Last week was pretty fun. So much fun, in fact, that I’d like to keep this train rolling for another week. This Friday’s pairing is the otherworldly death metal of Labyrinth of Stars’ Spectrum Xenomorph and Dancing Crow Vineyard’s Corbeau Rusé.
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The Tunes: Labyrinth of Stars’ Spectrum Xenomorph
Labyrinth of Stars are a new name on the scene, but are a trio of extremely skilled musicians who have put themselves to work creating something fresh in their repertoire. Through icy, mechanical production, eerie dark ambiance, and delay-soaked barked vocals, Spectrum Xenomorph touches on the feeling of something alien and hostile. Musically somewhere in the midpoint between Tucker-era Morbid Angel and Fear Factory. This album is a hefty, lumbering beast, harrowing in its weight and at times full of the kind of terror only staring at the inky blackness of space can get you. The classic sci-fi vibes here are immaculate, immediately conjuring mental images of these songs soundtracking scenes from Alien (aka the best monster movie), and the music is easily on the more interesting spectrum of death metal I’ve heard all year. Small wonder considering one of the minds behind this project, one Markus ‘AcidGhost Athereum’ Siegenhort is responsible for some of my favorite music of all time. This is some truly stellar death metal, in all senses of the word.
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The Booze: Dancing Crow Vineyard’s Corbeau Rusé
Don’t think just because I’ve been talking a big game about cocktails that I’m not still deep in my wine phase. I’ve been making friends with the fine folks at Dancing Crow Vineyards, the local wine purveyors at the farmers’ market we go to (yes my life is a parody of itself, no I do not particularly care), and they recently debuted a brand new offering I couldn’t pass up. Corbeau Rusé is a 2021 vintage red blend that is full to the brim with sweet, tart, and juicy fruit flavors. Raspberry, strawberry, and cherry burst open on the palate, lingering deliciously before fading to the barest hint of warming spice. It is truly exactly what I love in a good wine, fruit forward and exceptionally drinkable. Just like all the other bottles I have bought from Dancing Crow, I could not recommend this high enough. If you’re up in Lake County, CA see if you can track some of this down. Or if you’re in Pasadena on Saturday mornings, get some from the farmers’ market. You just might see a friendly face there.
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Cheers, and be good to each other,
– Vincent
Nine Circles 