March 4th, 2023 - The Maniacult Of Duvel

 

Hello and happy Saturday evil doers, headbangers, and craft brew freaks!  The Meista here getting the day off to the right start with the brutal "Maniacult", the most recent release from Belgian death metal legends Aborted!  I'm pairing this with very tasty, bold, and boozy Duvel Belgian Strong Blond from Duvel Moortgat Brewery!  Hell yeah!!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Aborted
• Title: "Maniacult"
• Recorded: 2021 at Kohlekeller Studio in Seeheim, Germany
• Release date: September 10th, 2021 (11th studio album by Aborted)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Kristian "Kohle" Kohlmannslehner 
• Album cover art: Pär Olofsson 
• Personnel: Ken Bedene (drums, keyboards, and samples), Sven de Caluwé (vocals), Stefano Franceschini (bass), and Ian Jekelis (guitars)
• Guest musicians: Joseph Badolato (vocals on "Maniacult"), Jeroen Camerlynck (backing vocals), Filip Danielsson (vocals on "Drag Me To Hell"), Ben Duerr (vocals on "I prediletti: The Folly of the Gods"), Ryo Kinoshita (vocals on "Ceremonial Ineptitude"), Bart Govers (backing vocals), and Kohle (keyboards and samples)
• Musical style: Death metal with elements of grindcore
• Sound: Incredibly brutal, incredibly aggressive, and incredibly fast, "Maniacult" is an instant death/grind classic! 
• Major themes: Lyrical themes on the album include death, darkness, gore, evil, demons, violence, horror, the occult, hell, insanity, etc.  
• Tracks: 
1. "Verderf"
2. "Maniacult"
3. "Impetus Odi"
4. "Portal to Vacuity"
5. "Dementophobia"
6. "A Vulgar Quagmire"
7. "Verbolgen"
8. "Ceremonial Ineptitude"
9. "Drag Me To Hell"
10. "Grotesque"
11. "I prediletti: The Folly of the Gods"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Duvel Moortgat Brewery (Breendonk, Belgium)
• Website: https://www.duvelmoortgat.com/
• Brew: Duvel Belgian Strong Blond
• Style: Belgian Strong Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 8.5%
• Pour: The Duvel pours a slightly cloudy golden yellow hue with a very frothy, bright white, soft and fluffy 2+ finger head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by spicy, yeasty, fruity, floral, grainy, and boozy notes.  There are aromas of Belgian yeast, cloves, white pepper, a hint of pear juice, apples, orange peel, wildflowers, sourdough bread, bright grains, booze, and a hint of honey.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Duvel is spicy, slightly fruity, spicy, and malty.  There are notes of Belgian spices, Belgian yeast, light apple, lemon zest, booze and a hint of clover honey. 
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp and exceptionally smooth with a dry, slightly bitter and boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The Duvel Belgian Strong Blond is a very complex and flavorful brew that demands your full attention... a perfect companion to the death metal onslaught that is the mighty Aborted!  Those big, bold, and boozy notes go great with the aggressive, chaotic, and infernal dimensions of the songs!  I highly recommend both the album and the brew... but these are definitely not for the faint at heart... both will knock you down and tear out your blackened soul!  

Cheers and hails headbangers!!  Keep it craft and keep it HEAVY!