September 7th, 2022 - Don't Let The Name Fool Ya! That Cloud Cuddles Is A Deceiver!

 

Greetings evildoers, headbangers, and hopheads!  And a very happy Friday to you!  Your drinking buddy the Meista here starting the weekend off right and rocking the hell out with a pairing of "Deceivers", the latest album by Arch Enemy and a tasty and juicy Cloud Cuddles NE Style Hazy IPA from Revision Brewing Company!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Arch Enemy
• Title: "Deceivers"
• Recorded: 2022 at Hansen Studio in Ribe, Denmark, at Studio 666BPM in Verberg, Sweden, at Sweetspot Studio in Harplinge, Sweden, and at Envisage Audio in Seattle, Washington
• Release date: August 12th, 2022 (11th studio album by Arch Enemy)
• Record company: Century Media Records
• Production: Jacob Hansen, Michael Amott, and Daniel Erlandsson
• Album cover art: Alex Reisfar
• Personnel: Michael Amott (lead and rhythm guitars), Sharlee D'Angelo (bass guitar), Daniel Erlandsson (drums, keyboards, and effects), Jeff Loomis (lead guitars), and Alissa White-Gluz (lead vocals)
• Additional musicians: Jacob Hansen (vocals) and Raphael Liebermann (cello on "Poisoned Arrow")
• Musical style: Melodic/progressive death metal, progressive metal, and hints of power metal
• Sound: The sound on "Deceivers" is a wall of crushing melodic death!  White-Gluz's ultra-aggressive vocals coupled with the battery ram of sonic ferocity of the band demands your attention from the opening notes of "Handshake With Hell" to the final of "Exiled On Earth".  It is filled with loads of great rhythms and melodies, and of course, Loomis's killer solos!
• Major themes: Deception, hate, aggression, honesty, darkness, regret, death, loss, solitude, etc.
• .
• Tracks: 

1. "Handshake With Hell"
2. "Deceiver, Deceiver"
3. "In The Eye Of The Storm"
4. "The Watcher"
5. "Poisoned Arrow"
6. "Sunset Over The Empire"
7. "House Of Mirrors"
8. "Spreading Black Wings"
9. "Mouring Star"
10. "One Last Time"
11. "Exiled On Earth"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Revision Brewing Company (Sparks, Nevada)
• Website: https://revisionbrewing.com/
• Brew: Cloud Cuddles NE Style Hazy IPA 
• Style: New England-style Hazy India Pale Ale (NEIPA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 6.5%
• IBUs: 38
• Ingredients: Mosaic, Galaxy, and Samba hops with malted barley and malted white wheat 
• Pour: The Cloud Cuddles pours a very hazy golden-yellow hue with a frothy, eggshell white, half-finger head with great retention and lots of sudsy, sticky lacing.
• Nose: The nose is very citrusy and tropical with more subtle floral and malt elements.  There are aromas of orange juice, tangerine, peach, apricot, pineapple, bright mango, wildflowers, a hint of cannabis, and soft caramel/toffee.
• Taste: Hop-forward and very juicy, the taste of the Cloud Cuddles is citrusy, fruity, and malty.  There are notes of orange juice, tangerine, peach, light grapefruit juice, mango, pineapple, guava, melon, a hint of gooseberry, herbal tea, sweet caramel, and an ever so slight hint of booze.  
• 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 finish.

Overall pairing: The Revision Cloud Cuddles is a complex and crisp brew with lots of juicy citrus and tropical fruit flavor, which makes it a great beer to throw back to the intensity of the riffs, vocals, and thunderous rhythm section of Arche Enemy's latest, "Deceivers"!  'Nuff said! 

Cheers and hails!

And make sure to check out my interview with Arch Enemy bassist Sharlee D'Angelo from a few years ago here: https://brewsandtunes.blogspot.com/2019/10/october-6th-2019-will-to-power.html