January 8th, 2017 - The Wild Hunt For Reinaert

God middag evil-doers!  The Meista here today pairing "The Wild Hunt" by Swedish black metal band Watain and a Reinaert Flemish Wild Ale from De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)!  This pairing goes out to Jerm and Alexander!!  Cheers and hails my friends!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Watain
• Title: "The Wild Hunt"
• Recorded: January through May 2013 at Necromorbus Studio in Stockholm, Blueflame Productions Studios in Uppsala, Studio 33 in Toivala, and Studio Sound in Kuopio
  Release date: August 19th, 2013 (5th studio album by Watain)
• Record company: Season of Mist / Century Media
• Production: Tore Stjerna and Watain
• Album cover art: Zbigniew M. Bielak
• Personnel: Erik Danielsson (lead vocals, bass guitar, and guitars), Pelle Forsberg (guitars), and Håkan Jonsson (drums)
• Additional musicians: Anna Norberg (additional vocals at the ending of "They Rode On"), Set Teitan (lyrics on "Black Flames March"), and Staffan Winroth (accordion and fiddle)
• Musical style: Black metal with influence from traditional heavy metal, doom metal, and progressive metal
• Sound: Bombastic, aggressive, fiery fast, dark, and deeply atmospheric, with "The Wild Hunt", Watain pushes the boundaries of black metal while still staying true to form.  This is one of those "sit the hell down, shut up, and just listen" kinda albums!
• Major themes: Death, darkness, evil, sorrow and tragedy, victory and triumph, etc.  Of the album, Danielsson stated: "The Wild Hunt has a very retrospective concept actually. It’s very much about us looking back on this journey that we have been on for these last 15 years and the songs all relate, in one way or another, to very defined experiences and ideas; struggles, trials and tribulations that we have been through during this time. I don’t mean to make it seem like it’s an autobiographical concept, because it isn’t really, it is in a certain sense, but it is still a very lofty and spiritual concept at the same time. It’s a divine idea, The Wild Hunt really. And I found it a really inspiring concept to work with, although the individual songs in themselves we never really paid attention to the concept when we wrote them, it was more something that we realized afterwards."
• Tracks:  

1. "Night Vision"
2. "De Profundis"
3. "Black Flames March"
4. "All That May Bleed"
5. "The Child Must Die"
6. "They Rode On"
7. "Sleepless Evil"
8. "The Wild Hunt"
9. "Outlaw"
10. "Ignem Veni Mittere"
11. "Holocaust Dawn"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)  (Belgium)
• Website: http://www.proefbrouwerij.com/
• Brew: Reinaert Flemish Wild Ale
• Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 9.0%
• Pour: The Reinaert Flemish Wild Ale pours a hazy golden-yellow with a huge, frothy, yet light, bright white head with great sustain and lots of intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is funky, earthy, malty, and a little citrusy and spicy.  There are aromas of horse blanket, leather, freshly picked herbs, biscuity malt, lemon rind, cloves, and Chardonnay.
• Taste:  The taste of the Reinaert Flemish Wild Ale is very funky, herbal, earthy, and citrusy with a little spice.  There are big notes of barnyard funk along with medicinal herbs, lemon zest, tart lemon juice, and Chardonnay, cloves, honey, and light malts.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is dry, crisp, and astringent, with a very dry and slightly boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The very complex and biting, astringent, earthy funkiness of the Reinaert Flemish Wild Ale from De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot) is great for the infernal power and might that is Watain's brilliant and darkly powerful "The Wild Hunt"!!  This is how black metal is supposed to sound and this is how Flemish beers are supposed to taste!

Skål!!  Proost!!  Hails!!