July 3rd, 2017 - The Victims Of The Modern Age Are All Just Space Dust

Good afternoon and happy Monday!  The Meista here getting the day set off right with a rockin' pairing of "Victims Of The Modern Age" by Arjen A. Lucassen's Star One and Space Dust IPA from Elysian Brewing Company!


Album Info:

• Artist: Arjen A. Lucassen's Star One
• Title: "Victims Of The Modern Age"
• Recorded: March through August 2010 at Electric Castle Studios and Sandlane Recording Facilities
• Release date: October 25th, 2010 (2nd album by Star One)
• Record company: InsideOut Records
• Production: Arjen A. Lucassen
• Album cover art: Christophe Dessaigne
• Personnel: Russell Allen (vocals), Floor Jansen (vocals), Arjen Anthony Lucassen (guitars, Hammond organ, mellotron, analog synths, solina strings, and vocals), Dan Swanö (vocals), Joost van den Broek (keyboards), Peter Vink (bass), Ed Warby (drums), and Damian Wilson (vocals)
• Additional musicians: Mike Andersson (lead vocals on "As the Crow Dies"), Rodney Blaze (lead vocals on "Two Plus Two Equals Five"), and Tony Martin (lead vocals on "Closer to the Stars")
• Musical style: Progressive metal/rock, heavy metal, space rock
• Sound: Bombastic, heavy, and wonderfully nerdy, the sound on "Victims Of The Modern Age" is a sci-fi metal-head's dream!  Amazingly powerful vocals are coupled with outstanding musicianship and production!  This baby rocks!!
• Major themes: Like the first Star One album, "Victims Of The Modern Age" is an album completely focused on themes based on science fiction films and television shows including The Matrix, Firefly, A Clockwork Orange, Planet Of The Apes, Escape From New York, and Blade Runner among others.  The songs deal with themes of dystopia, apocalyptic survival, violence, war, mind control, evolution, heroism, death, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Down The Rabbit Hole"
2. "Digital Rain"
3. "Earth That Was"
4. "Victims Of The Modern Age"
5. "Human See, Human Do"
6. "24 Hours"
7. "Cassandra Complex"
8. "It's Alive, She's Alive, We're Alive"
9. "It All Ends Here"
10. "As the Crow Dies"
11. "Two Plus Two Equals Five"
12. "Lastday"
13. "Closer to the Stars"
14. "Knife Edge" (Emmerson, Lake, and Palmer cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery:  Elysian Brewing Company (Seattle, Washington)
• Website: http://www.elysianbrewing.com/
• Brew: Space Dust IPA         
• Style: Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.2%
• IBUs: 73
• Ingredients: Great Western premium two-row, c-15 and Dextra-pils malts, and Chinook, Citra and Amarillo hops
• Pour: The Space Dust IPA pours a clear golden-amber with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with good retention and lots of sticky, spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, citrusy, earthy, hoppy, malty, and spicy.  There are aromas of pink grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange zest, light pine resin, bready malt, caramel, and black pepper.
• Taste: The taste of the Space Dust is characterized by a big citrus profile along with more subtle dank pine and sweet malt flavors.  There are notes of dank pine, bitter grapefruit and orange peel, juicy pineapple, a hint of mango, caramel, and spicy pepper.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Space Dust IPA is crisp, moderately bitter, and sharp with a dry, clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, punchy, and complex flavors of aptly named Space Dust IPA from Elysian Brewing Company is perfect for Arjen A. Lucassen's Star One album "Victims Of The Modern Age"... and not just for the name and subject matter!  Those big, juicy hop flavors are great for the power, energy, and artistic prowess found throughout this album!

Cheers!!  Hails!!