Despite regular author Vincent being off having his liver rebuilt using the remains from the latest GWAR video, Receiving the Evcharist is STILL our weekly feature where we pair choice albums with our favorite libations.  Drink from the cup of heresy.  This week’s offering: The Antichrist Imperium’s Vol II: Every Tongue Shall Praise Satan and That Leftover Beer From 4th of July in My Fridge.  

The Metal: The Antichrist Imperium’s Vol II: Every Tongue Shall Praise Satan

I had no idea until writing this up that The Antichrist Imperium was basically another offshoot of Akercocke’s David Gray and alumni, but listening to the mad mix of progressive styles on display, not to mention the ridiculous level of musicianship should have clued me in.  Vol II: Every Tongue Shall Praise Satan takes the foundation of progressive black metal laid down by albums like the classic Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone and the more recent output by Gray’s other band Voices and breaks it in with a heavy helping of thrash and speed.  It feels like a natural (if slightly unnecessary) extension of the other bands, but I’m not complaining when tracks like “Ceremonial Suicide Rites” and the blistering “Golgothian Hieros Gamos” lay sonic waste to my speakers.  The clean interludes are really nicely integrated into the songs, and there’s enough chugging riffs and blast beats and a bit of 80s speed to mix up the attack and leave you eagerly hitting “PLAY” as soon as the brisk feeling 48 minutes are up.  In a month where some really good black metal raised its head this evil hybrid remains at the top of my list.

The Booze: That leftover beer from the 4th of July in my fridge

Look, it all started when I went to go pick up my favorite summertime beer, which is the Piercing Pils by Dogfish Head.  My beer distributor didn’t have it in stock, so rather that take up arms against my oppressor I wandered the aisles with my brother looking for replacements.  The Festina Peche looked inviting, and I don’t mind a small amount of fruit in my beer (the Piercing Pils has a light pear taste that KILLS) but damn me for not reading the small print.  Sours do not mix with 90 degree heat in front of a barbecue cooking meat for 30 people.

If you’re gonna put a huge MST3K reference right there on your beer, I don’t care what it is, I’m going to buy and try it.  So in that regard The Mustache Brewing Company’s In the Not Too Distant Future IPA worked liked any number of albums I bought in the record store when I was a kid in the 80s.  And like many of those albums the initial taste is inviting and then it dies rather quickly.  Reference aside, it was a stinker fort the party and my palate.

I’m not a big Sierra Nevada fan, but the Hazy Little Thing IPA was a concession to my upstate buddy who favors their wares.  When I gave him a can he looked and said, “eh, yeah.  This isn’t that good.”  What do I know?  I never drank and it still haven’t.

Tune in next time when I look in a year and probably have those same beers in my fridge.  Or wait for Vincent to get back, who doesn’t have to cater to a bunch of knucklehead family and friends on a 90 degree day and deal with an unrefined palate quick to look at the shiny new thing.

Cheers, and be good to each other.

-Chris