April 15th, 2020 - "On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots," Stated The Black Anima With Glee

Buonasera and happy Wednesday rockers and craft brew drinkers!  The Meista here pairing Lacuna Coil's amazing, most recent album "Black Anima" and a very crushable and newly released On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots Cold Session IPA from Roosters Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!  This pairing is dedicated to all the amazing ladies that are part of the Pink Boots Society!!

Album Info:

• Artist: Lacuna Coil
• Title: "Black Anima"
• Recorded: May through June 2019 at  BRX Studio in Milan, Italy
• Release date: October 11th, 2019 (9th studio album by Lacuna Coil)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Marco Coti Zelati
• Album cover art: Marco Coti Zelati
• Personnel: Diego Cavallotti (guitars), Andrea Ferro (vocals), Richard Meiz (drums), Cristina Scabbia (vocals), Marco Coti Zelati (bass and keyboards)
• Musical style: Gothic metal, alternative metal/rock, metalcore with elements of groove metal and nu metal
• Sound: Blending 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!  Of the album Scabbia described it as: "It'll be surprising to a lot of people because we experimented with a lot of things differently, vocally and musically… Someone told us that it almost sounds like if you're entering a cathedral and you find a spaceship inside. It's a strange combination of sounds that are really difficult to describe."
• Major themes: Darkness, anger, death, loss, connection, pain, isolation, sorrow, etc.  Of the album's themes, Ferro stated that "the lyrics [are] about growing up, about our lives, experiencing loss or other things you get to know in your mature age. We felt a connection with people that aren't with us anymore, so we decided to talk about this connection that we feel beyond life."  Scabbia described the album as: "sacrifice and pain, it's justice and fear, it’s fury and revenge, it’s past and future... Human beings in the magnificence of a disturbing ambiguity. The black core that balances it all… as without darkness, light would never exist. We proudly present to you our new work and can’t wait to welcome you in our embrace. We are the Anima."
• Tracks:   

1. "Anima Nera"
2. "Sword Of Anger"
3. "Reckless"
4. "Layers Of Time"
5. "Apocalypse"
6. "Now Or Never"
7. "Under The Surface"
8. "Veneficium"
9. "The End Is All I Can See"
10. "Save Me"
11. "Black Anima"
12. "Black Feathers" (bonus track)
13. "Through The Flames" (bonus track)
14. "Black Dried Up Hearth" (bonus track)

    Brew Info:

• Brewery: Roosters Brewing Company (Ogden, Utah)
• Website: http://www.roostersbrewingco.com/
• On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots Cold Session IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0% 
• Pour: The Pink Boots IPA pours a hazy golden-yellow with a 1-finger frothy head with good retention and sticky, layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is citrusy, fruity, floral, herbal, and dank.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, orange, lemon zest, pine resin, summer grass, wildflowers, and a hint of organic honey.
• Taste: The taste of the Pink Boots IPA is characterized by citrusy, herbal, spicy, and malty flavors.  There are notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, orange peel, , and a peppery finish.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp and punchy, yet smooth with a very dry, slightly bitter finish. 
• Notes: Learn more about the Pink Boots Society at https://www.pinkbootssociety.org/. 

Overall pairing:  I paired the Roosters On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Boots Cold Session IPA with Lacuna Coil's "Black Anima" for two specific reasons.  First off, they both are about helping one another.  The Pink Boots Society is dedicated to assisting, inspiring, and encouraging women in the brewing industry.  My pink vinyl copy of "Black Anima" was pressed specifically to support breast cancer awareness with proceeds going to the Gilda’s Club NYC. I also think those crisp, fruity, complex, hoppy notes pair so very well with the hard hitting punch of the truly brilliant "Black Anima"!

SALUTE!!  HAILS!!