May 7th, 2020 - A Brainless HVMAN. :||: NATVRE. On Guava & Habanero

Hyvää iltaa my friends!  The Meister here pairing "HVMAN. :||: NATVRE.", the latest from the amazing Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish and a Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero from Epic Brewing Company!

  
Album Info: 

• Artist: Nightwish
• Title: "HVMAN. :||: NATVRE." 
• Recorded: August through October 2019 at Röskö Campsite in Eno, Finland, Petrax Studios in Hollola, Finland, Troykington Castle in North Yorkshire, England, and Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, Finland
• Release date: April 10th, 2020 (9th studio album by Nightwish)
• Record company: Nuclear Blast
• Production: Tuomas Holopainen, Tero Kinnunen, and Mikko Karmila
• Album cover art: ?
• Personnel: Troy Donockley (Uilleann pipes, low whistle, guitars, bouzouki, bodhrán, aerophone, and vocals), Kai Hahto (drums and percussion), Marco Hietala (bass guitar, acoustic guitars, and vocals), Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards and piano), Floor Jansen (lead vocals), and Emppu Vuorinen (guitars)
• Additional guest musicians: Geraldine James (spoken word on "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World"), Johanna Kurkela (spoken word on "Shoemaker"), the Metro Voices (choir), the Pale Blue Orchestra, and Pip Williams (orchestral and choir arrangements)
• Musical style: Symphonic metal, power metal, folk metal, gothic metal, progressive metal
• Sound: Bombastic, melodic, cinematic, poetic, orchestral, symphonic, pastoral - just a few of the terms used to describe the complex sound of Nightwish on the wonderful "HVMAN. :||: NATVRE.".  Jansen's huge vocal range is both beautiful and mesmerizing and the band is as tight as ever, bringing a wonderful depth and originality to their presentation along with the incorporation of the Pale Blue Orchestra... stunning! 
• Major themes: The history of music, the evils of self-obsession and social media, life, nature, geology, planetary science, evolution, humanity, empathy, love, altruism, passion, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Music"
2. "Noise"
3. "Shoemaker"
4. "Harvest"
5. "Pan"
6. "How's The Heart?"
7. "Procession"
8. "Tribal"
9. "Endless"
10. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - Vista"
11. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Blue"
12. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Green"
13. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - Moors"
14. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - Aurorae"
15. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - Quiet As The Snow"
16. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - Anthropocene"
17. "All The Works of Nature Which Adorn The World - Ad Astra"

    

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Epic Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://epicbrewing.com/
• Brew: Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero
• Style: American Wild Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 6.6%
• IBUs: 5
• Ingredients: Ale aged in oak Foeders with Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, wild yeast, guava puree, and habanero
• Pour: The Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero pours a very hazy peach-pink with a thin, very light pink head that dissipates quickly leaving virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose of the Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero is characterized by tart, fruity, spicy, and funky notes.  There are aromas of lemon juice, lemon zest, lime, light vinegar, guava, apricot, soda cracker, horse blanket, wet leather, woody oak, and a hint of spicy habanero.
• Taste: The flavor of the Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero is as tangy, tart, spicy, inviting, and as complex as the nose.  There are notes of lemon juice, lime juice, sweet guava, passion fruit, Chardonnay, apricot, barnyard funk, cracked wheat, and spicy habanero.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with high carbonation, the mouthfeel is tart, juicy, somewhat frothy, and slightly spicy with a lip-puckering kiss in the finish.

Overall pairing: The bold and complex flavors of the Epic Sour Brainless On Guava & Habanero are the perfect listening companion to the bombastic and beautiful symphonic metal stylings of Nightwish's "HVMAN. :||: NATVRE.".  

Maljanne!!