November 23rd, 2016 - Five To X

Good evening metal heads and hop heads!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here with one more for you tonight... "Five", the most recent album by Canadian extreme metal band The Agonist and a Beer X India Pale Ale from Shades Of Pale Brewing Company!  Hell yes!!

Album Info:

• Artist: The Agonist
• Title: "Five"
• Recorded: 2016
• Release date: September 30th, 2016 (1969-04-16)
• Record company: Napalm Records
• Production: Mike Plotnikoff
• Album cover art: Gustavo Sazes
• Personnel: Pascal "Paco" Jobin (guitars), Chris Kells (bass and backing vocals), Danny Marino (guitars), Simon McKay (drums and percussion), and Vicky Psarakis (lead vocals)
• Musical style: Extreme metal, metalcore, death metal, elements of symphonic metal, rock, and a touch of jazz and R&B
• Sound: Wonderfully emotional, honest, aggressive, unique, and powerful, the sound on The Agonist's latest album, "Five" is, in a word, brilliant!  Every note, every riff, every intention is brutally honest and mesmerizing!  The dual guitar work of Jobin and Marino is reminiscent of Judas Priest, Kells bass work is a thunderous and passionate assault, McKay's drumming is machine gun fire intensity, and Psarakis' vocal performance is mind-blowingly intense and robust!
• Major themes: Pain, life, death, suffering, knowledge, power, aggression, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "The Moment"
2. "The Chain"
3. "The Anchor And The Sail"
4. "The Game"
5. "The Ocean"
6. "The Hunt"
7. "The Raven Eyes"
8. "The Wake"
9. "The Resurrection"
10. "The Villain"
11. "The Pursuit Of Emptiness"
12. "The Man Who Fell To Earth"
13. "The Trial"
14. "Take Me To Church" (Hozier cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Shades Of Pale Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://shadesofpale.com/
• Brew: Beer X India Pale Ale
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.5%
• Pour: The Beer X pours a hazy yellow-gold with a frothy, bright white, 2+ finger head with great retention and lots of intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Beer X is fruity, citrusy, hoppy, and grainy.  There are aromas of pineapple juice, grapefruit rind, orange juice, tangerine, mango, lemongrass, and light grains.
• Taste: The taste is fruity, sweet, and hoppy.  There are notes of orange juice, lemon zest, grapefruit, bitter herbs, pepper, light grains, and a hint of caramel (especially as it warms).
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Beer X is crisp, slightly bitter, and refreshing with a dry, slightly peppery finish.

Overall pairing: I was lucky enough to see The Agonist live Monday night in Salt Lake City on their tour with Fleshgod Apocalypse... mind-blowing!!  I picked up "Five" at the show.  I've been listening to it non-stop ever since... and coupled with Shades Of Pale's Beer X?... perfection!  The aggressive hop flavors of the Beer X is perfect for the extreme metal intensity and artistic integrity of The Agonist!

Cheers and hails head bangers!!