May 10th, 2023 - Conjuring Cemetary Souls Beneath A Dark Tower

 

Guten abend and hails metal brethren!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here tonight getting heavy and aggressive with a pairing of "The Dark Tower", the latest kick-ass album by Swiss metallers Burning Witches and a hoppy and tasty Cemetary Souls IPA from Black Raven Brewing in collaboration with Boneyard Beer!  And this pairing goes out to my dear friends Jason and Sonia... thanks very much for the tasty brew you crazy kids!!  Cheers!

Album Info:

• Artist: Burning Witches
• Title: "The Dark Tower"
• Recorded: 2022
• Release date: May 5th, 2023 (5th studio album from Burning Witches)
• Record company: Napalm Records
• Production: Schmier and V.O. Pulver 
• Album cover art: Gyula Havancsák 
• Personnel: Larissa Ernst (guitars), Lala Frischknecht (drums), Jeanine Grob (bass), Laura Guldemond (vocals), and Romana Kalkuhl (guitars)  
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal
• Sound: Heavy, energetic, totally rocking, and full of great hooks and melodies, Burning Witches' 5th album is a powerhouse of an album in the classic metal tradition of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio, and Doro!  It is also a testament to the talent and musical prowess of this band!  Guldemond's soaring vocals work wonderfully well over the tapestry of the fiery, heavy-duty punch of Kalhuhl's and Ernst's guitars, while Frischknecht and Grob lay down a thunderous rhythm!  This is everything I love about metal!!
• Major themes: Witchcraft, vampires, death, the occult, power, unity, mythology, darkness, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Rise Of Darkness"
2. "Unleash The Beast"
3. "Renegade"
4. "Evil Witch"
5. "World On Fire"
6. "Tomorrow"
7. "House Of Blood"
8. "The Dark Towner"
9. "Heart Of Ice"
10. "Arrow Of Time"
11. "Doomed To Die"
12. "Into The Unknown"
13. "The Lost Souls"
14. "Shot In The Dark" (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
15. "I Wanna Be Somebody" (W.A.S.P. cover)

 Brew Info:

• Brewery: Black Raven Brewing (Redmond, Washington) in collaboration with Boneyard Beer (Bend, Oregon)
• Website: https://blackravenbrewing.com/ and https://boneyardbeer.com/
• Brew: Cemetary Souls IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.6%
• IBUs: 60
• Ingredients: Loral, Mosaic, and Comet hops
• Pour: The Cemetary Souls pours a clear, golden-yellow hue with a 1+ finger, bright white head with great retention and soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is herbal, floral, resinous, dank, and slightly sweet.  There are aromas of pine resin, wildflowers, grapefruit rind, tangerine, orange zest, and sweet toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Cemetary Souls follows the nose with lots of citrus, pine, and herbal flavors.  There are notes of pine, grapefruit, tangerine, orange zest, toasted barley, herbal tea, and sweet toffee with a malty backbone.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Cemetary Souls is very crisp and slightly bitter with a clean, dry finish. 

Overall pairing: The Cemetary Souls IPA is a bold, hop-forward ... perfect for the aggression, musical prowess, and unbridled intensity of Burning Witches' latest album, "The Dark Tower"!  The pine and citrus hoppiness and punchiness of the brew is right in line with darker lyrics and Guldemond's amazing vocal acrobatics while the big, thick, boozy and malty backbone embodies the delivery of these mighty musicians!

HAILS and PROST!!  Keep it craft and keep it heavy!!