January 23rd, 2021 - I'd Be Able To Follow The Reaper If It Wasn't For This Myopia

 

Hey there hellions and hop-heads!  You drinking buddy the Meista here pairing "Follow The Reaper", the wonderful 3rd album by Children Of Bodom and a Myopia Hazy IPA from Sawtooth Brewery that my friend Brett brought me!   Cheers buddy... thanks for the beer!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Children Of Bodom
• Title: "Follow The Reaper"
• Recorded: August through September 2000 at Abyss Studios in Sweden
• Release date:  (3rdfull-length studio album by Children Of Bodom)
• Record company: Spinefarm Records 
• Production: Peter Tägtgren and Children Of Bodom
• Album cover art: Sami Saramäki 
• Personnel: Henkka T. Blacksmith (bass), Alexander Kuoppala (rhythm guitars), Alexi Wildchild Laiho (lead guitars and lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), and Janne Warman (keyboards) 
• Musical style: Melodic death metal with elements of power metal, progressive metal, and speed metal
• Sound: In the tradition of fellow countrymen Arch Enemy, Children Of Bodom's sound combines soaring power metal elements with Swedish death metal.  The guitar work is immediately grabbing... it combines soaring solos and crunching riffs!  Combine that with the soaring keys, thunderous rhythms, and Laiho's aggressive vocals, well, you've got yourself a kick-ass album!
• Major themes: Death, darkness, Lake Bodom, anger, aggression, hate, sanity, etc.
• Tracks:   
1. "Follow The Reaper"
2. "Bodom After Midnight"
3. "Children Of Decadence"
4. "Everytime I Die"
5. "Mask Of Sanity"
6. "Taste Of My Scythe"
7. "Hate Me!"
8. "Northern Comfort"
9. "Kissing The Shadows"
10. "Hate Me!" (single version bonus track)
11. "Hellion" (W.A.S.P. cover bonus track)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Sawtooth Brewery (Idaho)
• Website: https://sawtoothbrewery.com/ 
• Brew: Myopia Hazy IPA  
• Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA) 
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.5%
• IBUs: 55
• Ingredients: Chinook Hop Oil, Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops, Idaho Mountain Malt Pilsner Malt, Flaked Barley, Flaked Wheat, and Dextrapil malts, and Conan yeast 
• Pour: The Myopia pours a hazy golden-yellow hue with a billowy, 1+ finger, bright white head with good retention and lots of soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy, floral, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of orange juice, orange zest, lemons, tangerine, light grapefruit, mango, wild flowers, a hint of pine resin, a hint of honey, and soft caramel.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of Myopia is a blend of citrusy, fruity, and floral hoppy flavors with more a subtle sweet malt profile.  There are juicy notes of orange juice, pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, lemon zest, mango, light pineapple, a hint of pine, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and juicy, yet smooth with a dry, fairly clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Sawtooth Myopia Hazy IPA is delightfully juicy and very crushable brew... perfect for the fast-paced, upbeat melodic death/power metal stylings of Children Of Bodom on their killer 3rd album "Follow The Reaper"!  Those sweeter fruit and malt notes go great with the soaring guitars while the slightly bitter hop bite and ABV are great for Laiho's more aggressive vocal approach and darker lyrical content!  'Nuff said!

Hails!!  Skål... Helan går!  Rest in Power Wildchild!!