October 30th, 2021 - Following The Reaper Into V2K

 

Good evening hellions and hop-heads!  Happy Halloween!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here with another pairing for ya!  Tonight I'm going with "Follow The Reaper", the wonderful 3rd album (21 years old today!) by Children Of Bodom and a juicy Voodoo Ranger V2K IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Children Of Bodom
• Title: "Follow The Reaper"
• Recorded: August through September 2000 at Abyss Studios in Sweden
• Release date: October 30th, 2000 (3rd full-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: New Belgium Brewing Company (Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/ 
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger V2K IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA) 
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.9%
• IBUs: 19
• Ingredients: Cascade, Centennial, Citra, and Simcoe hops with Pale, Caramel, and White Wheat malts, Malted Oats, and Ale yeast
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger V2K IPA pours a hazy, pale yellow with a frothy, bright white, 1+ finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very tropical, floral, herbal, slightly citrusy, and malty.  There are aromas of  melon, peach, mango, orange zest, lemon zest, wild flowers, green hop flowers, .
• Taste: The taste of the Voodoo Ranger V2K  IPA follows the nose with lots of punchy, hop-forward, citrusy and tropical fruit flavors.  There are notes of ripe melon, peach, mango, light tangerine, crackery biscuit, very light pine, herbal tea, and soft caramel/toffee
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the Voodoo Ranger V2K IPA's mouthfeel is very crisp and very juicy with a dry and slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Voodoo Ranger V2K 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 is great for Laiho's more aggressive vocal approach and darker lyrical content!  I also thought the V2K IPA would make a good pairing with "Follow The Reaper" as the album was released in 2000 and the beer's name takes a lighthearted look back at the Y2K computer data scare of that era.

Hails!!  Skål... Helan går!  Have a very safe and very happy Halloween!!