March 28th, 2019 - Bel's Fury And Domination

Good evening headbangers!  Your pal the Meista here tonight pairing Morbid Angel's "Domination" album and a Bel's Fury Red Ale from Talisman Brewing Company!!  Hells yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Morbid Angel 
• Title: "Domination"
• Recorded: November 1994 through January 1995 at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida
  Release date: May 9th, 1995 (4th studio album by Morbid Angel)
• Record company: Giant Records / Metal Blade Records (2011 re-release)
• Production: Morbid Angel and Bill Kennedy
• Album cover art: Dan Muro and Dan Quatrochi
• Personnel: Trey Azagthoth (guitars and keyboards), Erik Rutan (guitars and keyboards), Pete Sandoval (drums), and David Vincent (bass and vocals)
• Musical style: Death metal with elements of groove metal
• Sound: Somewhat slower, more experimental, and maybe a little more atmospheric than previous albums, "Domination" still... well, dominates!  It seems Morbid Angel fans either love or hate this album.  I'm actually a big fan.  Yes, it is cleaner, more "produced", and slower, but Azagthoth's muted tremolo guitars still shreds, Sandoval's thunderous double bass and precision blast beats still stop you dead in your tracks, and Vincent's vocals, although "cleaner" are still aggressive and brutal!  I think most the haters fall in the category of people that want the band to just recreate their first two albums over and over and over again.  I personally prefer growth and experimentation, but that's just me!  :)
• Major themes: Aggression, hatred, death, violence, war, dominance, control, corruption, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Dominate"
2. "Where The Slime Live"
3. "Eyes To See, Ears To Hear"
4. "Melting"
5. "Nothing But Fear"
6. "Dawn Of The Angry"
7. "This Means War"
8. "Caesar's Palace"
9. "Dreaming"
10. "Inquisition (Burn With Me)"
11. "Hatework"
    

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Talisman Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: www.talismanbrewingco.com  
• Brew: Bel's Fury Red Ale
• Style: Irish Red Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.3%
• Pour: Opaque, deep mahogany with a thin, off-white head that leaves trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Bel's Fury is sweet, malty, rich, and just slightly hoppy.  There are aromas of caramel and toffee, toasted bread, sweet meat, hints of dark fruits, and biscuit.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste is roasty, toasty, malty, and sweet.  There are rich and balanced notes of roasted malts, biscuit, toasted bread, soft caramel, buttery toffee, and a hint of grassy hops.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very smooth, somewhat creamy, with a hint of hoppiness.  The finish is fairly clean, but with a slight booziness and lingering sweetness.

Overall pairing: The death metal onslaught that is "Dominate" goes great with the well-balanced malty and slightly punchy tastiness from Talisman's Bel's Fury Red Ale!  The rich maltiness is great for the brutal and thunderous rhythm section and the sweeter caramel/toffee notes are perfect for Trey's and Rutan's electrifying guitar work!

Cheers and hails!!  Raise those horns and raise those pints!!