November 7th, 2024 - We Don't Fear Your God, Big Bad Baptist... But We Do Want His Coquito!

 

Good evening and happy Thursday evil-doers, metal maniacs, and craft beer freaks!  The Meista here tonight paying homage to our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico with a pairing of a bold and boozy Big Bad Baptist Coquito from Epic Brewing Company and "We Don't Fear Your God", the 4th kick-ass album by the mighty Puerto Rican metal band Dantesco!  Hell yeah!  This pairing is dedicated to the memory of the late Erico La Bestia... rest in power Erico!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Dantesco
• Title: "We Don't Fear Your God"
• Recorded: 2013 at Black Cat Studios, Rua Studios, Casitas de la Selva, and Guavate in Puerto Rico
• Release date: June 28th, 2013 (4th full length album by Dantesco)
• Record company: Inframundo Records / Barbarian Wrath
• Production: Eric Morales and Dennis Torres
• Album cover art: Dimitar Nikolov
• Personnel: Joel Carrasquillo (lead guitars), Ramón de Jesús (lead and classical guitars, and bass), Erico La Bestia (lead vocals), Enrique ov Khaos (drums), and Raly Vega (bass)
• Guest musicians: Dennis Torres (lead guitars)
• Musical style: Doom metal, traditional metal, power metal
• Sound: In the tradition of doom metal bands like Candlemass, Sorcerer, and Trouble, and traditional metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, yet fresh and original, the sound on "We Don't Fear Your God" is wonderfully powerful, dark, and engaging, and highlights the prowess of these master musicians!  Erico La Bestia's unique vocal approach seems, at times to channel Messiah Marcolin and at other times, Graham Bonnet.
• Major themes: Darkness, death, history, mythology, survival, freedom, deception, evil, etc.
• Notes: Sadly, Erico La Bestia passed away in 2021, so the band's future is currently unknown.
• Tracks: 
1. "Intro: Tambores De Guerra"
2. "We Don't Fear Your God"
3. "Betrayer"
4. "...Of Darkness"
5. "At The Hill Of The Ravens"
6. "Blood Of The Saints"
7. "Consolament"
8. "A Brother Has Fallen"
   
9. "Strange Fruit Sonata"
10. "Burnt"
11. "The Conqueror Worm"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Epic Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.epicbrewing.com/
• Brew: Big Bad Baptist Coquito
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 12.8%
• Ingredients: "Inspired by the classic Puerto Rican cocktail, Coquito is aged in rum and whiskey barrels with rum-soaked coconut, then finished with cinnamon and vanilla."  Made with Marris Otter, 2-Row, Light Munich, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt, and Roasted Barley, along with Nugget, Chinook, and Cascade hops, and cinnamon and vanilla extract
• Pour: The Big Bad Baptist Coquito pours a beautiful black... black as hell, black as the night sky, black as mud with a very thin mocha head with good retention and lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by aromas of bittersweet cooking chocolate, rich planting soil, dark roasted espresso beans, black licorice, rich vanilla, spicy cinnamon, oak, spiced rum and rich bourbon, coconut, along with sweet toffee. 
• Taste: The flavor is characterized by huge notes of dark and milk chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, black coffee, and bourbon and rum, with more subtle notes of dark toasted bread, fresh cream, burnt toffee, and molasses.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with minimal carbonation, the Big Bad Baptist Coquito's mouthfeel is sticky, velvety, and chunky.  The finish is nice and chewy and velvety smooth with a dry mocha goodness that lingers.

Overall pairing: If you are going to pair anything with the mighty Dantesco, it has to make a statement and a bold statement at that!  I think the Big Bad Baptist Coquito from Epic fits that bill quite nicely... don't you?  The huge, complex flavors are perfect for the musical depth, intensity, and aggression found on "We Don't Fear Your God" while the higher ABV and bitter coffee notes lend themselves well to the darker thematic elements of the album!

Salud and hails!!