July 9th, 2016 - An Obligatory Conspiracy

Good evening hop and metal heads!  Your drinkin' pal the Meista here with a pairing tonight for my buddy Jeff who runs the great Progressive Power page (https://www.facebook.com/Progressive-Power-205541442875714/)!  Cheers Jeff!  Tonight I'm pairing "The Obsidian Conspiracy" by Nevermore and an Obligatory Double IPA from Edge Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Nevermore
• Title: "The Obsidian Conspiracy"
• Recorded: August through October 2009 at Wichers Studio in North Carolina
  Release date: June 8th, 2010 (7th and final album by Nevermore)
• Record company: Century Media
• Production: Peter Wichers
• Album cover art: Travis Smith
• Personnel: Warrel Dane (lead vocals), Jeff Loomis (lead guitar), Jim Sheppard (bass), and Van Williams (drums)
• Musical style: Progressive metal, thrash metal, power metal
• Sound: The band's sound on "The Obsidian Conspiracy" is a bit more simple and straightforward than on previous works, but it is still very intricate and really resonates with me.  Dane's vocal range is explosive and really grabs hold of you, while Loomis' guitar work is as mind-blowing as ever!  Of the album, vocalist Dane stated, "These songs are full of newfound rage, lyrically and musically. Jeff Loomis has come up with some amazing new riffs that will no doubt please old and new fans alike. Also, I think the combination of Peter and Andy (production and mixing) will result in something very, very special."
• Major themes: Social commentary, nightmares, hauntings, prescience, deception, power, fear, hate, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "The Termination Proclamation"
2. "Your Poison Throne"
3. "Moonrise (Through Mirrors of Death)"
4. "And The Maiden Spoke"
5. "Emptiness Unobstructed"
6. "The Blue Marble And The New Soul"
7. "Without Morals"
8. "The Day You Built The Wall"
9. "She Comes In Colors"
10. "The Obsidian Conspiracy"
11. "Temptation" (bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Edge Brewing Company (Boise, Idaho)
• Website: www.edgebrew.com       
• Brew: Obligatory Double IPA
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) / Imperial IPA (IIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 9.2%
• IBUs: 88
• Ingredients: 2-Row, Crystal, and Munich malts with Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra hops
• Pour: It pours a hazy and deeply caramel golden amber with a thick and frothy, 2-finger, light tan head with great sustain and intricate spider web lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose of the Obligatory Double IPA is dank, earthy, citrusy, fruity and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of pine resin, spicy herbs, caramel/toffee, grapefruit rind, tangerine, mango, and pineapple.
• Taste: The taste, like the nose is a bold blend of piney and citrusy hops and sweet malts.  There are notes of dank pine and cedar, bitter and spicy herbs, bitter grapefruit and orange rind, and sweeter notes of caramel and burnt toffee as well as light mango and pineapple.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is somewhat sticky, oily, and thick with a dry and bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The big, bold, in-your-face (yet very complex) sound of Nevermore requires a brew of equal footing... thus the Obligatory Double IPA from the Edge Brewing Company!  Those bitter pine notes are great for the darker lyrical themes while the sweeter citrus and malt backbone are great for the powerful depth of the songwriting and delivery of the band!  And Dane's vocal delivery is perfect for the boldness of the brew all around!

Cheers and hails!!