March 3rd, 2019 - The Noir Hunter's Moon

Goedemiddag and happy Sunday!  Today I'm pairing the latest EP by Delain, "Hunter's Moon" and a delightful Sour Noir from Barbarian Brewing Company!

 

Album Info:

• Artist: Delain
• Title: "Hunter's Moon"
• Recorded: 2018 at Mantis Audio (live tracks records at Tivoli, Utrecht on October 31st, 2017)
• Release date: February 22nd, 2019 (3rd EP released by Delain)
• Record company: Napalm Records
• Production: Martijn Westerholt, Merel Bechtold (track 4), Timo Somers (track 3)
• Album cover art: Cam Rackam
• Personnel: Merel Bechtold (rhythm guitars), Joey de Boer (drums on tracks 1 through 4), Ruben Israel (drums on tracks 5 through 14), Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije (bass and backing vocals), Timo Somers (lead guitars and backing vocals), Charlotte Wessels (lead and backing vocals), Martijn Westerholt (keyboards and orchestration)
• Additional musicians: Elianne Anemaat (cello on track 7), Twan Driessen (vocals on track 4), Marco Hietala (vocals on 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 14), and George Oosthoek (vocals on track 5)
• Musical style: Symphonic metal, melodic metal, progressive metal, gothic metal, power pop
• Sound: Upbeat, highly energetic, and fun as hell, Delain's latest EP, "Hunter's Moon" furthers the sound they've been developing over the past few years... guitar and keyboard driven melodic metal.  As always, Wessels' vocals soar!   The bass, guitars, and drums make you want to bounce!  But I think what I really love about Delain, is the amazing orchestration/keys of Westerholt!
• Major themes: Relationships, life, death, loss, pain, sorrow, yearning, love, lust, hope, etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "Masters Of Reality"
2. "Hunter's Moon"
3. "This Silence Is Min"
4. "Art Kills"
5. "Hands Of Gold" (live)
6. "Danse Macabre" (live)
7. "Scarlet" (live)
8. "Your Body Is A Battleground" (live)
9. "Nothing Left" (live)
10. "Control The Storm" (live)
11. "Sing To Me" (live)
12. "Not Enough" (live)
13. "Scandal" (live)
14. "The Gathering" (live)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Barbarian Brewing Company (Boise, ID)
• Website: https://barbarianbrewing.com/
• Brew: Sour Noir
• Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale / Wild American Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.5%
• IBUs: 5
• Ingredients: Dark saison base aged in Pinot Noir and Petit Verdot wine barrels with a blend of brettanomyces and multiple strains of lactobacillus.
• Pour: The Sour Noir pours a very dark mahogany brown (almost black) with a thin, light biege head that dissipates quickly, leaving only a very thin ring with very little lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, floral, woody, sour, and funky.  There are aromas of dark fruits (plum and black cherry), red wine, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, berry yogurt, wet leather, and oak.
• Taste: The taste of the Sour Noir is very fruity, tart, funky, sharp, and dry.  There are flavors of dark fruits (plum, black cherry, cranberry), Pinot Noir, red wine vinegar, lemon, light toffee, and light cereal grains.
• Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp, very tart, and sharp, yet smooth and very drinkable with a dry, tart finish.

Overall pairing: The Barbarian Sour Noir is a very complex, tart, and flavorful brew... perfect for the depth, honesty, and beauty of Delain's wonderful "Hunter's Moon" EP!  

Cheers and hails!!