Been a minute since I’ve done one of these! But when I get my hands on any beer from the most special of breweries featured here once again, it’s an obligation to cover it at this point. The offerings this evening come in the form of the debut EP Till Life Do Us Part from Scythe of Mephisto and Hammerheart Brewing Company‘s Löyly.

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The Tunes: Scythe of Mephisto – Till Life Do Us Part

Scythe of Mephisto, Till Life Do Us Part. That band name and album title give a slight veneer of youthful, in-your-face naivete. But you know what? Lay it all out there fellas, as I am 100% here for it in this case. This Italian trio is unleashing their debut EP upon us this week, their genre of choice being melodic black metal in the harmonized, triumphant vein of ’90s Sweden a la Sacramentum, Dissection, and Unanimated but with some youthful, modern flair thrown in for good measure. Three metal tracks and a spooky outro, at 19 minutes it’s just the right length to both give an impression of the sound they’re aiming to perfect while also leaving the listener hungry for more.

“Moonlight Over Babylon” is a ripper of an opener all on its own. While mid-tier melodic black metal acts might just play a nonstop stream of trem-picked riffs, Scythe of Mephisto instead opt for a more varied and linear songwriting style that flows through a more atmospheric clean section, mosh-worthy d-beats, and soaring leads. “Bloodstained Sacrifice” is a bit more straightforward and blast beat-y, but its final minute ushered in by beautifully harmonized dual guitars is a highlight. Longest song “Chants of Qayin” distills everything the band have demonstrated thus far into a last showcase of triumphant black metal fury, even adding some well-placed clean vocals for good measure. Earworm melodies and intriguing songwriting, backed by a robust production that has the clarity of a more modern sound (and is bass-prominent!) without losing sight of what made melodic black metal legendary in the first place. You can’t really ask for a much better debut in this style.

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Till Life Do Us Part is available now through Masked Dead Records. For more information on Scythe of Mephisto, check out their Facebook and Instagram pages.

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The Booze: Hammerheart Brewing Company – Löyly

At the end of February I returned to Minnesota for the first time in about a year and a half to see my friend Eric Wing play a wonderful hometown Morke show. Aside from reconnecting with all my friends there (and hearing their horror stories from the federal occupation of their amazing city of Minneapolis) I was of course able to return with a suitcase full of tall boys from the best brewery in the world, Hammerheart. One such beer was the Finnish-style Sahti known as Löyly. Named for the rejuvenating steam from a sauna, it’s brewed with a Kuurna (hollowed-out log) and incorporates juniper branches and berries. Does it get any more Finnish than that? (Our own Zyklonius will have to judge). Being a Hammerheart brew there’s of course a smoky flavor, though to a little lesser extent than most of the others I’ve had. It’s got a pillowy, farmhouse ale mouthfeel that pairs perfectly well with the malty, earthier undertones. Packed with flavor while still easy to drink, sounds like another Hammerheart knockout. Eternal hails as always to Austin Lunn and Nate Chapman for beer that feels just as cozy in hot, dry SoCal as it does in the below-zero north woods.

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Cheers, and be good to each other

— Colin