August 4th, 2015 - The Groupie's Guilt And Pleasure

Good evening!  Your pal the Meista here tonight pairing The Groupie Belgian-Style Blonde Ale from Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment and "Guilt And Pleasures" by Serbian symphonic/gothic/progressive metal band Demist!
 
Album Info:

• Artist: Demist
• Title: "Guilt And Pleasures"
• Recorded: Belgrade, Serbia, in the Blaze Studio, by Milos Mihajlovic and Rastko Rasic
• Release date: June 24th, 2015
• Record company: Blaze Studio
• Production: Miloš Mihajlović and Rastko Rašić
• Album cover art: Ljiljana Romanovic (design) and Vuk Ninkovic (photo)
• Personnel: Stefan Gajić (guitars), Mladen Jovanov (drums), Marko Lukić (keyboards), Dragica Maletić (vocals), and Ilija Marković (bass)
• Musical style: Gothic/progressive/melodeath metal
• Sound: With a sound reminiscent of Nightwish, Leave's Eyes, Kamelot, and Within Temptation, but also very original, Demist's "Guilt And Pleasures" sound is a beautiful combination of dark, gothic imagery and soaring progressive bombast... all of which highlights the wonderfully magical vocals of Maletić!
• Major themes: From my recent interview with Dragica: "self-acceptance, unveiling of our darker, primal side, the hypocrisy behind our supposed good causes, unmasking of the lethargy of our age, and rebellion against shallow causes; all in all, everything that brings us pleasure of the lowest kind, the guilt that stems from it, and the forgiveness that must ensue after the lessons have been learned – hence the title “Guilt and Pleasures” – they go hand in hand, in the cycle from which we fall and from which we grow."
• Tracks: 

1. "Theater Of Agony"
2. "Faith Remains"
3. "Nemesis"
4. "Break The Chains"
5. "Let It Rain"
6. "Someone's Mirror"
7. "Generation Gray"
8. "Welcome To The Underworld"
9. "Pretty Eyes"
10. "All This Cold"

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment (San Diego, California)
• Website: http://www.acousticales.com/homepage.html
• Brew: The Groupie
• Style: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale
• Serving: pint off the tap at Underbelly Local Ramen & Beer (San Diego, California)
• ABV: 8.0%
• Pour: Very murky peach-amber with a 2-finger, frothy bright white head that displays good retention and billow lacing throughout.
• Nose: The Groupie's nose is characterized by fruit ester, Belgian yeast, fresh bread, honey, and spices.  There are notes of banana, lemon, pear, white grape, nutmeg, cloves, clove honey, and wheat bread.
• Taste: Like the nose, the flavor is marked by soft banana, citrus, Belgian yeast, sweet honey, and complex spices.
• Mouthfeel: Light and crisp body with good carbonation, the mouthfeel is characterized by tingly effervescence, a frothy and refreshing mid-range, and a spicy and slightly dry finish. 

Overall pairing: Those big, bold, and complex Belgian notes work perfectly with the bombast and musical precision of Demist!  And the spicy, citrusy, and softer banana flavor work wonderfully with the beautiful vocal range of Dragica!

Ziveli!!