September 3rd, 2015 - Eddie's Grande Réserve Book Of Souls

Good evening evil-doers!  IT'S HERE!!!  I just picked up Iron Maiden's brand new album... "The Book Of Souls" (Limited UK/European Deluxe Edition) from my buddy Kevin at the Heavy Metal Shop (www.heavymetalshop.com)!!!  I'm pairing this monster with another monster, a Chimay Grande Réserve from Bières de Chimay S.A.!!!  Oh, hell yeah!!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Iron Maiden
• Title: "The Book Of Souls" (Limited UK/European Deluxe Edition)
• Recorded: September through December 2014 at Guillaume Tell Studios, Paris, France
• Release date: September 4th, 2015 (16th studio album by Iron Maiden
• Record company: Parlophone, Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG (US)
• Production: Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris (co-producer)
• Album cover art: Stuart Crouch (art direction and design) and Mark Wilkinson (cover illustration)
• Personnel: Bruce Dickinson (lead vocals and piano on "Empire of the Clouds"), Janick Gers (guitars), Steve Harris (bass and keyboards), Nicko McBrain (drums), Dave Murray (guitars), and Adrian Smith (guitars)
• Additional musicians: Michael Kenney (keyboards)
• Musical style: Heavy metal with elements of progressive metal/rock
• Sound: It is Iron Maiden... it kicks ass!!  Dickinson's vocals are powerful, soulful, and as monstrous as they've always been!  And the rest of the band lays it down and lays it down hard!  There are elements from throughout their long career, and yet the album is fresh and modern.  Aggressive riffs, intricate and harmonies melodies, soaring and passionate vocals, powerful solos... Really, really stellar stuff!!
• Major themes: According to Harris, it is not a concept album, but references to "the soul" appear throughout the album.
• Tracks: 

Disc 1

1. "If Eternity Should Fail"
2. "Speed Of Light"
3. "The Great Unknown"
4. "The Red And The Black"
5. "When The River Runs Deep"
6. "The Book Of Souls"

Disc 2

1. "Death Or Glory"
2. "Shadows Of The Valley"
3. "Tears Of A Clown"
4. "The Man Of Sorrows"
5. "Empire Of The Clouds"  

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bières de Chimay S.A. (Baileux (Chimay), Belgium)
• Website: http://www.chimay.be/
• Brew: Chimay Grande Réserve
• Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 9.0%
• Pour: It pours an opaque dark honey, tree sap brown with a creamy mocha head that shows strong retention and minimal lacing. 
• Nose: The nose is characterized by dark fruit ester and sweet malts along with spices.  There are notes banana cream pie, vanilla, peach, and subtle dark fruits along with metallic notes.
• Taste:  The flavor is big, bold, and robust.  There are notes of baker's chocolate, burnt toffee, banana, dark fruits (plum, figs, dates, etc.), fresh beets, black tea, and a slight metallic bite on the tip of the tongue.  There is also some warming booziness... subtle notes of white rum that become more prevalent as the beer warms.  The finish is dry and somewhat spicy... black pepper and nutmeg.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, the mouthfeel is bitter, frothy, soft, and creamy.   

Overall pairing: BIG, BOLD, HEAVY, and KICK ASS... both the album and the brew!!  'Nuff said!


UP THE IRONS!!!!  Op uw gezondheid... À votre santé!!