March 21st, 2025 - Free Spirit [Animal] Soar

 

Hello and hails metal maniacs and hop freaks!  Happy Friday!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out with "Free Spirit Soar", the amazing 5th album by the mighty Warlord and juicy Spirit Animal Hazy IPA from Mother Earth Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Warlord
• Title: "Free Spirit Soar"
• Recorded: March through September 2023 
• Release date: May 10th, 2024 (5th studio album by Warlord)
• Record company: High Roller Records
• Production: Giles Lavery and Jimmy Waldo
• Album cover art: Velio Josto (artwork), André Türoff (design and layout), and Diane Kornarens (band logo)
• Personnel: Philip Bynoe (bass), Eric Juris (guitars), Giles Lavery (lead and backing vocals), Jimmy Waldo (keyboards), and Mark Zonder (drums)
• Additional musician: Linda Chase (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal, hard rock
• Sound: Characterized by killer riffs, crunchy guitars, thumping bass, thunderous drums, and soaring harmonies, the sound on "Free Spirit Soar" is a wonderful sonic journey that harkens back to classic early '80s American metal, but with the depth of modern production!  In a word, EPIC!
• Major themes: Life and death, loss, history, mythology, fantasy, swordplay, deception, battle, war, valor, etc.
• Notes: The album is dedicated to the late William J Tsamis and includes the final songs he penned before his untimely death in 2021.
• Tracks: 

1. "Behold A Pale Horse"
2. "The Rider"
3. "Conquerors"
4. "Worms Of The Earth"
5. "The Watchman"
6. "Free Spirit Soar"
7. "The Bell Tolls"
8. "Alarm"
   
9. "Twin"
10. "Revelation XIX"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brew Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Spirit Animal Hazy IPA
• Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 50
• Ingredients: Idaho 7, Nectaron, Simcoe, and Citra hops
• Pour: The Spirit Animal Hazy IPA pours a hazy, bright golden orange/yellow hue with a thin, off-white head with and light lacing.
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is tropical, citrusy, floral, and malty.  It is chalk full of notes of grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange zest, stone fruit (peach and apricot), passionfruit, pineapple, mango, a hint of coconut, light pine resin, cracked wheat, soft caramel malt, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Spirit Animal Hazy IPA follows the nose with floral and dank hops, citrus, tropical fruit, and sweet malt flavors.  There are big notes of mango, passionfruit, grapefruit juice, orange juice and zest, tangerine, pineapple, peach, apricot, strawberry, coconut, light pine, and a little booze with a strong, malty backbone.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Spirit Animal Hazy IPA is crisp and juicy, yet somewhat thick, with a soft, creamy, and smooth finish.


Overall pairing: The crisp, hoppy, juicy, well-balanced and very drinkable flavors of Mother Earth's Spirit Animal make it a great beer for the power, might, and intensity of Warlord's fantastic "Free Spirit Soar" album!  The crispness of the brew is great for the guitar precision of Juris and soaring keys of Waldo, while the malty and citrusy notes work really well with the powerful rhythm section of Bynoe and Zonder, and it is all tied together beautifully by Lavery's amazing vocal prowess!

And make sure to check out my interview with Warlord vocalist Giles Lavery here: https://youtu.be/r5GsOuvaqs0


Cheers!!  Hails!!