April 5th, 2025 - The Queen of Phantoms is the Shadow Empress

 

Good evening my metal and craft beer friends!  The Meister here tonight with another great pairing for ya.  Tonight, I'm pairing the brand new, kick-ass album "Queen Of Phantoms" from Niviane and a bold and flavorful Shadow Empress Imperial Stout, a new brew from the fine folks at the Ogden Beer Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Niviane
• Title: "Queen Of Phantoms"
• Recorded: 2024 in California
  Release date: March 7th, 2025 (3rd studio album by Niviane)
• Record company: Rockshots Records
• Production: Niviane
• Album cover art: Thomas Ewerhard 
• Personnel: Isiah AR (drums), Mark Miner (guitars), Aaron Robitsch (keyboards), Tyler Satterlee (bass), Norman Skinner (vocals), and Gary Tarplee (guitars)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, power metal
• Sound: A powerful new metal statement from the mighty Niviane, the tracks on "Queen Of Phantoms" are a fantastic collection of heavy-duty power metal!  Building off the sonic attack they presented in 2020 with "The Ruthless Divine", the tracks on the new album are even heavier and bolder.  As always, Skinner's amazing vocal acrobatics on front and center, but the whole band really shines throughout this wonderful sonic journey!  Miner's and Tarplee's dual guitar work is a fiery attack, blended perfectly with the thunderous rhythms of Isiah AR and Satterlee, while Robitsch's keys soar and add extra depth and emotion to the already impressive metal tapestry!
• Major themes: Dark fantasy, mythology, history, darkness, evil, war, valor, bravery, death, violence, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Queen Of Phantoms"
2. "12 B.C. Legions"
3. "12 B.C. Germania"
4. "Beacon In The Darkness"
5. "Some Wounds... Never Heal"
6. "All Debts Repaid"
7. "Tomorrow's A New Day"
8. "Event Horizon"
9. "Our Maze"
10. "Gunslingers & Graves"
11. "Under Black Flags"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/
• Brew: Shadow Empress Imperial Stout
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving:12 ounce can
• ABV: 9.5%
• Pour: The Shadow Empress pours a deep, dark black hue with 2+ finger, mocha, creamy head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by roasty, toasty, earthy, sweet, and malty aromas.  There are aromas of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, dark roasted coffee beans, roasted malts, hints of vanilla beans, a hint of oak, soft caramel, and burnt toffee.
• Taste: Very well-balanced, the Shadow Empress has a nice blend of earthy, bittersweet, roasty, and malty flavors.  There are notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, espresso, dark toasted bread, light vanilla, dark roasted malts, light cream, and burnt toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel is very smooth, creamy velvety, and thick with dry, finish. 

Overall pairing: Along with the name, the Ogden Beer Company Shadow Empress is a great brew to pair with the intense "Queen Of Phantoms" album for the simple fact that it they both kick ass!  The Shadow Empress is full-flavored, complex, and very drinkable stout ... a great beer to sip whilst banging your head and pumping your fists to the might and power that is Niviane!!

Make sure to check out my interview with Niviane vocalist Norman Skinner from 2023 here: https://youtu.be/KkM9mmlAxRk

Cheers!!  Hails!!

April 5th, 2025 - Signs of Life and Tropical Esses

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, and craft brew lovers!  Happy Saturday!  The Meista here rocking out to Billy Squire's "Signs Of Life" and a tart and tasty Tropical Esses from Prairie Artisan Ales!  This pairing goes out to me dear friend Amy... cheers sista!

Album Info:

• Artist: Billy Squire
• Title: "Signs Of Life"
• Recorded: April through June 1984
• Release date: July 1984 (4th full-length album by Billy Squire)
• Record company: Capitol Records
• Production: Billy Squire and Jim Steinman
• Album cover art: Bill Smith (cover art design and illustration) and John Van Hamersveld (rear cover collage and inner sleeve design)
• Personnel: Bill Squire (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, and synthesizers) with Bobby Chouinard (drums), Jeff Golub (guitars and slide guitar), Doug Lubahn (bass and backing vocals), and Alan St. Jon (keyboards and synthesizers)
• Additional and guest musicians: Alfa Anderson (additional vocals on "(Another) 1984"), Rory Dodd (additional vocals on "Fall for Love" and "Reach for the Sky"), Jimmy Maelen (percussion), Brian May (guitar solo on "(Another) 1984"), and Eric Troyer (additional vocals on "Fall for Love" and "Reach for the Sky")
• Musical style: Hard rock, pop rock, progressive rock
• Sound: With tight musicianship, strong songwriting, high energy, and lot of pop sensibility, "Signs Of Life" is a testament to Squire's talent as a musician.  Though not has rockin' as his earlier album, he still presents powerful musical statement.  And May's stellar solo on "(Another) 1984" is an added bonus!
• Major themes: Love, lust, desire, rock and roll, , etc.
• Tracks: 
  

1. "All Night Long"
2. "Rock Me Tonite"
3. "Eye On You"
4. "Take A Look Behind Ya"
5. "Reach For The Sky"
6. "(Another) 1984"
   
7. "Fall For Love"
8. "Can't Get Next To You"
9. "Hand-Me-Downs"
10. "Sweet Release"

 Brew Info:

• Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales (Oklahoma)
• Website: https://prairieales.com/
• Brew: Tropical Esses
• Style: Fruited Sour Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5%
• Ingredients: Sour ale brewed with tropical rainbow chewy candy and pink guava
• Pour: The Tropical Esses pours a very cloudy greenish yellow hue with a frothy, 1+ finger, bright white head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, sweet, and rather tart.  There are aromas of freshly sliced guava, lemon juice and zest, gummy candy, and a hint of honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Tropical Esses follows the nose with juicy, fruity, tart, and sweet flavors.  There are notes of Topical Skittles, lemon juice, cranberry juice, guava, passionfruit, a splash of honey, and very subtle graininess.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very tart and crisp, juicy and refreshing, yet smooth with a sweet, juicy and lip-puckering tart finish.

Overall pairing: The fun, fast-paced, hard rock sound of "Signs Of Life" deserves a bright and crushable brew... thus the delightfully tart and sweet Tropical Esses from the fine folks at Prairie Artisan Ales!  Those sweeter notes work great with Squire's unique vocals, the soaring guitars, and the lyrical content while the fruity tartness goes great with the rock and roll punch!  I also thought the album cover art and the can label looked quite nice together.  'Nuff said!

Cheers!! 

April 4th, 2025 - The Lord of the Ryes Conjuring at the Balefire

 

Hey there metalheads and craft beer fanatics!  The Meista here rocking out on this sunny Friday to a pairing of Balefire's killer debut, self-titled EP and a very bold and tasty Lord Of The Ryes Rye Stout from the fine folks at Bewilder Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!  This pairing is dedicated to the mighty Chuck Sherwood... cheers and hails, brother!! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Balefire
• Title: "Balefire"
• Recorded: October 2023 to January 2024 at Necrotic Echoes Studios
• Release date: January 31st, 2025 (1st studio EP album by Balefire)
• Record company: Iron Bonehead Productions
• Production: Balefire
• Album cover art: Bruja XIII (artwork), Sofia Aparicio and Dan Fried (layout), and Kyle Bowen (band logo)
• Personnel: Xander Bridge (drums), Paul Perez (guitars), Chuck Sherwood (bass), and Keoni Solomito (vocals)
• Guest musician: Don of the Dead (backing vocals on "Barbaric Rebirth")
• Musical style: Death metal, blackened death metal
• Sound: Conjured from the depths of Hell, the sound on Balefire's debut EP is an infernal deluge of classic '90s death metal elements, heavy doom death, and a hint of black metal, but with a timeless and unique approach.  This EP hits and fuckin' hits hard!  It is a powerful first statement from this group, leaving an indelible mark and leaving this listener very, very excited for more to come!
• Major themes: Satanism, darkness, evil, rebellion, dominance, mythology, death, violence, etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Black Sun"
2. "Sands of Gemini"
3. "Star-Born Revolt"
4. "Barbaric Rebirth"
5. "Lord Of The Red Lands"
6. "Black Moon"

 

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bewilder Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://bewilderbrewing.com/
• Brew: Lord of the Ryes
• Style: Rye Stout
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.66%
• IBUs: 55
• Pour: The Lord of the Ryes pours a deep, dark brown, almost black (black like the pits of Hell!) with creamy, 1-finger, light mocha head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a robust blend of hearty malts, peppery rye, and bittersweet chocolate.  There are aromas of dark toasted rye bread, dark roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, burnt toffee, woody oak, and a hint of bourbon.
• Taste: The taste of the Lord of the Ryes follows the nose with bold, roasty, toasty, malty, and earthy flavors.  There are notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, espresso, peppery rye, dark roasted malts, a hint of bourbon, and burnt toffee, and all balanced with light hops.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with low carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Lord of the Ryes is thick, velvety smooth, and creamy with a dry, somewhat bittersweet finish.
•  

Overall pairing: The Bewilder Lord of the Ryes is a dark, bold, and very tasty brew... perfect for death metal onslaught that is Balefire!  Those bold, dark roasty flavors go great with the overall low-end heaviness and the dark intensity of the songs, while the peppery rye bite is great for the aggressive guitar and vocal attack!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my interview with Balefire (and Incantation, Occumancy, Blood Storm, etc.) bassist Chuck Sherwood from a few years ago here: https://youtu.be/C390Cs-7li0

Cheers and hails evil-doers!!

April 3rd, 2025 - The Cosmic Dissonance of the Invaders

 

Hello and hails metal maniacs and hop freaks!  Happy Thursday!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today rocking the hell out to "Invaders", the sophomore album by NWOBHM band Bitches Sin and a hoppy and juicy Cosmic Dissonance Hazy IPA from Mother Earth Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Bitches Sin
• Title: "Invaders"
• Recorded: 1986 at Linden Studio in Cumbria, England
• Release date: 1986 (2nd full-length studio album by Bitches Sin)
• Record company: King Klassic Records / 
• Production: Guy Forrester (producer), Phil Baker (executive producer), and Dennis Bergeron (executive producer)
• Album cover art: Steve Asma and Andrew Muchoney (artwork), and Melvin Bernales (art direction)
• Personnel: Mark Biddiscombe (drums), Mike Frazier (bass), Frank Quegan (vocals), Ian Toomey (guitars), and Peter Toomey (guitars)
• Musical style: NWOBHM, heavy metal, hard rock
• Sound: A fairly obscure NWOBHM act, Bitches Sin's second album "Invaders" is a little rough around the edges, but boy does it rock!  There's a lot going on here... killer hooks, some rippin' guitar solos (ex. "Out Of My Mind"), and some heavy duty melodies!  There's some influence from bands like Witchfynde and Tygers of Pan Tang, but their songs are unique and pull from classic hard rock and punk as well as the metal of the era.
• Major themes: Life, mystery, darkness, lust, desire, relationships, lies, destruction, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Ain't Life A Bitch"
2. "Invaders"
3. "Bitches Sin"
4. "No More Chances"
5. "Day In Day Out"
6. "Out Of My Mind"
7. "Heavy Life"
8. "Ice Angels"
9. "Round-A-Bout"
10. "Dawn Of Destruction"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Mother Earth Brew Company (Vista, California)
• Website: http://motherearthbrewco.com/
• Brew: Cosmic Dissonance Hazy IPA
• Style: New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 7.2%
• IBUs: 25
• Ingredients: Pale 2-Row, Wheat malt, and oats with Galaxy, Simcoe, Sabro, and Superdelic hops
• Pour: The Cosmic Dissonance Hazy IPA pours a hazy, bright golden orange/yellow hue with a thin, off-white head with and light lacing.
• Nose: Fruit forward, the nose is tropical, citrusy, floral, and malty.  It is chalk full of notes of stone fruit (peach and apricot), passionfruit, pineapple, fresh mango, vanilla bean, ripe berries, very light pine resin, oats, soft caramel malt, and a hint of booze.
• Taste: The taste of the Cosmic Dissonance Hazy IPA follows the nose with tropical fruit and citrus, and lighter floral and dank hops, and sweet malt flavors.  There are big notes of orange juice and zest, mango, passionfruit, grapefruit juice, tangerine, peach, apricot, strawberry, light pine, and hint of booze with a strong, malty backbone.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Cosmic Dissonance Hazy IPA is crisp and juicy, yet soft and creamy with smooth finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, hoppy, juicy, well-balanced and very drinkable flavors of Mother Earth's Cosmic Dissonance Hazy IPA make it a great beer for the power, might, and intensity of Bitches Sin!  The crispness of the brew is great for the dual guitar attack of the Toomey brothers, while the malty and citrusy notes work really well with the powerful rhythm section of Biddiscombe and Fraizer, and it is all tied together beautifully by powerful vocal prowess of Quegan!

Cheers!!  Hails!!

March 31st, 2025 - Boulder, Colorado's Greatest Hits

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, and hopheads!  Happy Monday!  Sometimes you just need a beer and some rock and roll after working a Monday... so, your drinkin' pal the Meista is here this evening pairing a couple of great ones from Boulder, Colorado, a crisp, citrusy, and hoppy West Coast Style IPA from Upslope Brewing Company and Firefall's "Greatest Hits"!  

Album Info: 

• Artist: Firefall
• Title: "Greatest Hits"
• Recorded: 1976 through 1983 at various studios
• Original release date: September 1st, 1992 (compilation album by Firefall)
• Record company: Atlantic Records / Rhino Records
• Production: various
• Album cover art: Geoff Gans (art direction)
• Personnel: Mark Andes (bass and backing vocals), Jock Bartley (lead guitar, slide guitar, Bigsby Palm Pedal guitar, acoustic guitar, and backing vocals), Larry Burnett (electric and acoustic rhythm guitars, and lead vocals), Michael Clarke (drums), George Hawkins (bass and backing vocals), Tris Imboden (drums and percussion), David Muse (piano, clavinet, synthesizers, flute, tenor saxophone, and harmonica), Rick Roberts (acoustic guitars and lead vocals), Kim Stone (bass), etc.
• Additional musicians: Ken Faulk (trumpet on "Mexico"), Jim Keltner (drums), Joe Lala (congas, timbales, shakers, tambourine, and finger cymbals), Laura Taylor (backing vocals), etc.
• Musical style: Rock, yacht rock, country rock with elements of folk, blues, R&B, and jazz
• Sound: Blending swinging rock and roll licks with emotive country rock vibes, with great harmonies in the style of CSN, Firefall's songs define the '70s contemporary rock movement!   The songs are wonderfully well-crafted with honest lyrics and perfectly executed musicianship. This collection of songs is a time capsule of my childhood.  
• Major themes: Life, love, relationships, heartbreak, deception, loss, , etc. 
• Tracks: 

1. "Livin' Ain't Livin'"
2. "Cinderella"
3. "You Are The Woman"
4. "Mexico"
5. "It Doesn't Matter"
6. "Just Remember I Love You"
7. "So Long"
8. "Someday Soon"
9. "Strange Way"
10. "Goodbye, I Love You"
11. "Sweet And Sour"
12. "Love That Got Away"
13. "Headed For A Fall"
14. "Stay With It"
15. "Break Of Dawn"
16. "Always"
17. "Runaway Love"
18. "Run Run Away"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Upslope Brewing Company (Boulder, Colorado)
• Website: https://www.upslopebrewing.com/
• Brew: West Coast Style IPA
• Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 6.5% 
• IBUs: 60
• Pour: The West Coast Style IPA pours a hazy, bright golden yellow hue with a very frothy, 2+ finger, bright white head with great sustain and lots of intricate, sticky spider web lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by lots of citrus, floral, dank, herbal, and malty notes.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, tangerine, wet pine needles, bitter herbs, herbal tea, wildflowers, cannabis, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: The taste is citrusy, earthy, and malty.  There are notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, orange zest, juicy mango and candied pineapple, along with black tea, pine resin, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the West Coast Style IPA is very crisp and hoppy with a dry and slightly bitter, but clean finish.

Overall pairing: The West Coast Style IPA from the fine folks at Upslope Brewing Company is very hop-forward, crisp, and crushable brew... perfect for an evening of kickin' back with the mellow, but complex rock and roll goodness of Firefall!  'Nuff Said! 

Cheers!!  Rock on!!

March 30th, 2025 - The Regis of Ronnie's Trinity

 

Guten abend and happy Sunday night my hard rocking friends and beer lovers!  You pal the Meista here again with another killer brew and killer album pairing for ya!  I'm rocking out to the wonderful "Trinity", the third solo album by Pretty Maids vocalist Ronnie Atkins and a crisp and tasty Regis Select Helles Lager from Helper Beer!  Hell[es] yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Ronnie Atkins
• Title: "Trinity"
• Recorded: 2023
• Release date: October 13th, 2023 (3rd solo studio album by Ronnie Atkins)
• Record company: Frontiers Records
• Production: Chris Laney
• Album cover art: Kai Brockschmidt
• Personnel: Ronnie Atkins (lead vocals) with Pontus Egberg (bass), Linnéa Vikström Egg (backing vocals), Chris Laney (guitars and keyboards), Allan Sörensen (drums), and Marcus Sunesson (guitars)
• Guest musicians: John Berg (guitar solo on "Godless"), Oliver Hartmann (guitar solos on "Ode To A Madman" and "Paper Tiger"), Pontus Norgren (guitar solo on "Raining Fire"), Anders Ringman (acoustic guitar and keyboards on "Soul Divine"), and Marcus Sunesonn (guitar solos on "Via Dolorosa", "Shine", "Sister Sinister", and "What If")
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal, AOR
• Sound: Well-rooted in classic rock and metal, the tracks are richly textured and wonderfully produced!  The overall sound on "Trinity" is at times melodic and heartfelt, and at time in-your-face rockin' intensity!  Of the album, Atkins stated: "Likely the heaviest of the three albums I've released so far but nevertheless it's very melodic and lyrically present."
• Major themes: Of the album's lyrics, Atkins stated: "Lyrically it’s pretty much about what’s going on in the world today and that’s what inspires me. A lot of the songs are pretty personal too and I’m trying to squeeze in a bit of optimism into it as well."  Themes include life, death, power, honesty, survival, hope, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Trinity"
2. "Ode To A Madman"
3. "Paper Tiger"
4. "Soul Divine"
5. "Via Dolorosa"
6. "Godless"
7. "Shine"
8. "If You Can Dream It"
9. "Sister Sinister"
10. "Raining Fire"
11. "The Unwanted"
    
12. "What If"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Helper Beer (Helper, Utah)
• Website: https://www.helperbeer.com/
• Brew: Regis Select Helles Lager 
• Style: German-style Helles / Lager
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Pour: The Regis pours a clear, bright golden yellow with a billowy, 1+ finger, bright white head with great retention and lots of soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is bready, grainy, musty, sweet, and grassy.  There are aromas of pale grains, cereal grains, crackery biscuit, light apple, summer grass, and soft caramel. 
• Taste: Following the nose, the taste of the Flötzinger Hell is grainy, grassy, yeasty, and semi-sweet.  There are notes of barley grain, light apple, light corn, and soft caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body with lots of bubbly carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and smooth with a rather clean, slightly sweet finish.

Overall pairing: The crisp, grainy, and sweet flavors and aromas of the Helper Regis Select Helles Lager is the perfect crushable brew for the power and hard rockin' depth of the fantastic tracks on Ronnie Atkins' fantastic "Trinity" album!  The grassy and grainy notes are great for the more aggressive guitars, while the sweeter fruit ester aromas and flavors really compliment Atkins' vocal range and the overall performance of the music!  I highly recommend this wonderful gem of an album! 

Prost!!  Rock on!!

March 30th, 2025 - Lita's Blueberry Boyfriend

 

Hey there rockers, rollers, and craft brew lovers!  Happy Sunday!  The Meista here rocking out with "Lita", the 3rd studio album by Lita Ford and a tart and tasty Blueberry Boyfriend from Prairie Artisan Ales!  Rock on!

Album Info:

• Artist: Lita Ford
• Title: "Lita"
• Recorded: 1987 at Record One in Los Angeles, California
• Release date: February 2nd, 1988 (3rd full-length album by Lita Ford)
• Record company: RCA Records
• Production: Mike Chapman
• Album cover art: Moshe Brakha (photography) and Ria Lewerke (art direction)
• Personnel: Lita Ford (guitars and vocals) with David Ezrin (keyboards), Don Nossov (bass guitar), and Myron Grombacher (drums)
• Additional and guest musicians:  Mike Chapman (backing vocals), Craig Krampf (additional drums and percussion), Llory McDonald (backing vocals), and Ozzy Osbourne (duet vocals on "Close My Eyes Forever")
• Musical style: Hard rock, heavy metal, glam metal
• Sound: Lita's most commercially successful album, "Lita" is riff-driven, energetic, and steeped in '80s bombast!  It highlights her talent as not only a great guitarist and songwriter, but a versatile vocalist as well. 
• Major themes: Rock and roll, sex, desire, love, partying, loss, rebellion, the heavy metal lifestyle, etc.
• Tracks: 
  

1. "Back To The Cave"
2. "Can't Catch Me"
3. "Blueberry"
4. "Kiss Me Deadly"
5. "Falling In And Out Of Love"
6. "Fatal Passion"
7. "Under The Gun"
8. "Broken Dreams"
9. "Close My Eyes Forever"

 Brew Info:

• Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales (Oklahoma)
• Website: https://prairieales.com/
• Brew: Blueberry Boyfriend
• Style: Fruited Sour Ale
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.4%
• Ingredients: Sour ale brewed with blueberries and lemon zest
• Pour: The Blueberry Boyfriend pours a very murky, deep plum color with a frothy, 1+ finger, bright pinkish white head that dissipates slowly, leaving a thin ring with soapy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is fruity, sweet, and rather tart.  There are aromas of freshly sliced blueberries, blueberry juice, blueberry jam, lemon juice and zest, and a hint of honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Blueberry Boyfriend follows the nose with juicy, fruity, tart, and sweet flavors.  There are notes of blueberry juice, blueberry jam, lemon juice and zest, cranberry juice, a hint of red wine vinegar, a splash of honey, and very subtle graininess.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is very tart and crisp, juicy and refreshing, yet smooth with a dry, slightly sweet, and lip-puckering finish.

Overall pairing: The fun, fast-paced, hard rock sound of "Lita" deserves a bright and crushable brew... thus the delightfully tart and sweet Blueberry Boyfriend from the fine folks at Prairie Artisan Ales!  Those sweeter notes work great with Ms. Ford's sultry vocals, soaring guitars, and the lyrical content while the fruity tartness goes great with the rock and roll punch!  'Nuff said!

Cheers!!