July 28th, 2023 - Garden Of The Titans: Live At Red Rock Amber Ale

 

God morgon, hails, and happy Friday!  Today I'm starting the weekend off right with a pairing of the wonderful "Garden Of The Titans: Live At Red Rocks Amphitheater", the killer live album by Swedish progressive death metal and progressive metal/rock band Opeth and a delightfully tasty Red Rock Amber Ale from Red Rock Brewery!

Album Info:

• Artist: Opeth
• Title: "Garden Of The Titans: Live At Red Rocks Amphitheater"
• Recorded: 2018 at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado
• Release date: November 2nd, 2018 (4th live release by Opeth)
• Record company: Moderbolaget Records / Nuclear Blast
• Production: Michael Manasseri
• Album cover art: Travis Smith
• Personnel: Mikael Åkerfeldt (lead vocals and guitar), Fredrik Åkesson (guitar and backing vocals), Martin Axenrot (drums and percussion), Martín Méndez (bass guitar), Joakim Svalberg (piano, keyboards, and Mellotron)  
• Musical style: Progressive metal/rock, progressive death metal
• Sound: Paying homage to bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, ELP, early Genesis, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, yet with some brutal death metal mixed in, the sound on Opeth's latest live album is bold, bombastic, and heavy.  As always with Opeth, the musicianship is impeccable... richly textured, imaginative, and compelling.  Åkerfeldt's vocals are warm, honest, brutal, and powerful. 
• Major themes: Mythology, magic, power, darkness, death, the occult, deception, life, isolation, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Sorceress"
2. "Ghost Of Perdition"
3. "Demon of The Fall"
4. "The Wilde Flowers"
5. "In My Time Of Need"
6. "The Devil's Orchard"
7. "Cusp Of Eternity"
8. "Heir Apparent"
9. "Era"
10. "Deliverance"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Red Rock Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://redrockbrewing.com/ 
• Brew: Red Rock Amber Ale
• Style: Amber Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Pour: The Red Rock Amber Ale pours a clear, mahogany red with a light beige, frothy, 1-finger head with great retention and lots of sticky, soapy, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, bready, slightly hoppy, and nutty.  There are aromas of freshly baked, hearty bread, roasted malts, roasted hazelnuts, walnuts, black tea, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of Red Rock Amber Ale follows the nose with roasty, toasty, malty, nutty flavors.  There are notes of bready malts, hearty bread, walnut, bitter herbs, black tea, and sweet toffee/caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Red Rock Amber Ale is very crisp and smooth with a dry, slightly bitter, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Red Rock Amber Ale is malty, nutty, flavorful and drinkable brew... perfect for crushing whilst rocking out to the amazing depth, darkness, intensity, and beauty of Opeth's music!  'Nuff said!!

Skål and hails!!