February 10th, 2017 - Alternative Facts For The Stained Class

Good evening rockers and rollers and crafter brew lovers!  The Meista with one last pairing for ya tonight... Judas Priest's "Stained Class" (that was released on this very day 39 years ago!) and an Alternative Facts Alt from Desert Edge Brewery (released just today!)!!  Hells yeah!!


Album Info:

• Artist: Judas Priest
• Title: "Stained Class"
• Recorded: October through November 1977 at Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire and Utopia Studios in London
• Release date: February 10th, 1978 (4th studio album by Judas Priest)
• Record company: Columbia Records
• Production: Dennis Mackay, Judas Priest, and James Guthrie
• Album cover art: Rosław Szaybo (design) and Ronald Kass (photography)
• Personnel: Les Binks (drums), K.K. Downing (guitars), Rob Halford (vocals), Ian Hill (bass guitar), and Glenn Tipton (guitars, Spanish guitar on "Fire Burns Below", and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: Faster and heavier than their 1st three albums, with "Stained Class", Priest moved formally into the heavy metal realm with very little progressive rock influence.  Halford's vocals are a little edgier and the guitar work is faster, more fiery, and more aggressive.  Many music critics site "Stained Class" as being highly influential in the speed metal and thrash metal genre and definitive of the NWOBHM movement.  I love it!!
• Major themes: Lyrically and thematically darker, the album's songs are about violence, death, evil, darkness, and power.
• Tracks:   

1. "Exciter"
2. "White Heat, Red Hot"
3. "Better By You, Better Than Me"
4. "Stained Class"
5. "Invader"
6. "Saints In Hell"
7. "Savage"
8. "Beyond The Realms Of Death"
9. "Heroes End"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Desert Edge Brewery (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://desertedgebrewery.com/
• Brew:  Alternative Facts Alt
• Style: Altbier
• Serving: 32 ounce crowler
• ABV: 4.0%
• IBUs: 37
• Ingredients: Pale, Vienna, Munich, and Carafa 3 malts, and Nugget, Northern Brewer, and Perle hops
• Pour: The Alternative Facts Alt pours a hazy, deep amber hue with a 1-finger white head that leaves a nice ring and soapy, intricate lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is characterized big malt and nut with low hoppiness.  There are aromas of sweet, malty breads, cereal grain, roasted nuts, and hints of grassy hops.
• Taste: The taste of the Alternative Facts Alt is very smooth and grainy malt along with firm bitterness.  There are notes of "crusty bread and Grapenuts"
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is with a clean, dry finish.

Overall pairing: The assertive malty/bitter flavors and aromas of the Alternative Facts Alt, a traditional German Altbier from the badass brewers at Desert Edge is perfect for the straightforward killer rockin' goodness that is Priest's "Stained Class"!!  That clean, bitter finish of the Alternative Facts sums up the entire mood and feel of the album!

Cheers and hails evil-doers!!