March 14th, 2026 - A Blood Dynasty of Old Doods

 

Greetings evildoers, headbangers, and craft beer freaks!  And a very happy Saturday to you!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here rocking the hell out today with a pairing of "Blood Dynasty", the most recent kick-ass album from the mighty Arch Enemy and an Old Doods Stout from Odell Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Arch Enemy
• Title: "Blood Dynasty"
• Recorded: Winter 2024 at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden; cello on "Presage" recorded at Sonic Boom Studios in Berlin, Germany
• Release date: March 28th, 2025 (12th studio album by Arch Enemy)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Jens Bogren, Michael Amott, and Daniel Erlandsson
• Album cover art: Alex Reisfar
• Personnel: Michael Amott (lead and rhythm guitars, and choir vocals), Joey Concepcion (lead and rhythm guitars, and acoustic guitar), Sharlee D'Angelo (bass guitar), Daniel Erlandsson (drums, keyboards, and effects),  and Alissa White-Gluz (lead vocals)
• Additional musicians: 
• Musical style: Melodic/progressive death metal, progressive metal, with hints of power metal
• Sound: The sound on "Blood Dynasty" is a wall of crushing melodic death!  White-Gluz's ultra-aggressive vocals coupled with the battery ram of sonic ferocity of the band demands your attention from the opening notes of "Dream Stealer" to the final of "Liars & Thieves".  It is filled with loads of great rhythms and melodies, and of course, Amott's and Concepcion's killer guitar solos!
• Major themes: Deception, hate, aggression, fear, honesty, darkness, regret, death, loss, solitude, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Dream Stealer"
2. "Illuminate The Path"
3. "March Of The Miscreants"
4. "A Million Suns"
5. "Don't Look Down"
6. "Presage"
7. "Blood Dynasty"
8. "Paper Tiger"
9. "Vivre Libre" (Blasphème cover)
10. "The Pendulum"
11. "Liars & Thieve"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Odell Brewing Company (Fort Collins, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.odellbrewing.com/
• Brew: Old Doods Stout
• Style: Stout
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Chocolate malts, special house yeast, and Fresh Northern Rocky Mountain water from Cache la Poudre River
• Pour: The Old Doods pours an opaque, deep, dark brown (almost black) hue with a frothy, light mocha, 1+ finger head with good retention and lots of sudsy, soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is roasty, toasty, and malty.  There are aromas of dark chocolate, cocoa, espresso beans, roasted barley, and a hint of burnt toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Old Doods follows the nose with malty, robust, roasty flavors.  There are notes of "roasted barley notes intertwine with hints of dark chocolate", light roasted coffee, dark toasted bread, and soft caramel/toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with lower carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Old Doods is smooth and velvety with a clean, slightly bittersweet finish.

Overall pairing: The Odell's Old Doods Stout is a bold, yet crushable brew with lots of roasty and dark chocolate flavor, which makes it a great beer to throw back to the intensity of the riffs, vocals, and thunderous rhythm section of Arche Enemy's most recent album, "Blood Dynasty"!  'Nuff said! 

Cheers and hails!

And make sure to check out my interview with Arch Enemy bassist Sharlee D'Angelo from a several years ago here: https://brewsandtunes.blogspot.com/2019/10/october-6th-2019-will-to-power.html