December 6th, 2019 - Ategnatos And Albion

God kväll!  The Meista here today getting heavy and aggressive, yet melodic by embracing my Scandinavian and pagan heritage with Eluveitie's wonderfully enchanting "Ategnatos" and an Albion Trippel Belgian Style Ale from Templin Family (T.F.) Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Eluveitie
• Title: "Ategnatos"
• Recorded: 2018 at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden
• Release date: April 5th, 2019 (8th full-length studio album by Eluveitie)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast Records
• Production: Eluveitie
• Album cover art: Travis Smith
• Personnel: Alain Ackermann (drums and percussion), Nicole Ansperger (fiddles), Kay Brem (bass), Fabienne Erni (vocals and Celtic harp), Chrigel Glanzmann (vocals, mandolas, and whistles), Michalina Malisz (hurdy-gurdy), Rafael Salzmann (lead guitar), Matteo Sisti (bagpipes, Uilleann pipes, whistles, and bodhrán), and Jonas Wolf (rhythm guitar and resonator guitar)
• Additional musicians: Randy Blythe (vocals and narration on "Worship"), Giuseppe De Marzi (backing vocals on "Breathe"), Anne Jeger (cello), Sandrine Kindler-Chanson (violin), Philipp King (backing vocals on "Rebirth" and "Eclipse"), Alexander Morton (narration on "Ategnatos", "Deathwalker", and "Breathe"), Coen Strouken (viola), Meri Tadić (narration on "Trinoxtion"), and Rebecca Thies (violin)
• Musical style: Folk metal, melodic death metal, pagan metal, Celtic metal, symphonic metal
• Sound: Aggressive, melodic, and richly textured, the songs on "Ategnatos" are a wonderful blend of melodic death metal and Celtic folk!  Glanzmann's harsh vocals are perfectly offset by the beauty and depth of Erni's wonderful voice!  And the song writing, execution, and  instrumentation is fantastic!  The band is tight and brilliantly talented!
• Major themes: Life, death, mythology, Helvetian history and lore, war, evil, rebirth, etc.
• Tracks:   
  

1. "Ategnatos"
2. "Ancus"
3. "Deathwalker"
4. "Black Water Dawn"
5. "A Cry In the Wilderness"
6. "The Raven Hill"
7. "The Silvern Glow"
8. "Ambiramus"
9. "Mine Is The Fury"
10. "The Slumber"
11. "Worship"
12. "Trinoxtion"
13. "Threefold Death"
14. "Breathe"
15. "Rebirth"
16. "Eclipse"
    

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: T.F. Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://www.tfbrewing.com/
• Brew: Albion Trippel Belgian Style Ale
• Style: Belgian Tripel
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 10.2%
• Pour: The Albion pours a bright, bronze-orange with a fizzy, thin, bright white head that dissipates quickly leaving virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, sweet, and a little boozy. There are big fruit ester aromas of pear juice, apple, fruit cocktail syrup, soft banana, along hints of bubblegum, cloves, white pepper, and brandy.
• Taste: The taste of the Albion follows the nose with lots of complex Belgian yeast, fruit.  There are notes of pear juice, light apple, banana, pink bubblegum, cloves, and boozy brandy or cognac.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Albion is thick and sticky, yet crisp and refreshing with .

Overall pairing: The complex flavors and aromas of the T.F. Brewing Albion are perfect for the musical depth and intricacies of the amazing "Ategnatos" from the mighty Eluveitie!  I highly recommend both the brew and the album.. 'nuff said!

    

Skål!!  HAILS!!