June 3rd, 2023 - 6,66: To Mega Therion

 

Gueten Oobe!  Happy Saturday!  The Meista here getting heavy and aggressive with the wonderful Celtic Frost classic "To Mega Therion" (2023 re-release) and a delicious Duvel 6,66 from Duvel Moortgat Brewery!  Hell YEAH!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Celtic Frost
• Title: "To Mega Therion"
• Recorded: September 14th through the 28th, 1985 at Casablanca Studio in Berlin, Germany
• Release date: October 27th, 1985 (2nd full-length studio album by Celtic Frost)
• Record company: Noise Records
• Production: Horst Müller, Tom G. Warrior, and Karl Walterbach
• Album cover art: H. R. Giger
• Personnel: Reed St. Mark (drums, percussion, and effects), Dominic Steiner (bass and bass effects), and Tom G. Warrior (guitars, vocals, and effects)
• Additional musicians: Martin Ain (bass on tracks 2 and 3), Wolf Bender (French horn on tracks 1, 4, and 10), Claudia-Maria Mokri (additional vocals on tracks 2, 6, and 10), and Horst Müller, Urs Sprenger (sound effects on track 9)
• Musical style: Extreme metal (early black metal and early death metal), experimental metal with elements of thrash metal, doom metal, and gothic metal
• Sound: Heavily influential in both the black metal and death metal circles, "To Mega Therion" is one of those pivotal, landmark albums that grabs a hold of you and never lets go!  It is fast-paced, aggressive, dark, and completely original!  This is one of those albums that demands your utmost attention from the opening chord to final symbol crash!
• Major themes: Darkness, the occult, evil, death, horror, aggression, power, violence, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Innocence And Wrath"
2. "The Usurper"
3. "Jewel Throne"
4. "Dawn Of Megiddo"
5. "Eternal Summer"
6. "Circle Of The Tyrants"
7. "(Beyond The) North Winds"
8. "Fainted Eyes"
9. "Tears In A Prophet's Dream"
10. "Necromantical Screams"
11. "Circle Of The Tyrants" (Emperor's Return EP track)
12. "Visual Aggression" (Emperor's Return EP track)
13. "Suicidal Winds" (Emperor's Return EP track)
14. "Journey Into Fear" (Emperor's Return EP track)
15. "Visual Aggression" (1988 remix)
16. "Return To The Eve" (1985 studio jam)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Duvel Moortgat Brewery (Breendonk, Belgium)
• Website: https://www.duvelmoortgat.com/
• Brew: Duvel 6,66
• Style: Belgian Blond Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.66%
• Ingredients: Saaz and Styrian Golding hops
• Pour: The Duvel 6,66 pours a 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 slightly boozy notes.  There are aromas of Belgian yeast, a hint of cloves, pear juice, apples, orange peel, wildflowers, sourdough bread, bright grains, and a hint of honey.
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Duvel 6,66 is fruity, slightly spicy, and malty.  There are notes of Belgian spices, Belgian yeast, light apple, pear, lemon zest, a hint of booze, and light clover honey. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very crisp and exceptionally smooth with a dry, slightly bitter and slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The sweeter, fruitier flavors of Devel 6,66 are the perfect foil for the groundbreaking brutality of Celtic Frost's earth-shattering album "To Mega Therion"!  'Nuff said!

Proscht!!  HAILS!!