May 12th, 2016 - The Lucky State Of Euphoric 13

Good evening rockers and hop-heads!  Your headbangin', fist-pumpin' and craft brew guzzlin' buddy the Meista here tonight pairing "State Of Euphoria" by Anthrax with a Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Anthrax
• Title: "State Of Euphoria"
• Recorded: April through June 1988 at Quadradial Studios in Miami, Florida
  Release date: September 19th, 1988 (4th studio album by Anthrax)
• Record company: Megaforce / Island Records
• Production: Anthrax, Mark Dodson, Alex Perialas, Jon Zazula, and Marsha Zazula
• Album cover art: Don Brautigam and Mort Drucker
• Personnel: Joey Belladonna (lead vocals), Frank Bello (bass guitar and backing vocals), Charlie Benante (drums), Scott Ian (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), and Dan Spitz (lead guitar)
• Additional musicians: Carol Freedman (cello)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal
• Sound: With chugging power chords, blisteringly fast tempos, and Belladonna's powerful vocals, "State Of Euphoria" is a definitive thrash metal masterpiece!  The songs are explosive, fist-pumping, aggressive, and honest!
• Major themes: With songs about Stephen King's Misery and David Lynch's Blue Velvet, themes on the album range from evil, death, sexually depraved behavior, murder, homelessness, greed, hate, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Be All, End All"
2. "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind"
3. "Make Me Laugh"
4. "Antisocial"
5. "Who Cares Wins"
6. "Now It's Dark"
7. "Schism"
8. "Misery Loves Company"
9. "13"
10. "Finale"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California)
• Website: www.lagunitas.com            
• Brew: Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale
• Style: American Amber / Red Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.8%
• IBUs: 55
• Pour: Slightly hazy deep bronze with a frothy, white, 1-finger head with good sustain and intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose blends floral, fruity, and earthy hops with malty and sweet grains and a touch of booze.  There are aromas of dank pine resin, fresh herbs, candied apple, toffee, honey, baked bread, and subtle hints of rum or bourbon.
• Taste: The taste of the Lucky 13 is a wonderful blend of sweet, bitter, and hearty.  There are notes of grapefruit rind, pine sap, orange peel, tangerine, soft caramel, burnt toffee, roasted malts, and a little booze.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Lucky 13 is sticky, thick, smooth, yet refreshing with a slightly bitter and dry finish.

Overall pairing: The fruity, yet bitter higher gravity punch of Lagunitas' Lucky 13 Mondo Large Red Ale is a wonderfully well-matched brew for the powerful crunching thrash aggression of Anthrax's brilliant and underrated "State Of Euphoria"!  Both are end of the long work day musts to completely unwind and decompress!

Cheers... and hails!!