September 2nd, 2022 - Noise Chaos War... And Orange Sunshine?

 

Hails and happy Friday my metal friends!  The Meista here today rocking the hell out and getting the long weekend started right with a pairing of a delicious and juicy Double Dipped Orange Sunshine from the fine folks at Illuminated Brew Works and the killer "Noise Chaos War" by legendary thrashers Hirax!  Oh, hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Hirax
• Title: "Noise Chaos War"
• Recorded: 2000 through 2007 in California
• Release date: March 1st, 2010 (EPs compilation album by Hirax)
• Record company: Thrash Corner Records
• Production: Reinaldo "Pachi" López
• Album cover art: Craig Cummings 
• Personnel: Katon W. De Pena (vocals), Lance Harrison (guitars), Steve Harrison (bass), James Joseph Hubler (guitars), Jorge Iacobellis (drums), Justin Lent (bass and guitars), Fabricio Ravelli (drums), Glenn Rogers (guitars), and Nick Seelinger (drums)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal, crossover thrash
• Sound: One of the most underrated thrash metal bands in my opinion, Hirax combines the speed of Slayer, the aggression of Testament, the energy of early Metallica, and the limitless passion of lead singer and founder Katon W. De Pena!  The guitar work of Harrison, Hubler, Lent, and Rogers is fiery and fierce, Harrison's and Lent's bass is a roar or cannons in a thunderstorm, and Iacobellis', Ravelli's, and Seelinger's drumming is machine gun fire all while Katon belts out a powerful vocal barrage!  His vocals are as fresh, unique, and as intense as his work from all those years ago in the early days!!
• Major themes: Violence, aggression, death, destruction, war, evil, darkness, metal, rebellion, etc. 
• Notes: This CD collects three Hirax EPs: "Barrage Of Noise" from 2001 and "Chaos And Brutality" and "Assassins Of War", both from 2007. 
• Tracks:  

1. "Murder One"
2. "Barrage Of Noise"
3. "Walk With Death"
4. "Broken Neck"
5. "Jade"
6. "Mouth Sewn Shut"
7. "Beyond The Church (Part 1)"
8. "French Pearl"
9. "Chaos And Brutality"
10. "Walk With Death" (re-recorded)
11. "100,000 Strong"
12. "Lucifer's Inferno (Reprise)"
13. "Lucifer's Inferno"
14. "Summon The Death Dealers"
15. "City Of The Dead"
16. "Invasion"
17. "Assassins Of War"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Illuminated Brew Works (Chicago, Illinois)
• Website: https://www.ibw-chicago.com/
• Brew: Double Dipped Orange Sunshine 
• Style: Double India Pale Ale (DIPA) / Imperial IPA
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 8.0%
• Pour: The Double Dipped Orange Sunshine pours the color of a fresh squeezed orange juice.  The very hazy brew displays a very frothy and creamy, off-white, 1+ finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a nice balance of big, citrusy, and tropical aromatic punch with sweeter malts, there are notes of orange juice, orange peel, Creamsicle, marshmallow, mango, guava, wildflowers, cream, vanilla bean, herbal tea, and sweet caramel/toffee. 
• Taste: With loads of juicy citrus and tropical fruit flavors, The Double Dipped Orange Sunshine is characterized by notes of orange juice, tangerine, Creamsicle, marshmallow, vanilla, mango, melon, guava, fresh cream, and a well-balanced and semi-sweet malt backbone. 
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp, juicy, yet smooth and creamy with a dry, slightly sweet and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The very drinkable and crushable, yet bold flavors of Illuminated's Double Dipped Orange Sunshine are perfect for an evening of neck wrecking to the undeniably intense metal onslaught of Hirax and their brutal EPs compilation "Noise Chaos War"!   'Nuff said!

Happy thrashin'!  Happy drinkin'!  Cheers!