Instigator Helles Bock Lager from Proper Brewing Company! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Judas Priest
• Title: "Battle Cry"
• Recorded: August 1st, 2015 at Wacken Festival, Germany
• Release date: March 25th, 2016 (6th live album by the Priest) (2009-02-03)
• Record company: Columbia Records / Epic Records
• Production: Tom Allom and Jack Ruston
• Album cover art: Meghan Foley, Ross Halfin and Oliver Halfin
• Personnel: Richie Faulkner (guitars), Rob Halford (vocals), Ian Hill (bass guitars), Glenn Tipton (guitars), and Scott Travis (drums)
• Musical style: Heavy metal
• Sound: Robust, gigantic, powerful... a few adjectives that only scratch the surface of a live Priest show!  I had the great pleasure of seeing the mighty Metal Gods on this very tour and it was spellbinding!!  Halford's vocals are as impressive and vast as they've ever been, Hill and Travis and a thunderous rhythm juggernaut, and Faulkner and Tipton shred the hell out of those guitars!!  LOVE IT!!!
• Major themes: Metal, power, aggression, lust, mythology, good and evil, rebellion, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "(Intro) Battle Cry"
2. "Dragonaut"
3. "Metal Gods"
4. "Devil's Child"
5. "Victim Of Changes"
6. "Halls Of Valhalla"
7. "Redeemer Of Souls"
8. "Beyond The Realms Of Death"
9. "Jawbreaker"
10. "Breaking The Law"
11. "Hell Bent For Leather"
12. "The Hellion"
13. "Electric Eye"
14. "You've Got Another Thing Coming"
15. "Painkiller"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Instigator Helles Bock Lager
• Style: German Helles Bock Lager
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV:5.5 %
• IBUs: 30
• Ingredients: German barley and German and American hops
• Pour: The Instigator pours a very murky honey-gold with a thin white head that holds its form well and leaves some nice lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, grassy, slightly bitter, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of malty bread, biscuity cracker, floral and herbal noble hops, and soft caramel.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Instigator is a malty, hop-forward Helles.  There are notes of freshly baked bread, sweet biscuit, wild flowers, summer grass, white pepper, hints of citrus, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Instigator is both crisp and smooth with a fairly dry, spicy, and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Instigator Helles Bock Lager from Salt Lake's newest brewery is an outstanding example of the German Helles style... and as such, makes for a perfect pairing with the metal might that is Judas Priest's "Battle Cry"!!  The spicy, hoppy, punchy flavors of the Instigator go with everything that is Priest while the drinkability of the brew is great for the foot-stomping, fist-pumping accessibility of the songs! 

I picked up "Battle Cry" from my buddy Kevin at the Heavy Metal Shop in Salt Lake City, Utah!  Check it out: www.heavymetalshop.com!!

Massive cheers and hails!!