September 12th, 2026 - Breaking the Silence... With "Lasers"

 

Guten tag and hails thrashers and hop heads!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out today to "Breaking The Silence", the killer 4th album from the legendary German thrash metal band Assassin and a delicious and hoppy Laser Kiwi India Pale Ale from Offset Bier Company!  Hells yeah!!  

Album Info:

• Artist: Assassin
• Title: "Breaking The Silence"
• Recorded: 2010 at AGD Hauptquarter in Düsseldorf, Germany, Airport 1 Studio in Düsseldorf, Germany, and Klangwelt Studio in Essen, Germany
  Release date: February 25th, 2011 (4th studio album by Assassin)
• Record company: Steamhammer
• Production: Harris Johns 
• Album cover art: Plamen Kolev 
• Personnel: Robert Gonnella (vocals), Michael Hoffmann (guitars), Joachim Kremer (bass), Jürgen "Scholli" Scholz (guitars), and Björn "Burn" Sondermann (drums) 
• Additional musician: Harris Johns (lead guitar on "I Like Cola")
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal
• Sound: Fast, aggressive, and raw, this is true, classic Teutonic thrash at its best!  This will take you right back to those early days of the thrash metal movement!
• Major themes: Violence, war, death, darkness, survival, politics, rebellion, humor, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Breaking The Silence"
2. "Raise In The Dark"
3. "Judas"
4. "Turf War"
5. "Destroy The State"
6. "No Fear"
7. "Kill Or Be Killed"
8. "Real Friends"
9. "Strike Back"
10. "I Like Cola" (Outo cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Offset Bier Company (Park City, Utah)
• Website: https://offsetbier.com/
• Brew: Laser Kiwi India Pale Ale
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Ingredients: Nectaron, Nelson, and Riwaka hops
• Pour: The Laser Kiwi IPA pours a hazy, bright golden-yellow hue with a 1+ finger, frothy, bright white head with great retention and lots of sudsy lacing. 
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is tropical, citrusy, sweet, and malty.  There are aromas of kiwi, gooseberry, pineapple, passion fruit, grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange zest, a slight hint of pine resin, crackery biscuit, and light caramel.
• Taste: The taste is like the nose: fruity, citrusy, hoppy, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of kiwi, gooseberry pineapple, passion fruit, mango, pink grapefruit juice, orange juice, tangerine, peach, apricot, and a hint of soft toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Laser Kiwi IPA is very crisp, juicy, and smooth with a clean, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The complex, yet very inviting flavors and aromas of the Offset Laser Kiwi India Pale Ale are perfect for the thrash metal punch and high energy of Assassin!  Those hoppy aromas and flavors are great for the straightforward rocking depth of the dual guitar work of Hoffmann and Scholli, while the sweeter malt notes are great for the fast, melodic rhythms of Kremer and Burn, and Gonnella's vocal prowess shines even more with those tropical fruit flavors!

Make sure to check out with my interview with ex-Assassin vocalist Robert Gonnella from several years ago here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfX-gk0ONX4&t=1s

Prost and hails!!