June 8th, 2021 - The Witch Of The North Is One Big Mother!

 

Guten abend and hails metal brethren! If you are going to go big, you go freakin' BIG!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here tonight getting heavy and aggressive with a pairing of "The Witch Of The North", the latest kick-ass album by Swiss metallers Burning Witches and a Big Mother Triple India Pale Ale Anniversary Ale from Mother Earth Brew Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: Burning Witches
• Title: "The Witch Of The North"
• Recorded: 
• Release date: May 28th, 2021 (4th studio album from Burning Witches)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Schmier 
• Album cover art: Claudio Bergamín 
• Personnel: Larissa Ernst (guitars), Lala Frischknecht (drums), Jeanine Grob (bass), Laura Guldemond (vocals), and Romana Kalkuhl (guitars)  
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal
• Sound: Heavy, energetic, totally rocking, and full of great hooks and melodies, Burning Witches' 4th album is a powerhouse of an album in the classic metal tradition of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, and Doro!  Guldemond's soaring vocals work wonderfully well over the tapestry of the fiery, heavy-duty punch of Kalhuhl's and Ernst's guitars, while Frischknecht and Grob lay down a thunderous rhythm!  This is everything I love about power metal!!
• Major themes: Witchcraft, the occult, power, unity, mythology, fantasy, winter, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Winter's Wrath"
2. "The Witch Of The North"
3. "Tainted Ritual"
4. "We Stand As One"
5. "Flight Of The Valkyries"
6. "The Circle Of Five"
7. "Lady Of The Woods"
8. "Thrall"
9. "Omen"
10. "Nine Worlds"
11. "For Eternity"
12. "Dragon's Dream"
13. "Eternal Frost"
14. "Hall of the Mountain King" (Savatage cover)

 Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brew Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Big Mother
• Style: Triple India Pale Ale (TIPA) / Imperial IPA (IIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 10.5%
• IBUs: 125
• Pour: The Big Mother pours a hazy bronze-amber hue with a half-finger, off-white head with great retention and delicate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is floral, earthy, dank, fruity, and malty.  It is chalk full of notes of pine resin, wild flowers, pineapple, mango, grapefruit rind, black tea, soft caramel malt, cedar, and booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Big Mother follows the nose with bold pine, floral hops, citrus, and malt flavors.  There are big notes of pine resin, cedar, grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, and booze with a strong malty backbone.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with lower carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Big Mother is thick, sticky, and resinous with a dry, bitter finish. 

Overall pairing: Mother Earth's Big Mother is bold, hop-forward ass-kicker... perfect for the aggression, musical prowess, and unbridled intensity of Burning Witches' latest album, "The Witch Of The North"!  The bitterness and punchiness of the Big Mother is right in line with darker lyrics and Guldemond's amazing vocal acrobatics while the big, thick, boozy and malty backbone embodies the delivery of these mighty musicians!

HAILS and PROST!!  Keep it craft and keep it heavy!!