June 16th, 2018 - Blessed Are The Sicky, Icky Ales

Hello evil-doers!  I'm pairing Morbid Angel's sophomore album, "Blessed Are The Sick" and an Ichthyosaur "Icky" IPA from Great Basin Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Morbid Angel
• Title: "Blessed Are The Sick"
• Recorded: January through February 1991 at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida
• Release date: May 22nd, 1991 (2nd album by Morbid Angel)
• Record company: Earache / Relativity
• Production: Morbid Angel
• Album cover art: Jean Delville
• Personnel: Trey Azagthoth (lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, and piano), Richard Brunelle (lead and rhythm guitars, acoustic guitar, and keyboards), Pete Sandoval (drums and percussion), and David Vincent (bass and vocals)
• Musical style: Death metal
• Sound: Incredibly fast, heavy, aggressive, and intricate with classical undertones, the tracks on "Blessed Are The sick" are classic Morbid Angel... complex, technically challenging, and brutally aggressive!
• Major themes: Insanity, destruction, death, the occult, Hell, evil, darkness, Satanism, the infernal, aggression, violence, power, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Intro"
2. "Fall From Grace"
3. "Brainstorm"
4. "Rebel Lands"
5. "Doomsday Celebration"
6. "Day Of Suffering"
7. "Blessed Are The Sick / Leading The Rats"
8. "Thy Kingdom Come"
9. "Unholy Blasphemies"
10. "Abominations"
11. "Desolate Ways"
12. "The Ancient Ones"
13. "In Remembrance"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Great Basin Brewing Company (Sparks, Nevada)
• Website: http://greatbasinbrewingco.com/
• Brew: Ichthyosaur "Icky" IPA                     
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle 
• ABV: 6.4%
• IBUs: 46
• Ingredients: Cascade hops
• Pour: The Ichthyosaur "Icky" IPA pours a hazy, dark copper-amber with a 1-finger, off-white, frothy head with good sustain and sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, dank, earthy, bready, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of  grapefruit rind, orange peel, pine resin, honey, and sweet caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Ichthyosaur "Icky" IPA is bold, bitter, and hoppy, yet very drinkable.  There are notes of sweet caramel, freshly baked bread, orange and lemon zest, black tea, grapefruit, and light pine.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Ichthyosaur "Icky" IPA is sticky,  with a sweet, yet bitter and dry, yet oily finish.

Overall pairing: The punchy, bitter, and hoppy flavors and aromas of the Ichthyosaur "Icky" IPA is perfect for the head-banging insanity that is Morbid Angel's "Blessed Are The Sick"!  Those crisp flavors enhance the precision and technical mastery of Azagthoth's and Brunelle's fiery guitars while the breadier notes are perfect for the powerful rhythm section of Sandoval and Vincent!

HAILS!!  Raise those glasses and horns to Morbid Angel!!