Now for something a little... darker (said in an ominous, low voice)! The Meista here again with another great pairing for you. This time I'm going symphonic/gothic metal and a dark lager... "Symphonies Of The Night" by Leave's Eyes and a Newcastle Cabbie Black Ale!
Inspired in part by Tchaikovsky's "Symphony of the Swan Lake," German/Norwegian symphonic metal band Leaves' Eyes' latest studio album (their 5th) was released just this week (November 26th, 2013) on Napalm Records. As with previous Leave's Eyes works, "Symphonies Of The Night" is multi-lingual including lyrics in modern English, Shakespearean English, Norwegian, French, and Irish. Liv Kristine Espenæs Krull (better known simply as Liv Kristine) provides the hauntingly beautiful and melodic lead vocals, her husband Alexander Krull provides growling death vocals and production, Thorsten Bauer provides richly textured guitars/bass guitars, Sander van der Meer provides guitars, and Felix Born provides drums/percussion. Additionally, Liv Kristine's sister Carmen Elise Espenæs performs guest vocals on "Eileen's Ardency" and Liesbeth Dulcimer provides hammered dulcimer on "Nightshade". Most of the lyrics, written by Liv Kristine, concern Norse mythology, the paranormal, and Viking Age lore, history, and themes. Each track is a magnificently bombastic musical journey! Here is the wonderful track list:
| 1. | "Hell to the Heavens" | |
| 2. | "Fading Earth" | |
| 3. | "Maid of Lorraine" | |
| 4. | "Galswintha" | |
| 5. | "Symphony of the Night" | |
| 6. | "Saint Cecelia" | |
| 7. | "Hymn to the Lone Sands" | |
| 8. | "Angel and the Ghost" | |
| 9. | "Éléonore de Provence" | |
| 10. | "Nightshade" | |
| 11. | "Ophelia" | |
| 12. | "Eileen's Ardency" (bonus track) | |
| 13. | "One Caress" (Depeche Mode cover, bonus track) |
The Newcastle Cabbie Black Ale from the Caledonian Brewery Company Limited out of Edinburgh, Scotland is a quintessential British session beer... an English Dark Mild Ale, perfect for the dark beauty of "Symphonies Of The Night" by Leave's Eyes! A mild ale with a low hop profile and only 4.2% ABV, the Newcastle Cabbie Black Ale is smooth and refreshing... a great dark beer for people that find stouts and porters "too heavy." It pours a very deep mahogany with a half-finger, light tan head that displays billowy, cloud-like lacing. The nose is malty, earthy, and rich with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and baked bread. Brewed with dark malts and noble hops, the flavor is dominated by smoky coffee notes, chocolate, burnt toffee, and soft dark fruit notes. Moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, but refreshing. The finish leaves some nice, mellow coffee notes that linger on the tongue. The Newcastle Cabbie Black Ale is a wonderfully drinkable, yet complex English Dark Mild Ale that makes a great companion to the musical brilliance of Leave's Eyes!!
Zum Wohl... Skål... Cheers!!
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