March 26th, 2021 - Awakening From 2020, A Damned Awful Year

 

Hello, happy Friday, and hails evil-doers and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here today pairing "Awakening", the latest ass-kicking album by the mighty Sacred Reich and a very crisp, hoppy, and tasty 2020 IPA (a damned good beer for a damn awful year) from my main man, Master Chad over at the Deseret Edge Brewery!  Hells yeah! 

Album Info: 

• Artist: Sacred Reich
• Title: "Awakening"
• Recorded: 2019 at The Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona
• Release date: August 23rd, 2019 (5th full-length studio album by Sacred Reich)
• Record company: Metal Blade
• Production: Arthur Rizk
• Album cover art: Paul Stottler 
• Personnel: Wiley Arnett (lead guitar), Dave McClain (drums), Joey Radziwill (rhythm guitar), and Phil Rind (bass and vocals)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, heavy metal
• Sound: Hard-hitting, fun as hell, classic thrash, "Awakening" is a fitting "comeback" album for this legendary band!  Arnett and Radziwill lay down some killer face-melting shredding on top of a thunderous rhythm, while Rind's vocals sound great! 
• Major themes: Socio-politically charged, themes on the album include life and death, division, seeking truth, pacifism, believing in oneself, hope, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Awakening"
2. "Divide & Conquer"
3. "Salvation"
4. "Manifest Reality"
5. "Killing Machine"
6. "Death Valley"
7. "Revolution"
8. "Something To Believe"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Deseret Edge Brewery at the Pub (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://desertedgebrewery.com/ 
• Brew: 2020 IPA (a damned good beer for a damn awful year)
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IAPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 7.1%
• IBUs: 49 
• Ingredients: Pale, Munich, and Crystal 45 malts with Citra, Mosaic, and Chinook hops 
• Pour: The 2020 IPA pours a hazy, bright golden orange hue with a billowy and creamy 2-finger, eggshell white head with great retention and lots of intricate sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a wonderful blend of citrusy, tropical, floral, and malty aromas.  There are notes of grapefruit rind, orange peel, tangerine, mango, pineapple, lime zest, wild flowers, light earthy honey, sweet biscuit, and caramel.
• Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the 2020 IPA is citrusy, tropical, herbal, and malty.  There are notes of zesty grapefruit, mango, orange pith, orange zest, herbal tea, light crackery biscuit, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the 2020 IPA is very crisp and juicy, yet smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The very crushable and fruity hop bite of Desert Edge's 2020 IPA makes it a great companion to the thrashing metal punch of Sacred Reich's latest, "Awakening"!  You can definitely crush a few of these delicious brews whilst thrashing about to this great album!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!  WRECK YER NECK!!