Darkthrone (Transilvanian Hunger) - Berkshire Brewing Company (Hoosac Tunnel)
Transilvanian Hunger
When you delve deep into back catalogs of sub-genres of metal, you start picking through some intense, haunting, brooding, and, often, raw material. Plenty of groups began their journey with these albums that have a nasty production to it. They give the impression that these bands wanted to bust out the gates with something loud, destructive, and heavy.
Darkthrone
Darkthrone’s early years are no stranger to this type of sound. Transilvanian Hunger is exactly that, with this release being the first album as a duo comprised of Nocturno Culto and Fenriz. In later years, their sound has evolved into a cleaner, yet still heavy, sound. However, these early releases are intense additions to a stellar discography.
Hoosac Tunnel
by Berkshire Brewing Company
A traditional amber ale, deep copper in color, Hoosac Tunnel Amber Ale has a rich malt profile from pale, caramel, and crystal malts supporting a generous helping of American and British hop varieties. A well balanced and flavorful brew, Hoosac Tunnel Amber Ale’s medium body and aromatic finish hops offer something for all beer aficionados.
Bring on the Doom and Beer
The album’s haunting nature gives the tracks a sort of gritty texture to them. Nothing about Transilvanian Hunger is clean; the riffs are grainy, the vocals are loud and scratchy, and its overall feel is unrefined. This isn’t an insult to the work but rather more a compliment. These are the black metal albums that hit it out of the park, in my opinion. Darkthrone succeeds in many ways on this album to deliver a brutal experience. Fenriz’s performance is astounding, considering he is credited to most, if not all, instrumentation. One man manages to obliterate the album with furious riffs and blood-pumping percussion. Culto’s vocals are horrifying, which, again, is a strength of the album. The man sounds like some sort of creature creeping through the woods out to get you. Together, they create an album that delivers on the name. The atmosphere is a cold, desolate, and harsh landscape that stays with you during each track. This is what I imagine being alone in the forest during a pitch-black winter night feels like. Darkthrone takes away any warmth you may need as the listener is bombarded with a blizzard of threatening and heavy sound.
Berkshire Brewing Company has been around almost as long as Darkthrone has been performing. For over 25 years, they have delivered outstanding ales to New England from their spot in South Deerfield, MA. The Hoosac Tunnel Amber Ale, named after one of New England’s most haunted locations, is one of their signature beers found year-round. Its dark body and rich, malty aroma are inviting to cold travelers looking for warmth. Amber Ales are known for their simplicity, yet Berkshire Brewing goes beyond that to deliver one of the best Ambers you can drink. It is loaded notes of caramel and a rich malt build that offer great comfort as you enjoy maybe more than one of this delicious beer. It pairs nicely with the Transilvanian Hunger as you venture into Darkthrone’s harsh, ice-ridden Hellscape. The 6.3% ABV ale is also great to a throwback as you thrash away while listening to this album. I’m sure after a few, you’ll feel like you can take on whatever monster the darkness holds.
