August 16th, 2026 - Liquid Spectrum of the Infinite Illumination

 

Hello and happy Sunday metal maniacs, evil-doers, and hop freaks!  Your pal the Meista here rocking the hell out with another great pairing for ya... "Infinite Illumination" the most recent and sadly, last album from the phenomenal doom metal band Spirit Adrift and a delicious, juicy, and hoppy Liquid Spectrum Hazy IPA from the fine folks at Mother Earth Brewing Company!  Yes!!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Spirit Adrift
• Title: "Infinite Illumination"
• Recorded: Late 2025 in Texas
• Release date: April 10th, 2026 (6th studio album by Spirit Adrift)
• Record company: 20 Buck Spin
• Production: Jeff Henson
• Album cover art: Lee Guentert (inner sleeve) and Arik Roper (outer sleeve)
• Personnel: Michael Arellano (drums), Jason Dahlke (guitars), Sonny DeCarlo (bass), and Nate Garrett (guitars and vocals)
• Additional musicians: Steve Jansson (lead guitar on "White Death"), James Murphy (lead guitar on "I Am Sustained"), and Arthur Rizk (lead guitar on "Where Once There Was An Ocean")
• Musical style: Doom metal, stoner rock/metal 
• Sound: In the tradition of bands like Black Sabbath, Candlemass, and Trouble, Spirit Adrift wonderfully blends old school doom metal with traditional metal/rock in a fresh and unique way and lays down some heavy duty riffage in the process!  Garrett's vocals are honest, emotive, and powerful, while his and Dahlke's guitar work (along with the guests on the last 3 tracks) is other worldly!  DeCarlo and Arellano bring the heaviness with finesse and artistry!
• Major themes: Death, doom, existentialism, transcendence, history, mythology, philosophy, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Infinite Illumination"
2. "Window Within"
3. "You Will Never Hold The Key"
4. "Born In A Bad Way"
5. "Buried In The Shadow Of The Cross"
6. "White Death"
7. "I Am Sustained"
8. "Where Once There Was An Ocean"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brewing Company (Vista, California and Nampa, Idaho)
• Website: https://www.motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Liquid Spectrum Hazy IPA 
• Style: New England-style Hazy India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 25
• Ingredients: Strata, Galaxy, Mosaic, and Nelson hops
• Pour: The Liquid Spectrum Hazy IPA pours a very hazy, pale golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, 1-finger head with good retention and sudsy, sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy and tropical with more subtle floral and malt elements.  There are aromas of tangerine, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, lemon zest, grapefruit rind, bright mango, stone fruit (soft peach and dried apricot), wildflowers, freshly picked and cut strawberries, bubblegum, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: Fruit-forward and very juicy, the taste of the Liquid Spectrum Hazy IPA is citrusy, fruity, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of tangerine, orange juice, orange pith, lime, mango, a hint of pineapple, sweet peach, ripe strawberries, and light honey.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and very juicy, yet smooth and creamy with a dry, slightly sweet, slightly boozy, pillowy-soft finish.

Overall pairing: The Liquid Spectrum Hazy IPA from Mother Earth Brewing is a punchy, yet very smooth, drinkable, and refreshing hoppy brew... great for pairing with the heavy hitting doom metal punch that was the legendary Spirit Adrift!  The citrusy and sweet fruit elements of the beer work well as a foil to the heaviness of the band's performance, and the hoppy bitterness fits well with fantastic lyricism and intricate note progressions!  And I love the look of the cool beer can label with the amazing album art of Roper and Guentert! 

My wife and I were fortunate enough to see Spirit Adrift play their final live show on May 28th, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (opening for the mighty Cryptopsy)!

Cheers and hails!!