August 16th, 2018 - The Singular Logic Of Crystals

Good evening rockers and craft brew lovers!  The Meista here with a pairing dedicated to the memory of legendary rocker Mark "The Shark" Shelton, who passed away last month.  Tonight I'm pairing SaltFire Brewing Company's A Series Of Singularities: Vic Secret Single Hop IPA and Manilla Road's classic "Crystal Logic" album!

Album Info:

• Artist: Manilla Road
• Title: "Crystal Logic"
• Recorded: April through June 1983 at Miller Studio in North Newton, Kansas
• Release date: December 1983 (3rd studio album by Manilla Road)
• Record company: Black Dragon Records / Iron Glory Records
• Production: Mark Mazur
• Album cover art: Cinda Hughes 
• Personnel: Rick Fisher (drums, percussion, and backing vocals), Scott Park (bass), and Mark Shelton (guitars and lead vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal
• Sound: With influence from the NWOBHM (particularly Angel Witch and Iron Maiden) and Black Sabbath, Manilla Road's "Crystal Logic" saw the band going in a more heavy metal direction from their earlier progressive vibe.  What really stands out on this album for me is Shelton's flawless guitar attack!  It is heavy, pure, organic, and wonderfully aggressive!
• Major themes: Mythology, fantasy, heavy metal, good vs. evil, darkness, death, vengeance, sword and sorcery, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Prologue"
2. "Necropolis"
3. "Crystal Logic"
4. "Feeling Free Again"
5. "The Riddle Master"
6. "The Ram"
7. "The Veils Of Negative Existence"
8. "Dreams Of Eschaton/Epilogue"
9. "Flaming Metal System" (bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: SaltFire Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.saltfirebrewing.com/
• Brew: A Series Of Singularities: Vic Secret Single Hop IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)  
• Serving: 16 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.9%
• Ingredients: Vic Secret hops
• Pour: The Vic Secret Single Hop IPA pours a slightly hazy and very effervescent golden yellow with a creamy and frothy 2-finger, bright white head with good retention and sudsy, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a blend of mellow, vegetal, grassy, minerally, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of summer grass, hay, mineral water, and just a hint of wild flowers. 
• Taste: The taste of the Vic Secret Single Hop IPA is bitter, herbal, minerally, and grainy.  There are notes of pine resin, fresh herbs, grapefruit rind, pale malt, sourdough bread, and Saltines.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Vic Secret Single Hop IPA is somewhat sharp and slightly astringent initially, but also fairly smooth with a bitter, dry finish.
• Notes: The beauty of a single hop IPA is that you get to really explore the qualities and characteristics of that one hop.  And SaltFire purposely goes fairly light on the malts so the hop really shines through!

Overall pairing: SaltFire's Vic Secret Single Hop IPA is a biting, punchy, and bitter IPA... perfect for the wonderful hard rock musical explosion of Manilla Road's amazing and complex "Crystal Logic"!  Those bitter notes go great with Shelton's unique vocals and dark lyrics!

Cheers!!  Rock on!!

August 11th, 2018 - 90 Shillings For The Scourge Of Light

Good evening rockers and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here tonight pairing a delicious 90 Shilling Ale from Odell Brewing Company and the mighty Jag Panzer's amazing "The Scourge Of Light"!

Album Info:

• Artist: Jag Panzer
• Title: "The Scourge Of Light"
• Recorded: 2010 Guitars and vocals recorded at Row and Cam's House of Sonic Mayhem and Pancakes in Colorado.  Drums recorded at Clamsville in Arizona.  Additional guitars and bass recorded at Infinite Sound in Colorado.
• Release date: February 28th, 2011 (9th studio album by Jag Panzer)
• Record company: Steamhammer Records
• Production: Jag Panzer
• Album cover art: Justin Yun
• Personnel: Mark Briody (guitars and keyboards), Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin (vocals), Christian Lasegue (guitars, keyboards, and piano), Rikard Stjernquist (drums), and John Tetley (bass guitar)
• Additional musicians: Frank Lynn (violin) and Richard Niezen (cello)
• Musical style: Power metal, heavy metal
• Sound: With rapid fire attack coupled with !  The dual guitars of Briody and Lasegue shred and soar!  The Tyrant's vocal acrobatics are perfect from note one to the last!  And the rhythm section of Stjernquist and Tetley is a juggernaut of thunderous grooves!
• Major themes: War, valor, life, death, power, might, evil, darkness, vengeance, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Condemned To Fight"
2. "The Setting Of The Sun"
3. "Bringing On The End"
4. "Call To Arms"
5. "Cycles"
6. "Overlord"
7. "Let It Out"
8. "Union"
9. "Burn"
10. "The Book Of Kells"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.odellbrewing.com/
• Brew: 90 Shilling Ale
• Style: Amber Ale / Scottish Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.3%
• Pour: The 90 Shilling Ale pours a fairly clear, deep mahogany with a thick and frothy, 2-finger head with good sustain and pervasive lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, fruity, and sweet with a hint of peat.  There are aromas of mild toffee, earthy soil, cherry wood, overripe plums, and freshly baked wheat bread. 
• Taste: The taste of the 90 Shilling Ale is malty, sweet, and a little woodsy.  There are light notes of brown sugar/maple syrup and stronger notes of caramel along with low to moderate hops bitterness in the back and a spicy finish.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the 90 Shilling is smooth, and with a clean, yet slightly biting finish.

Overall pairing: Odell's 90 Shilling Ale is a hearty, complex, and deliciously sweet brew... and as such, makes for the perfect brew to throw back whilst pumping your fists and banging your head to the brilliance, aggression, and musical prowess of the might Jag Panzer!!

Cheers!!  Hails Jag Panzer!!

August 10th, 2018 - A CitruSinesis Of Purpose

Good afternoon hop-heads and headbangers and happy Friday!  Your drinking pal the Meista here today rocking out to "A Sense Of Purpose" by Swedish metal band In Flames and a CitruSinesis Pale Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: In Flames
• Title: "A Sense Of Purpose"
• Recorded: September–November 2007 at IF Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden
• Release date: April 1st, 2008 (9th studio album by In Flames) 
• Record company: Nuclear Blast / Koch Records
• Production: In Flames, Roberto Laghi, and Daniel Bergstrand
• Album cover art: Alex Pardee
• Personnel: Anders Fridén (vocals), Björn Gelotte (guitars), Peter Iwers (bass guitar), Jesper Strömblad (guitars), and Daniel Svensson (drums)
• Additional musicians: Örjan Örnkloo (keys and programming)
• Musical style: Alternative metal, metalcore, melodic death metal
• Sound: Combining multiple genres, In Flames' sound is very melodic, very rhythmic, a little poppy, and very high energy.  Of the album, guitarist Gelotte stated: "It’s awesome. It’s energetic, melodic, pretty much in the same vein. But we always try to mix it up a bit and try to put some dynamics into the songs, even though they are very intense. If you’ve heard the previous ones, you pretty much know what vein we’re going to be. It’s just a matter of small experiments in different songs."
• Major themes: Life, honesty, insomnia, fear, human interaction, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "The Mirror's Truth"
2. "Sleepless Again"
3. "Alias"
4. "I'm The Highway"
5. "Delight And Angers"
6. "Move Through Me"
7. "The Chosen Pessimist"
8. "Sober And Irrelevant"
9. "Condemned"
10. "Drenched In Fear"
11. "March To The Shore"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California)
• Website: https://lagunitas.com/
• Brew: CitruSinesis Pale Ale
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.5%
• IBUs: 49
• Ingredients: Sanguinello blood orange concentrated juice blended with a wheatier version of the Lagunitas DogTown Pale Ale
• Pour: The CitruSinesis Pale Ale pours a hazy golden orange hue with a frothy, 1+ finger, off-white head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very fruity (tropical fruit and citrus), grassy, and sweet.  There are aromas of freshly squeezed blood orange juice, grapefruit, melon, pineapple, grassy hops, and just a hint of caramel.
• Taste: The taste follows the nose with lots of tropical fruit, citrus, grassy hops, and a hint of sweet malt.  There are notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, orange juice, pineapple, papaya, mango, light wheat, lemongrass, and honey.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the CitruSinesis Pale Ale's mouthfeel is very crisp, slightly tart, and very refreshing with a clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Lagunitas CitruSinesis Pale Ale is a complex, punchy, and bright, yet very drinkable brew... right in line with the metal punch of In Flames' "A Sense Of Purpose"!   Those bright, citrusy flavors and aromas go great with the soaring guitar work while the bitter hop notes are perfect for Fridén's angry vocals and lyrics!

Skål!!

August 8th, 2018 - A Voodoo Ranger In The Savage Lands

Good evening!  The Meista here tonight with a heavy duty, in-your-face, head-banging mid-week pairing of "Savage Land" by American death metal band Gruesome and a Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Gruesome
• Title: "Savage Land"
• Recorded: at Riversound Studios in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Release date: April 17th, 2015 (1st full-length studio album by Gruesome)
• Record company: Relapse Records
• Production: Matthew F. Jacobson and Gruesome
• Album cover art: Ed Repka
• Personnel: Daniel Gonzalez (guitars), Matt Harvey (guitars and lead vocals), Robin Mazen (bass), and Gus Rios (drums and guitars)
• Additional musicians: James Murphy (lead guitar on "Closed Casket")
• Musical style: Death metal
• Sound: An unapologetic tribute to the late Chuck Schuldiner, Gruesome's sound is in the style of Death on their "Leprosy" album.  It is incredibly fast, incredibly aggressive, and a joy to hear!  If you love early Death albums and early death metal in general, this is your album!  
• Major themes: Death, horror, evil, sickness, fear, gore, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Savage Land"
2. "Trapped In Hell"
3. "Demonized"
4. "Hideous"
5. "Gangrene"
6. "Closed Casket"
7. "Psychic Twin"
8. "Gruesome"
9. "Land Of No Return" (Death cover bonus track)
10. "Black Magic" (Slayer cover bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/Brewery
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.5%
• IBUs: 42
• Ingredients: Pale, Wheat, C-80, and Oat malts with Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, and Nugget hops
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA pours a very cloudy, pale golden-orange hue with a creamy, off-white, 1-finger head with good retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, tropical, grassy, and sweet.  There are aromas of lemon drops, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, guava, mango, grassy hops, crackery biscuit, a hint of booze, and light caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA is characterized by initially sweet and fruity flavors that morph into more bitter flavors.  There are notes lemon zest, grapefruit, orange peel, pine, and black pepper.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA's mouthfeel is crisp, with a smooth, slightly peppery finish.

Overall pairing: The Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA is an assertive, hop-forward, punchy brew.. perfect for the death metal stylings of the wonderful Gruesome and their debut album "Savage Land"!  Those bitter and zesty notes are great for the blistering guitar work and Harvey's brutal Schuldiner-esq vocals while the hearty malt backbone is right in line with the power juggernaut of a rhythm section!

Cheers!!  And hails!!

"Respectfully dedicated to the memory of “Evil” Chuck Schuldiner, May 13, 1967 – December 13, 2001 R.I.P."

August 4th, 2018 - An E And Some Oak In The Orchard

God kveld!  Your pal the Meista here tonight pairing "E", the wonderful album by the innovative Norwegian metal band Enslaved and an Oak And Orchard from Epic Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Enslaved
• Title: "E"
• Recorded: April 2016 through March 2017 at Duper & Solslottet Studios, Conclave & Earshot, and Peersonal Sound in Bergen, Norway 
• Release date: October 13th, 2017
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Grutle Kjellson, Ivar Bjørnson, and Iver Sandøy
• Album cover art: Truls Espedal
• Personnel: Cato Bekkevold (drums), Ivar Bjørnson (guitars, synthesizer, FX, piano, and backing vocals), Ice Dale (guitars and backing vocals), Grutle Kjellson (bass, double bass, bass pedals, FX, and lead and backing vocals), and Håkon Vinje (organ, keyboards, and lead and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Daniel Måge (flute), Kjetil Møster (saxophone), Iver Sandøy (drums and effects), Einar Kvitrafn Selvik (vocals)
• Musical style: Progressive metal, progressive black metal, Viking metal, doom metal
• Sound: Like it's predecessor, "E" is steeped in the tradition of progressive metal and blended with black metal.  The sound is atmospheric, dark, brooding, and very melodic with intricate rhythms and time changes.  Like all of Enslaved's works, "E" is a brilliant, emotional, and mesmerizing musical journey! 
• Major themes: Viking history and lore, Norse mythology, paganism, ancient Nordic spirituality, nature, death, "the whole concept of relationships and positive dependency", etc.  Of the album's lyrics, Bjørnson stated: "Everything we do and create are imitations of nature; as we evolved from nature, that is how it must be — yet modern man thinks he and she is independent of nature, that we somehow are so superior that we do not have to take nature into consideration other than as a backdrop for shitty movies. Or festivals. Losing touch with nature is basically to lose touch with being human."
• Tracks:   

1. "Storm Son"
2. "The River's Mouth"
3. "Sacred Horse"
4. "Axis Of The Worlds"
5. "Feathers Of Eohl"
6. "Hiindsiight"
7. "Djupet" (bonus track)
8. "What Else Is There" (bonus track - Röyksopp cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Epic Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.epicbrewing.com/
• Brew: Oak And Orchard 
• Style: American Wild Ale / Barrel-Aged Sour
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.9%
• Pour: The Oak And Orchard pours a very hazy golden peach hue with fleck of pink and a thin, bright white head that dissipates quickly leaving only a thin, bubbly ring.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, very sour, woody, earthy, and a little funky.  There are aromas of fresh picked strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice, plum, apple cider vinegar, cherry juice, a hint of bubblegum, damp oak, and a little barnyard funk.
• Taste: The taste of the Oak And Orchard is sharp, tart, fruity, woody, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of lemon juice, plum, strawberries, rhubarb, cherry, oak, and a hint of port wine.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very tart, very crisp, and very refreshing with a dry, lip-puckering finish.

Overall pairing: The Oak And Orchard earthy, rustic, and complex aromas and flavors make it the perfect brew for the musical genius that is Enslaved's "E"!  The two combined make for a really perfect evening!

Skål!!  Hails!!

August 4th, 2018 - I Can't Fathom These Deceptive Bends

Hello and happy Saturday!  The Meista here today pairing "Deceptive Bends" by the 10cc and a Fathom IPA from Ballast Point Brewing Company!  So I realize this isn't heavy metal or even hard rock, but I really dig this album!  :)

Album Info:

• Artist: 10cc
• Title: "Deceptive Bends"
• Recorded: 1976 through early 1977
• Release date: April 1977 (5th studio album by 10cc)
• Record company: Mercury Records
• Production: 10cc
• Album cover art: Hipgnosis
• Personnel: Graham Gouldman (bass guitar, rhythm guitars, organ, autoharp, percussion, and lead and backing vocals) and Eric Stewart (lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, percussion, and lead and backing vocals)
• Additional musicians: Paul Burgess (drums and percussion), Del Newman (string arrangements), Jean Alain Roussel (keyboards),  and Tony Spath (piano and oboe)
• Musical style: Pop rock, art rock, soft rock
• Sound: Cathy, poppy, Beatles-esque, the sound on "Deceptive Bends" is characterized by wonderful hooks, riffs, harmonies, and melodies!
• Major themes: At times humorous and beautifully sarcastic, themes on the include, love, lust, dating services, illness, independence, etc.
• Notes: The name of the album, "Deceptive Bends" was taken from a warning sign for dangerous curves on the southbound A24 located between Leatherhead and Dorking in Surrey, England.  Sadly, the sign is no longer there.  Of the album Stewart said: "I had a big challenge ahead of me to prove to the record world that we were not just 5cc, as some of the British media had graciously called us. The music was simpler than some of the previous 10cc albums, it was far more direct, streamlined and positive. The whole album was recorded very (in our terms) quickly. I was on a mission, and flying higher and faster than I had ever been before, and I knew by then that we had a very strong album. The new songs played a big part in the equation of course, I was out to prove also that we could write a hit album without Kevin and Lol ... we did!"
• Tracks:   

1. "Good Morning Judge"
2. "The Things We Do For Love"
3. "Marriage Bureau Rendezvous"
4. "People In Love"
5. "Modern Man Blues"
6. "Honeymoon With B Troop"
7. "I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor"
8. "You've Got A Cold"
9. "Feel The Benefits" Part 1-3
10. "Hot To Trot"
11. "Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste"
12. "I'm So Laid Back, I'm Laid Out"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
• Website: https://www.ballastpoint.com/
• Brew: Fathom IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.0%
• IBUs: 50
• Pour: The Fathom pours a clear orange-gold with an off-white, 1+ finger, frothy head with good retention and light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, earthy, floral, dank, and slightly malty.  There are aromas of orange zest, grapefruit rind, wild flowers, wet pine needles, light caramel, and light bread.
• Taste: The taste of the Fathom follows the nose with flavors of earthy pine, orange zest, pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the Fathom IPA is crisp, refreshing, and easy going with a dry, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The  Fathom IPA is a lighter and refreshing IPA, perfect for a mellow Saturday with the pop brilliance of 10cc's "Deceptive Bends"!

Cheers!!