May 24th, 2024 - After the Grace of a Dragonfly

 

Hello and happy Friday!  Your hard rockin', metal drinkin' buddy the Meista here today getting the weekend off the right way with a pairing of a tasty and very crushable Extra Special Dopo India Pale Ale from Offset Bier Company and "The Grace Of A Dragonfly", the wonderful new album by the mighty Lionheart!  Oh yeah!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Lionheart
• Title: "The Grace Of A Dragonfly"
• Recorded: 2023 in England, UK
• Release date: February 23rd, 2024 (4th full-length studio album by Lionheart)
• Record company: Metalville 
• Production: Lionheart
• Album cover art: Tristan Greatrex (artwork, layout, and design)
• Personnel: Clive Edwards (drums and percussion), Steve Mann (guitars, keyboards, and backing vocals), Rocky Newton (bass and backing vocals), Lee Small (lead and backing vocals), and Dennis Stratton (guitars and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal
• Sound: A wonderful rich and intricately textured album, at times it is soft and warm, and at times angrier and decisive.  There are elements of traditional heavy metal, progressive rock, and AOR all tightly and masterfully woven into a fantastically engrossing and heavy tapestry of soaring guitars and vocals, and a heavy-duty rhythm section! 
• Major themes: A concept album of sorts about the individuals that served during World War II, themes on the album include bravery, valor, life, death, loss, war, peace, fear, perseverance, hope, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Declaration"
2. "Flight 19"
3. "V Is For Victory"
4. "This Is A Woman's War"
5. "The Longest Night"
6. "The Eagle's Nest"
7. "Little Ships"
8. "Just A Man"
9. "UXB"
10. "The Grace Of A Dragonfly"
11. "Remembrance. Praying For World Peace"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
• Website: https://offsetbier.com/
• Brew: Extra Special Dopo India Pale Ale
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Simcoe Cryo, Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic, and Sub Zero Kohia Nelson hops
• Pour: The ESD IPA pours a hazy, bright golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with great sustain and lots of sticky lacing. 
• Nose: The nose is fruity, citrusy, slightly resiny, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, stone fruit (apricot and peach), passion fruit, a hint of pine resin and cedar, herbal tea, and crackery biscuit.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: fruity, citrusy, hoppy, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, orange juice, tangerine, peach, dried apricot, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, light pine, earthy herbs, black tea, and soft sweet toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the ESD IPA is very crisp and smooth with a clean, slightly bitter finish.
• Note: Dopo is Italian for after or afterward.

Overall pairing: The Offset Extra Special Dopo India Pale Ale is a crushable, yet very flavorful, hop-forward, and complex brew... perfect for the depth, complexity, and honesty that is the mighty Lionheart!  I also like the beer label colors with the album cover aesthetics!  'Nuff said!

And make sure to check out my interview with Lionheart guitarist and founding member Dennis Stratton here: https://youtu.be/pLtFRF-7CZc

Raise your horns and glasses!!  Cheers rockers!!