November 1st, 2025 - Days & Nights Of The Dead

 

Buenos noches and happy Día de los Muertos metal maniacs!  How about a double dose of Eddie this weekend?  That's right... the Meista here today with a pairing dedicated to those who have fallen... our loved ones, our friends, our heroes.  I'm pairing the mighty Iron Maiden's amazing "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City" and a sessionable and crushable Trooper Day Of The Dead Stout from Robinson Brewery!!  Hell yeah!!  This pairing is dedicated to all who grieve for the dead.

Album Info:

• Artist: Iron Maiden
• Title: "Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City"
• Recorded: September 27th, 29th, and 30th, 2019 at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, Mexico
• Release date: November 20th, 2020 (13th live album released by Iron Maiden)
• Record company: Parlophone
• Production: Tony Newton and Steve Harris
• Album cover art: Stuart Crouch Creative (design and artwork), Hervé Monjeaud (illustrations), and Alberto "Akirant" Quirantes (illustrations)
• Personnel: Bruce Dickinson (lead vocals), Janick Gers (guitars), Steve Harris (bass guitar and backing vocals), Nicko McBrain (drums), Dave Murray (guitars), and Adrian Smith (guitars and backing vocals)
• Guest musician: Michael "Count" Kenney (keyboards)
• Musical style: NWOBHM, heavy metal, progressive metal
• Sound: The definitive Iron Maiden sound and just so wonderfully written, performed, and produced; truly astonishing!  'Nuff said! 
• Major themes: War, life and death, violence, power, valor, horror, history, mythology, good vs. evil, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Churchill's Speech"
2. "Aces High"
3. "Where Eagles Dare"
4. "2 Minutes To Midnight"
5. "The Clansman"
6. "The Trooper"
7. "Revelations"
8. "For The Greater Good Of God"
   
9. "The Wickerman"
10. "Sign Of The Cross"
11. "Flight Of Icarus"
12. "Fear Of The Dark"
13. "The Number Of The Beast"
14. "Iron Maiden"
15. "The Evil That Men Do"
16. "Hallowed By Thy Name"
17. "Run To The Hills"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Robinson Brewery (Stockport, England)
• Website: robinsonsbrewery.com 
• Brew: Trooper Day Of The Dead Stout
• Style: English Stout 
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.5%
• Pour: Trooper pours a deep, dark brown (almost ink black) with a light tan, thin, bubbly head that slowly dissipates to a thin ring with light lacing.
• Nose: The nose is both malty and chocolatey, and slightly fruity with notes of freshly baked bread, dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee beans, a hit of apple, and rich toffee. 
• Taste: The Trooper Day Of The Dead Stout is definitely a true English brew with a good balance of chocolatey malts and true "depth of character."  Flavors include bready malts, a hint of caramel apple, a splash of black tea, black pepper, and burnt toffee.
• Mouthfeel: The Trooper Day Of The Dead Stout is medium to full-bodied with low carbonation.  It is very smooth and velvety, and easy drinking with a nice, clean and chocolatey finish.

Overall pairing: Visually and theoretically speaking, this pairing is pretty obvious.  And coming in at only 5.0% ABV, you can through back a few of these easy drinking Trooper Day Of The Dead brews whilst pumping your fist and banging your head to the might, brilliance and aggression that is the mighty Iron Maiden!!  'Nuff said!

UP THE IRONS!!!