April 20th, 2025 - The Ancient Cinnamon Roll Wraith of Ku

 

Hello and happy Easter Sunday evil-doers, metal hellions, and artisan brew fanatics!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here today with a killer pairing for ya... "Ancient Wraith Of Ku", the kick-ass 3rd album by black metal monsters Blood Storm and a Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll Imperial Stout from Epic Brewing Company!  Hell yes!! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Blood Storm
• Title: "Ancient Wraith Of Ku"
• Recorded: May through June 2001 at Jacoda Music/Vortex Sound Studios in Lindewald, New Jersey
• Release date: 2001 (3rd full-length studio release by Blood Storm)
• Record company: Metal War Productions
• Production: Blood Storm
• Album cover art: Sahsahsalim (artwork) and John Litchko (layout and band logo)
• Personnel: Axarcuth (guitars), Deyaxulgaat (bass), MacCriunna (bass), Mezzadurus (guitars and vocals)
• Musical style: Black metal, blackened thrash metal
• Sound: Aggressive, riff-driven, and wonderfully dark, the sound on "Ancient Wraith Of Ku" is a unique blend of black metal and thrash coupled with dark, cosmic horror vocals!  The guitars are buzzsaw, angry bee ferocity over Deyaxulgaat's brutally intricate bass lines and MacCriunna's machine gun fire drumming!
• Major themes: The occult, mythology, H.P. Lovecraft lore, cosmology, blasphemy, dark fantasy, magic, violence, torture, nihilism, etc.
• Tracks: 
  
1. "Intro"
2. "Quantum Nihilism"
3. "Cold Flesh Of Space"
4. "Intro"
5. "Spectral Holocaust"
6. "Shrieks Of Torture"
7. "Intro"
8. "Ancient Wraith"
9. "Kmo A'Ajei Virus"
10. "Intro"
11. "Haunters Of The Dead"
12. "V.V.V.V.V. (Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici)"
13. "Intro"
14. "Possession By The Ku"
15. "Outro"
16. "The Curse" (Slaughter cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Epic Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.epicbrewing.com/
• Brew: Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 9.8%
• Ingredients: Marris Otter, 2-Row, Light Munich, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt, and Roasted Barley malts, with Nugget, Chinook, and Cascade hops, aged in whiskey barrels with cacao nibs and cinnamon bun flavor
• Pour: The Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll pours a beautiful black... black as hell, black as the night sky, black as mud with a half-finger mocha head that slowly dissipates to thin layer with good retention and lots of sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by aromas of spicy cinnamon, maple syrup, bittersweet cooking chocolate, rich planting soil, dark roasted espresso beans, rich vanilla, oak, and rich bourbon, along with sweet toffee and hints of black licorice. 
• Taste: The flavor is characterized by huge notes of cinnamon, sugar, icing, maple syrup, dark roasted coffee, dark and milk chocolate, vanilla extract, freshly whipped cream, and rich bourbon, with more subtle notes of dark toasted bread, burnt toffee, and molasses.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with minimal carbonation, the Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll's mouthfeel is sticky, velvety, and chunky.  The finish is nice and chewy and velvety smooth with a spicy cinnamon kick that lingers.

Overall Pairing: Admittedly, I wasn't so sure about this brew when I first came across Epic's Big Bad Baptist Cinnamon Roll Imperial Stout, but those bold, rich, and very unique flavors are perfect for the aggression, fiery riffs, and killer hooks of this kick-ass Blood Storm album!  The more bitter flavors are great for the infernal and mysterious lyrics and Mezzadurus' powerful vocals, while the brighter, sweeter and spicier flavors go great with the amazing dual guitar attack of Axarcuth and Mezzadurus!  And those bolder malt and booze notes are prefect for the thunderous drumming and bass onslaught of Deyaxulgaat and MacCriunna! 

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

Cheers and hails!!

April 19th, 2025 - Chasing Shadows in the Vale

 

Hello and happy Saturday thrashers, metal maniacs and craft brew lovers!  The Meista here this today pairing "The Vale Of Shadows", the 4th album by thrash metal band Hatriot and a delicious, juicy, and hoppy Chasing Shadows NE-Style Hazy India Pale Ale from the fine folks at Revision Brewing Company in collaboration with Lead Dog Brewing!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Hatriot
• Title: "The Vale Of Shadows"
• Recorded: 2022 at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California
• Release date: July 22nd, 2022 (4th full-length studio album by Hatriot)
• Record company: Massacre Records
• Production: Juan Urteaga
• Album cover art: Paolo Girardi
• Personnel: Kevin Paterson (guitars and additional vocals), Cody Souza (bass and lead vocals), Nick Souza (drums), and Kosta V. (lead guitars)
• Musical style: Thrash metal
• Sound: With fiery fast driving rhythms and guitars, and aggressive vocals, the sound on "The Vale Of Shadows" is that classic California thrash metal sound in the tradition of Evildead, Exodus, and Heathen, but with a modern flare!  
• Major themes: Good vs. evil, rage, hate, darkness, violence, war, suffering, pain, anger, vengeance, etc.
• Tracks: 

1. "Horns & Halos"
2. "The Hate Inside"
3. "Forceful Balance"
4. "Verminious And Vile"
5. "Clemency Denied"
   
6. "The Twenty Fifth Hour"
7. "Only Red Remains"
8. "Mark Of The Tyrant"
9. "Vale Of Shadows"
10. "Murderous Tranquility"
11. "Hymn For The Wicked"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Revision Brewing Company (Sparks, Nevada) and Lead Dog Brewing (Reno, Nevada)
• Website: https://revisionbrewing.com/
• Brew: Chasing Shadows NE-Style Hazy India Pale Ale 
• Style: New England-style Hazy India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.0%
• IBUs: 33.3
• Ingredients: Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Motueka hops
• Pour: The Chasing Shadows pours a very hazy golden-yellow hue with a frothy, bright white, half-finger head with good retention and sudsy, sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very tropical and citrusy with more subtle floral and malt elements.  There are aromas of tangerine, mandarin oranges, lemon zest, lime juice and peel, grapefruit rind, bright mango, freshly cut melon, wildflowers, light pine resin, freshly cut hay, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: Fruit-forward and very juicy, the taste of the Chasing Shadows is citrusy, fruity, and slightly sweet.  There are notes of tangerine, mandarin orange juice, honeydew, cantaloupe, lime, mango, pineapple, guava, light pine, and light honey.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and very juicy, yet smooth and creamy with a dry, slightly sweet, slightly boozy finish.

Overall pairing: The Chasing Shadows NE-Style Hazy India Pale Ale from Revision Brewing / Lead Dog Brewing is a punchy, yet very drinkable and refreshing, hoppy brew... great for pairing with the aggression of Hatriot's "The Vale Of Shadows"!  The complexity and uniqueness of the beer aligns well with the rage and aggression of the tracks on the album!  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!

April 18th, 2025 - Awakening a New Age of Chaos in Your Monkey Mind!

 

Hey there thrashers, rebels, and craft beer fiends!  Happy Friday!  The Meista here with another killer pairing for you!  I've got an advanced copy of the kick-ass, brand spankin' new album "Awaken A New Age Of Chaos" (thank you Dustin Mitchell!!) by progressive power metal band Katagory V and a very crushable and hoppy Monkey Mind Double Dry-Hopped IPA from Red Rock Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Katagory V
• Title: "Awaken A New Age Of Chaos"
• Recorded:  at Streamline Sound Studio in Salt Lake City, Utah
• Release date: May 16th, 2025 (6th full-length studio album by Katagory V)
• Record company: Metallic Blue Records / High Roller Records
• Production: Katagory V
• Album cover art: Ed Repka
• Personnel: Dan Coxey (guitars and backing vocals), Dustin Mitchell (bass and backing vocals), Curtis Morrell (guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, and additional instrumentations and sounds), Albert Rybka (lead and backing vocals), Matt Suiter (drums)
• Guest musician: Lynn Allers (co-lead vocals on "Escape To Beyond", and backing vocals)
• Musical style: Heavy metal, progressive metal, power metal with elements of thrash metal and neo-classical metal
• Sound: With aggressive as well as soaring guitars from Coxey and Morrell, powerful and emotive vocals by Rybka, the thunderous, powerful, and intricate rhythm section of Mitchell and Suiter, and complex, yet engaging melodies, the sound on "Awaken A New Age Of Chaos" is passionate, electrifying, and mesmerizing... and definitely rockin'!  These guys always hit it out of the park with every offering, but "Awaken A New Age Of Chaos" is seriously next level!  They've totally outdone themselves this go-round; they've harnessed their love of '80s old school thrash metal, '80 European power metal, and '80s and '90s progressive metal, along with more modern rock and metal elements into an amalgam of sonic perfection and depth!  And having original Katagory V vocals Lynn Allers provide guest vocals is an added bonus!  It's been a long wait since Katagory V's last album, but it was well worth it my friends!  You will definitely want to grab a copy of this wonderful album when it is released next month!  You can preorder it on CD here: https://www.metallicbluerecords.com/
• Major themes: Life, death, violence, rebellion, change, pain, darkness, sorrow, revenge, fantasy, anti-heroes, etc.
• Tracks: 
1. "Empire Of Ignorance"
2. "Absolution Divide"
3. "Legacy In Blood"
4. "Nigh Wing"
5. "Escape To Beyond"
6. "Blood Siphon"
7. "Through Fate's Eyes"
8. "Prophet Of Sorrow"
9. "Spirit Of Vengeance"
10. "I Miss You"

 Brew Info:

• Brewery: Red Rock Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: https://redrockbrewing.com/ 
• Brew: Monkey Mind Double Dry-Hopped IPA 
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Ingredients: Sabra, Mosaic, Cashmere, and Citra hops
• Pour: The Monkey Mind pours a slightly cloudy golden-yellow hue with frothy and billowy, 1-finger, bright white head with great retention and lots of sticky, soapy, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, fruity, floral, and malty.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, orange zest, tangerine, fresh mango, freshly sliced pineapple, wildflowers, light herbal tea, crackery grains, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of Monkey Mind follows the nose with big notes of pink grapefruit juice, orange juice and pith, tangerine, mango, lemon zest, and more subtle notes of pale malts, crackery biscuit, and sweet toffee/caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Monkey Mind is very crisp and juicy, yet smooth with a dry, slightly bitter finish.

Overall pairing: The Monkey Mind Double Dry-Hopped IPA from Red Rock is very crushable, yet a very punchy and flavorful brew ... a perfect beer to accompany the aggressive guitar attack, and thought-provoking riffs and themes of Katagory V's killer new album, "Awaken A New Age Of Chaos" album!  And those colors on the beer label look great juxtaposed with the legendary Ed Repka's phenomenal album artwork!  'Nuff said! 

And make sure to check out my most recent interview with the boys from Katagory V here: https://youtu.be/J8Xqo9Yn7ok 

Cheers and hails!! 

April 16th, 2025 - Volume VI

 

Good evenin' evil-doers, metal maniacs, and craft beer freaks! The Meista here tonight getting heavy and aggressive with the infernal metal juggernaut that is Sacrifice's latest offering, "Volume Six" and a bold and delicious VI Barrel-Aged Anniversary Ale from the fine folks at UTOG Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info: 

• Artist: Sacrifice
• Title: "Volume Six"
• Recorded: Spring 2024 at Phase One Studios in Toronto, Canada
• Release date: January 24th, 2025 (6th full-length studio release by Sacrifice)
• Record company: Cursed Blessings / High Roller Records
• Production: Rob Urbinati
• Album cover art: Todd Kowalski
• Personnel: Joe Rico (guitars), Gus Pynn (drums and percussion), Rob Urbinati (guitars and vocals), and Scott Watts (bass)
• Guest musicians: Brian Taylor (backing vocals) and Raven Urbinati (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Thrash metal
• Sound: Fast-paced, aggressive, vicious, yet wonderfully complex and thoughtful, "Volume Six" definitely packs a metal punch!  It is pure, high-octane thrash, filled with killer riffs and lots of fist-pumping rhythms.  It also displays the bands sophisticated songwriting and musical prowess.  The 16-year wait was well worth it... Sacrifice is not only back, but back with a vengeance!
• Major themes: Anger, rage, death, destruction, terror, pain, conflict, anxiety, rebellion, insanity, isolation, death, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Comatose"
2. "Antidote Of Poison"
3. "Missile"
4. "Underneath Millenia"
5. "Your Hunger For War"
6. "Incoming Mass Extinction"
7. "Lunar Eclipse"
   
8. "Explode"
9. "Black Hashish"
10. "We Will Not Survive"
11. "Trapped In A World" (Direct Action cover)

Brew Info:

• Brewery: UTOG Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah) in collaboration with Ogden’s Own Distillery (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: https://www.utogbrewing.com/
• Brew: VI Barrel-Aged Anniversary Ale
• Style: Imperial Red Ale
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 10.3%
• IBUs: 90
• Ingredients: UTOG Red Eye Imperial Red Ale aged in Outlaw Distillery white oak barrels
• Pour: The VI Barrel-Aged Anniversary Ale pours an opaque, deep mahogany red with a creamy and firm, 1-finger, light mocha head with great retention and lots of sticky and intricate spider web lacing.
• Nose: The nose is malty, herbal, boozy, slightly citrusy, woody, and spicy.  There are aromas of freshly baked wheat bread, roasted walnuts and hazelnuts, roasted malts, strong herbal tea, oak, rich whiskey, black cherries, and a hint of black pepper.
• Taste: The taste of the VI Barrel-Aged Anniversary Ale is malty, herbal, slightly citrusy, and boozy.  There are notes of roasted malts, hazel nuts, orange peel, lemon zest, black tea, bitter herbs, robust bourbon, clover honey, and sweet toffee. 
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel is thick, sticky, and smooth, yet punchy and slightly citrusy with a slightly boozy and bitter, dry finish.

Overall pairing: The UTOG VI Barrel-Aged Anniversary Ale is a bold, complex, and punchy brew... great for the metal intensity that is Sacrifice's amazing "Volume Six"!  Those bold, roasty malt notes go great with overall power and intensity of the album while the sweeter notes go great with the soaring guitar work!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my 2023 interview with Sacrifice drummer Gus Pynn here: https://youtu.be/igVU9W4o7pU  and my 2021 interview with Sacrifice bassist Scott Watts here: https://youtu.be/58NlP9IieRo

Cheers!!  Hails!!

April 13th, 2025 - Onward To Golgotha You Old Fashioned Baptist

 

Good day and happy Sunday evil-doers, hellions, headbangers, and craft brew lovers!  Your drinking buddy the (not-so) right Reverend Meista here getting a little blasphemous, aggressive, and very dark, ready to indoctrinate you with "Onward To Golgotha", the amazing debut album by death metal monsters Incantation and a deliciously bold and boozy Big Bad Baptist Old Fashioned from Epic Brewing Company!  Hell to the fuck yeah, brothers and sistas!!  Can I get an amen?!

Album Info:

• Artist: Incantation
• Title: "Onward To Golgotha"
• Recorded: September through November 1991 at Trax East Studios in South River, New Jersey
• Release date: May 5th, 1992 (1st full-length studio release by Incantation)
• Record company: Relapse Records
• Production: Steve Evetts and Bill Yurkiewicz
• Album cover art: Miran Kim (artwork) and Bill Venner (band logo)
• Personnel: Ronny Deo (bass), John McEntee (guitars), Craig Pillard (guitars and vocals), and Jim Roe (drums)
• Musical style: Death metal, doom death
• Sound: Innovative, a total game changer, aggressive, heavy as hell, and rather sludgy, the sound on "Onward To Golgotha" embodies the apocalyptic, soul-crushing brutality that is early Incantation!  It is like a runaway 18-wheeler slamming through a concrete barrier and exploding on the freeway below... broken glass, metal grinding on pavement, and an ear-splitting thunderous impact!  It is everything a death metal should be!
• Major themes: Death, destruction, evil, the occult, anti-Christianity, blasphemy, Satan, darkness, violence, etc.
• Tracks: 
  

1. "Golgotha"
2. "Devoured Death"
3. "Blasphemous Cremation"
4. "Rotting Spiritual Embodiment"
5. "Unholy Massacre"
6. "Entrantment Of Evil"
7. "Christening The Afterbirth"
8. "Immortal Cessation"
9. "Profanation"
10. "Deliverance Of Horrific Prophecies"
11. "Eternal Torture"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Epic Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.epicbrewing.com/
• Brew: Big Bad Baptist Old Fashioned
• Style: Imperial Stout
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 11.8%
• Ingredients: Barrel-aged in whiskey casks: Marris Otter, 2-Row, Light Munich, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt, and Roasted Barley, Nugget, Chinook, and Cascade hops, and Cacao Nibs, Black Cherry Flavor, Natural Flavors, and Cherry Puree
• Pour: The Big Bad Baptist Old Fashioned pours a beautiful black... black as hell, black as the night sky, black as mud with a frothy and creamy, 2+ finger, mocha head with great retention and lots of sticky, intricate lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by big aromas of orange bitters, orange peel, dark roasted espresso beans, freshly sliced black cherries, bittersweet cooking chocolate, rich planting soil, black licorice, vanilla beans, oak, rich bourbon, spices, along with sweet burnt toffee. 
• Taste: The taste of the Big Bad Baptist Old Fashioned is boozy, sweet, fruity, roasty, and downright dark.  It is characterized by huge dark chocolate, orange peel, orange marmalade, black cherry juice, black coffee, rich bourbon, vanilla bean, and molasses.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with minimal carbonation, the mouthfeel is sticky, velvety, and chunky.  The finish is nice and chewy and velvety smooth with a dry mocha goodness that lingers, and very big, bold bourbon notes.

Overall pairing: The bold, rich, boozy flavors and aromas of the Big Bad Baptist Old Fashioned are perfect for the intensity, aggression, and utter brutality of Incantation's infernal "Onward To Golgotha" album!  For an evening of kick-ass heavy as hell metal and deliciously bold, intense, and unique flavors, I highly recommend both the brew and the album! 

Check out my interview with Incantation from 2022 here: https://youtu.be/T48dmpmHxgQ

HAILS!!

April 12th, 2025 - The Lake Effect of Our Flamingo Overlords

 

God kveld craft beer freaks and metal maniacs!  The Meista here tonight with another pairing for ya... a salty and tart Proper Brewing Company Lake Effect Gose Ale With Coriander & Salt and the wonderfully textured and outlandish "Flamingo Overlord", the 9th studio album by Norwegian folk metal band TrollfesT!

Album Info:

• Artist: TrollfesT
• Title: "Flamingo Overlord"
• Recorded: 2022 at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark
  Release date: May 27th, 2022 (9th studio album by Trollfest)
• Record company: Napalm Records
• Production: TrollfesT
• Album cover art: Jonas Darnell (artwork) and Andy WarTroll (photography and design) 
• Personnel: Lodd Bolt (bass), Drekka Dag (saxophone), Fjernkontrollet (accordion and keyboards), Fabio Grimdrap (guitars), Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow (drums), Mr. Seidel (guitars), Trollbank (bouzouki), and Trollmannen (vocals)
• Guest and additional musicians: Yves Agbessi (additional vocals on "Twenty Miles An Hour"), Svein Greni (flute on "All Drinks On Me"), Jonne Järvelä (additional vocals on "All Drinks On Me"), and Ingvild "Tante Pãthë" Strønen (violin on "All Drinks On Me" and "Overlords Have Feelings")
• Musical style: Folk metal, Balkan metal with elements of death metal, polka, folk music, country, dance music, and progressive metal / rock
• Sound: !
• Major themes: With humorous, tongue-in-cheek, and sarcastic lyrics, themes on this concept album of sorts include drinking, partying, dancing, flamingos, overlords, ruling, ecology, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Dance Like A Pink Flamingo"
2. "All Drinks On Me"
3. "Flamongous"
4. "Twenty Miles An Hour"
5. "The Flamingorilla"
6. "Flamingo Libre"
7. "Piña Colada"
8. "Rule The Country"
9. "The Way You Earn Your Drinks"
10. "Overlords Have Feelings"
11. "Bob Venke"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Proper Brewing Company (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Website: http://www.properbrewingco.com/ 
• Brew: Lake Effect Gose Ale With Coriander & Salt
• Style: Gose
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.0%
• IBUs: 12
• Ingredients: 50% wheat, coriander, and locally produced salt
• Pour: The Lake Effect pours a fairly clear, golden-yellow hue with a frothy, white cap that retains its form well and leaves trace lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by salty, tart, and floral aromas.  There are notes of lemon juice and zest, light white vinegar, sourdough bread, coriander, wildflowers, and herbs.
• Taste: The taste is tangy, sour, salty, slightly spicy, and floral.  There are tart notes of lemon and lime, a hint of barnyard funk, fresh salt, wheat bread, cracker, coriander, and herbs.
• Mouthfeel: Light-bodied and well carbonated, the mouthfeel is crisp, tart, salty, yet refreshing with a dry, tart finish.

Overall pairing: The first time I heard TrollfesT it was like something exploded in my head, something outrageous and slightly insane, and much like that initial emotion, this German-style Gose kinda takes you by surprise!  The richly textured and unique vocals are great for refreshing and interesting flavors of Proper's Lake Effect Gose!

Skal!!  Hails!!

April 12th, 2025 - The Sleepless Empire of ToroPils

 

Hello metal maniacs and beer freaks of all ages!  Happy Saturday!  Your drinking buddy the Meista getting a little wild and a little aggressive with a crisp, slightly hoppy, and very delicious ToroPils Italian Pilsner from Bolero Snort Brewery and "Sleepless Empire", the latest kick-ass album by mighty Italian goth metal band Lacuna Coil!  Hell yeah!!  Cheers!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Lacuna Coil
• Title: "Sleepless Empire"
• Recorded: 2024 at SPVN Studio in Como Italy
• Release date: February 14th, 2025 (10th studio album by Lacuna Coil)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Marco Coti Zelati
• Album cover art: Roberto Toderico
• Personnel: Diego Cavallotti (guitars), Andrea Ferro (vocals), Richard Meiz (drums), Cristina Scabbia (vocals), Marco Coti Zelati (guitars, bass, and keyboards)
• Guest musicians: Randy Blythe (vocals on "Hosting The Shadow") and Ash Costello (vocals on "In The Mean Time")
• Musical style: Gothic metal, alternative metal/rock, metalcore with elements of groove metal and nu metal
• Sound: Interweaving their older, more gothic sound with the more hard-hitting metal aspects, Lacuna Coil once again produces a mesmerizing, heavy, dark, atmospheric, yet aggressive album!  As always, the vocal interplay between Ferro and Scabbia is absolutely stunning, coupled so very well with Zelati's dark musical vision!
• Major themes: Technology, disconnection, darkness, hate, survival, anger, resentment, death, loss, connection, pain, isolation, sorrow, etc.  Of the album's title and the themes on the album, Scabbia stated: "[it represents] the times that we are living today. We’re always awake, constantly trying to be productive, super connected with the rest of the world, but at the same time, we’ve never been so disconnected and anxious... I am part of that generation that saw... how fast the technology developed and how big the changes were."
• Tracks: 

1. "The Siege"
2. "Oxygen"
3. "Scarecrow"
4. "Gravity"
5. "I Wish You Were Dead"
6. "Hosting The Shadow"
7. "In Nomine Patris"
8. "Sleepless Empire"
9. "Sleep Paralysis"
10. "In The Mean Time"
11. "Never Dawn"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Bolero Snort Brewery (Carlstadt, New Jersey)
• Website: https://bolerosnort.com/
• Brew: ToroPils
• Style: Italian Pilsner
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5%
• Pour: The ToroPils pours a clear, golden yellow hue with a thin, yet frothy, bright white head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is grainy, grassy, toasty, and slightly citrusy.  There are aromas of cracked wheat, cereal grains, freshly cut hay, orange zest, lemongrass, lemon zest, a splash of honey, and a healthy dose of grassy and noble hops.
• Taste: The taste of the Toropils follows the nose with grassy, citrusy, biscuity, and grainy flavors.  There are notes of lightly toasted white bread, crackery biscuit, stoneground crackers, lemon zest, orange peel, and a hint of raw honey.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel of the ToroPils is very crisp and smooth with a very dry, slightly bitter, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The crushable, inviting, yet complex flavors and aromas of the Bolero Snort ToroPils Italian Pilsner is exactly the kind of beer you want when blasting the highly intense, emotive, sonic punch that is the mighty Lacuna Coil!  The bright, grainy flavors make a wonderful foil to the dark intensity of the Lacuna Coil's musical approach, while the hoppy bite is perfect for the more aggressive elements.  I also think the "Sleepless Empire" album artwork and the can label work really well together.  'Nuff said!

Cheers and hails!!