Happy All Hallows Eve hellion's and hop-heads! Your drinkin' buddy the Meista here celebrating my favorite day of the year with a pairing of another amazing King Diamond album, "Conspiracy," the follow up to "Them" and a deliciously bold, boozy, and pumpkiny Imperial Pumpkin Smash from Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co.! This pairing is dedicated to my daughter Evie and my late stepdaughter Zoe and their love for Halloween and scary stories! Rest in power Zoe... we miss you!!
Album Info:
- Artist: King Diamond
- Title: "Conspiracy"
- Recorded: 1981 at Rumbo Recorders in Canoga Park, California
Release date: August 21st, 1981 (4th studio album by King Diamond) - Record company: Roadrunner Records
- Production: Roberto Falcao, King Diamond, Andy LaRocque, and Chris Tsangarides
- Album cover art: Thomas Holm, and Torbjörn Jörgensen
- Personnel: Peter Blakk (guitars), Mikkey Dee (drums), Andy LaRocque (lead guitars), Hal Patino (bass), and Kim Bendix Petersen aka King Diamond (lead and backing vocals and keyboards)
- Additional musicians: K.K. Downing (lead guitar on "Something Weird") Roberto Falcao (keyboards)
- Musical style: Heavy metal, progressive metal, theatrical gothic horror metal, and neoclassical metal
- Sound: The dual guitar work of Blakk and LaRocque (and Downing) is otherworldly, while the rhythm section of Dee and Hansen is a thunderous monster! And of course, the King! His vocals are a musical journey in themselves... wildly high, aggressively evil, and always amusing!
- Major themes: A concept album that continues the story of King and his grandmother from "Them", themes and topics on the album include horror, death, murder, deception, ghosts, !
- Tracks:
- "At The Graves"
- "Sleepless Nights"
- "Lies"
- "A Visit From The Dead"
- "The Wedding Dream"
- "Amon Belongs To Them"
- "Something Weird"
- "Victimized"
- "Let It Be Done"
- "Cremation"
Brew Info:
- Brewery: Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co. (Sainte Genevieve, Missouri)
- Website: https://www.crownvalleybrewery.com/
- Brew: Imperial Pumpkin Smash
- Style: Imperial Stout / Pumpkin Beer
- Serving: 12 ounce bottle
- ABV: 10.6%
- IBUs: 48
- Pour: The Imperial Pumpkin Smash pours an opaque, deep, dark mahogany brown (almost black), with a creamy and firm light mocha head with good retention and lacing.
- Nose: The nose is roasty, earthy, sweet, spicy, and boozy. There are bold aromas of dark chocolate, toffee, dark fruits (prune and dried cherry), light pine, a hint of smoke, pumpkin pie spices, a hint of soy sauce, and rich bourbon.
- Taste: Like the nose, the taste of the Imperial Pumpkin Smash is characterized by big, bold, earthy, roasty, rich, spicy, and boozy flavors. There are notes of dark roasted malts, baker's chocolate, black coffee, light squash, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, a hint of soy sauce, burnt toffee/caramel, and a rich, bourbon finish.
- Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with very low carbonation the mouthfeel of the Imperial Pumpkin Smash is very dry, boozy finish.
Overall pairing: How can you go wrong with a pairing of any King Diamond album and a bold and boozy brew? It is like a pairing made in hell! Those bold roasty, bitter, and boozy notes just go so well with both the subject matter and the exceptional musical delivery, while the spicy flavors go great with the King's insane vocals! Oh, I picked up my LP copy at Lavender Vinyl () as should you!!
Skål and hails!!
Happy Halloween everyone... be safe!
No comments:
Post a Comment