November 1st, 2024 - In the Wake of the Atomic Pumpkin

 

Bonjour and hails metal maniacs and craft brew freaks!  Happy Friday and happy All Hallows Day!  Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here today rocking out to "The Wake" by the mighty Voivod whilst enjoying a spicy and unique Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin from New Belgium Brewing Company!  Hells yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Voivod
• Title: "The Wake"
• Recorded: 2018 at RadicArt Studio in Quebec, Canada, percussion instruments recorded at Cégep de Joliette studios
• Release date: September 21st, 2018 (14th studio album by Voivod)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Voivod
• Album cover art: Away (artwork) and Carsten Drescher (layout)
• Personnel: Denis "Snake" Bélanger (vocals), Michel "Away" Langevin (drums), Dominique "Rocky" Laroche (bass), and Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (guitars)
• Guest musicians: Christelle Chartray (cello), Edith Fitzgerald (violin), Jacques Landry (bones), Martin Marcotte (percussion), Sarah Martineau (viola), and Andrée-Anne Tremblay (violin)
• Musical style: Progressive thrash metal with elements of hardcore punk, progressive rock, and traditional metal
• Sound: As with all things Voivod, the sound on "The Wake" is very progressive, challenging, manic, and above all, kick ass!  
• Major themes: A concept album, themes include science fiction, scientific advancement, the future, isolation, technology, violence, conflict, space, rebellion, death, alternate realms and consciousness, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Obsolete Beings"
2. "The End Of Dormancy"
3. "Orb Confusion"
4. "Iconspiracy"
5. "Spherical Perspective"
6. "Event Horizon"
7. "Always Moving"
8. "Sonic Mycelium"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: New Belgium Brewing Company (Colorado)
• Website: https://www.newbelgium.com/ 
• Brew: Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin
• Style: Pumpkin Ale / Chili Beer
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.4%
• IBUs: 10
• Ingredients: Pale, Munich, and Caramel 120 malts, Nugget hops, Ale yeast, pumpkin juice, and Saigon cinnamon, habanero chili peppers, aji, and del arbol peppers
• Pour: The Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin pours a clear, copper-amber color with a frothy, eggshell white, 1-finger head with good retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is spicy, malty, and vegetal.  There are aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, habanero, pumpkin, and toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin follows the nose with vegetal, malty, and spicy flavors.  There are notes of pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie, bready malt, clove, nut meg, cinnamon, a chili pepper spice bite, and sweet caramel
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp, yet smooth with a nice spicy kick.

Overall pairing: The Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin is a punchy, spicy, yet bright and tasty brew... great for the intense and progressive grooves and chord changes of Voivod's inventive and intense "The Wake"!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with Snake, lead vocalist of the mighty Voivod here: https://youtu.be/Ag7EfictEjY

À votre santé and hails!!