May 13th, 2017 - Saint Blackout And The Fallen Angel

Good evening!  Your buddy the Meista with another pairing for you... Uriah Heep's kick-ass and very underrated "Fallen Angel" and a Saint Blackout Belgian Triple from Shades Of Pale Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist:  Uriah Heep
• Title: "Fallen Angel"
• Recorded: April through August 1978 at The Roadhouse Recording Studio in London, England
  Release date: September 1978 (12th studio album by Uriah Heep)
• Record company: Chrysalis Records
• Production: Gerry Bron and Ken Hensley
• Album cover art: Chris Achilleos
• Personnel: Trevor Bolder (bass guitar), Mick Box (electric and acoustic guitars), Ken Hensley (keyboards, synthesizers, slide and acoustic guitars, and backing vocals), Lee Kerslake (drums, syn-drums, and backing vocals), and John Lawton (lead vocals)
• Additional musicians: Chris Mercer (saxophone on "Save It")
• Musical style: Hard rock, progressive rock, power pop, heavy metal
• Sound: More mainstream and radio-friendly than their early '70s albums, "Fallen Angel" is still a hard hitting rock beast from one of the most important and influential hard rock/progressive rock bands!  Along with their signature sound, the band explores more of the late '70s pop landscape, and there's even a hint of new wave/punk in some of Box's guitar tones (the intro to "Woman Of The Night" specifically)!  And I seriously cannot get enough of Kerslake's masterful drum beats!  
• Major themes: Love, desire, lust, sex, heartbreak, life, relationships, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "One More Night (Last Farewell)"
2. "Falling In Love"
3. "Woman Of The Night"
4. "I'm Alive"
5. "Come Back To Me"
6. "Whad'ya Say"
7. "Save It"
8. "Love Or Nothing"
9. "Put Your Lovin' On Me"
10. "Fallen Angel"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Shades Of Pale Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: www.shadesofpale.com  
• Brew: Saint Blackout Belgian Triple
• Style: Abbey Tripel
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 10.1%
• Pour: It pours a very lovely hazy (opaque actually) peach-gold amber with lots of effervescence and a bright, white, 1-finger bubbly head with good retention and sticky, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Saint Blackout is characterized by aromas of Belgian yeast, soft banana, bready malt, Chardonnay, leather, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, rock candy, lemon zest and juice and other citrus, and pear.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Saint Blackout is estery, spicy, yeasty, and malty.  There are notes of banana, clove, nutmeg, pear syrup, white pepper, white wine, subtle pink bubblegum, and Belgian yeast.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with high carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Saint Blackout is very sharp, yet smooth with a dry, slightly sweet, slightly boozy, and peppery finish.

Overall pairing: The complex, yet very drinkable fruity and spicy flavors and aromas of the delicious Saint Blackout Belgian Triple from Shades Of Pale Brewing Company are great for the rockin' stylings of Uriah Heep's often overlooked and underrated "Fallen Angel" album!  Those spicy and estery notes are perfect for the vocal power of Lawton, the masterful and hard-hitting guitar work of Mick Box, the genius keyboard wizardry of Hensley, and the ultimate powerhouse rhythm section of Bolder and Kerslake! 

Cheers!!  Rock on!!