August 29th, 2019 - My Cherry Cryptic Nightmares Of The Oathbreaker

Good evening evildoers and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here getting ready to welcome the weekend with a pairing of the kickass "Oathbreaker", the sophomore album of Seattle black metal band Hoth and a delicious Cherry Crypt from TRVE Brewing Company, "Denver's true heavy metal brewery"! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Hoth
• Title: "Oathbreaker"
• Recorded: 2013 at Dynamic Sound Service in Seattle, Washington
• Release date: May 24th, 2014 (2nd full-length studio album by Hoth)
• Record company: Epicurus Records
• Production: Hoth
• Album cover art: Dusty Peterson
• Personnel: David Dees and Eric Peters (all instruments and vocals)
• Musical style: Melodic black metal, melodic death metal, folk metal
• Sound: Cold, atmospheric, black as hell, and darkly complex, Hoth's sound on "Oathbreaker" is steeped in classic black metal with powerful elements of death metal and folk metal.  It is fresh and raw with wonderfully executed tremolo guitars, brutal blast beats, and screeching vocals foiled by soaring and atmospheric keys, soaring and melodic guitar solos, and beautiful acoustic guitar interludes.
• Major themes: A cryptic and tragic concept album about an unnamed character's lust for power and his descent into darkness (Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader maybe?), themes on the album include darkness, the occult, black magic, temptation, betrayal, disorder, falling from grace, corruption, hate, embracing evil, isolation, death, despair, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "The Unholy Conception"
2. "A Blighted Hope"
3. "Cryptic Nightmares"
4. "Serpentine Whispers"
5. "Acolyte Of The Tenebrous Night"
6. "Unending Power"
7. "Oblivion"
8. "Despair"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: TRVE Brewing Company (Denver, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.trvebrewing.com/
• Brew: Cherry Crypt Farmhouse Pale Ale on Colorado Sweet Cherries
• Style: Farmhouse / Pale Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.7%
• Pour: The Cherry Crypt pours an opaque, deep ruby red with a frothy, pink head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a very thin ring with virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, floral, woody, and slightly tart.  There are aromas of fresh cherries, raspberries, cranberries, lemon, and very light barnyard funk.
• Taste: Although categorized as a Farmhouse Pale Ale, the taste of the Cherry Crypt is more akin to a lambic in my opinion.  It is fruity, tangy, tart, and slightly funky.  There are notes of cherry juice, cranberry, light lemon juice, red wine, very subtle grassy hops, and a hint of funk. 
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp, frothy, and tangy, yet very smooth with a clean, dry finish.

Overall pairing: The Cherry Crypt from TRVE Brewing is a bright, fruity, complex, and very crushable brew, which makes for a great juxtaposed pairing to the chaotic, aggressive, and blackened intricacies of Hoth's brilliantly crafted "Oathbreaker"!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!