Good evening beer and music fans! Another pairing for you tonight from your drinking buddy, the Meista! I'm going with a dark theme tonight with a pairing of Lacuna Coil's 2012 album "Dark Adrenaline" and St. Pauli Girl Special Dark (a German Dunkel Lager) from St. Pauli Brauerei C.L. Wilh. Brandt Gmbh & Co.
"Dark Adrenaline" is the 6th album from Italian metal band Lacuna Coil. This band is characterized by down-tuning, distinct bass and drumming, elements of power metal and progressive metal, a hint of electronica, and the beautiful female vocals of Cristina Scabbia contrasted by Andrea Ferro's more aggressive male vocals. That fact that Scabbia is incredibly attractive doesn't hurt either. :) My only criticism of this band is that I would like to see them strip down the production a bit and give us a rawer sound sometimes. However, Lacuna Coil really does create a succinct, bold, and powerful album with "Dark Adrenaline." Although I definitely like Ferro's vocals and the guitar work of Cristiano Migliore and Marco Biazzi, I think the real driving factor of this band and specifically this album is Scabbia's amazing vocal range and the booming and profound rhythm section of bassist Marco Coti Zelati and drummer/percussionist Cristiano Mozzati. From the opening track "Trip The Darkness" to the finale, "My Spirit," Scabbia and the boys entrance the listener with complex rhythms and catchy hooks along with a very metal backbone. "Give Me Something More" is a wonderfully rich (and a bit poppy) track where Scabbia really shines. And lots of great, fist-pumping rockers here... "Against You," "Kill The Light," "Upsidedown," "I Don't Believe In Tomorrow," The Army Inside," "Fire," and of course the opening track, "Trip The Darkness." There are some great moments of heartfelt beauty here as well like tracks "End Of Time," "My Spirit," and an interesting cover of REM's "Losing My Religion." And "Intoxicated" is a haunting track of interesting tempo changes, powerful imagery, and fierce musicianship.
And speaking of "Intoxicated," let's talk beer! St. Pauli Girl Special Dark is a Munich Dunkel Lager. Munich Dunkel Lager are characterized for their smooth, rich, and complex flavors, but without the heaviness of bigger dark beers. It pours an opaque, deep cherry brown with a thin, but creamy head with fairly good lacing. The nose is quite strong with lovely and earthy notes of light coffee as well as roasted grain, smoky caramel, and floral hops. Medium bodied with mellow carbonation, the mouthfeel is very smooth with a light effervescent tickle. The flavor is hearty (without being heavy like a porter or a stout) with lots of roasted barley notes, Munich malt notes, baked bread, and nuts with some nice hop undertones and a sweet toffee finish. A really nice session beer, St. Pauli Girl Special Dark is a very drinkable brew, great for an adrenaline-filled album like Lacuna Coil's "Dark Adrenaline"!
Salud!
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