July 25th, 2017 - Blessed & Possessed By The Ex Cathedra

Guten Abend!!  The Meista here tonight rocking out to German power metal band Powerwolf and there wonderful "Blessed & Possessed" (Tour Edition) album and an Ex Cathedra from The Lost Abbey!


Album Info:

• Artist: Powerwolf 
• Title: "Blessed & Possessed" (Tour Edition)
• Recorded: January through March 2015 at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden
• Release date: July 17th, 2015 (6th studio album by Powerwolf)
• Record company: Napalm Records
• Production: Fredrik Nordström
• Album cover art: Zsofia Dankova
• Personnel: Attila Dorn (vocals), Charles Greywolf (lead and rhythm guitars, and bass guitar), Matthew Greywolf (lead and rhythm guitars), Falk Maria Schlegel (organ and keyboards), and Roel van Helden (drums and percussion)
• Musical style: Power metal, heavy metal with elements of symphonic metal
• Sound: Bold, bombastic and totally rocking, the sound on "Blessed & Possessed" (Tour Edition) is pure power metal goodness!  Dorn's vocals soar while the music is tight, fast, and fiery!
• Major themes: With songs about gothic Romanian werewolves and vampire legends and dark religious tales, themes on "Blessed & Possessed" include darkness, evil, religion, war, warriors in battle, blood, death, destruction, etc.
• Tracks:  

Disc 1: Blessed & Possessed

1. "Blessed & Possessed"
2. "Dead Until Dark"
3. "Army Of The Night"
4. "Armata Strigoi"
5. "We Are The Wild"
6. "Higher Than Heaven"
7. "Christ & Combat"
8. "Sanctus Dominus"
9. "Sacramental Sister"
10. "All You Can Bleed"
11. "Let There Be Night"

Disc 2: Preaching At The Breeze (recorded live at Summer Breeze Open Air in Dinkelsbuhl, Germany on August 14th, 2015

1. "Lupus Daemonis" (Intro)
2. "Sanctified With Dynamite"
3. "Coleus Sanctus"
4. "Army Of The Night"
5. "Amen & Attack"
6. "Resurrection By Erection"
7. "Armata Strigoi"
8. "Kreuzfeuer
9. "Werewolves In Armenia"
10. "In The Name Of God"
11. "Blessed & Possessed"
12. "All We Need Is Blood"
13. "Dead Boys Don't Cry"
14. "We Drink Your Blood"
15. "Lupus Dei"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: The Lost Abbey (San Marcos, California)
• Website: http://lostabbey.com/
• Brew: Ex Cathedra
• Style: Quadrupel (Quad) 
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 12.5%
• Pour: The Ex Cathedra pours a deep, dark, opaque mahogany with only a faint hint of a mocha ring head with virtually no lacing.
• Nose: The nose is earthy, boozy, rich, and fruity.  There are aromas of bourbon, dark fruits (plums, black cherries, raisin, prune), orange peel, ginger, nutmeg, fruitcake, oak, black licorice, and cocoa and toffee.
• Taste: The taste of the Ex Cathedra is characterized by boozy, sweet, and earthy flavors.  There are notes of bourbon, oak, black licorice, plum, black cherries, orange marmalade, cocoa, ginger, nutmeg, hearty malts, and caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with lower carbonation, the mouthfeel of the Ex Cathedra is very thick, very boozy, and smooth with a dry, boozy finish. 

Overall pairing: The big, bold, and boozy flavors and aromas of The Lost Abbey's monstorous Ex Cathedra Quad is perfect for the dark themes, heaviness, and bombast of Powerwolf's kick-ass "Blessed & Possessed" (Tour Edition)!  The rich textures of the brew and the album weave wonderfully well together!  And with that live bonus CD, you want a sipper that will last... like the Ex Cathedra!

Prost, Zum Wohl, and hails!!