Alcest – Les Voyages De L’âme (Vinyl, Picture) Label: Prophecy Productions – PRO 122 PIC Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: Germany Released:2023 Style: Shoegaze, Black Metal
The quintessence of Alcest
«Les voyages de l’âme» («The Journeys of the Soul») is Alcest’s third album and contains the quintessence of the group’s creative work to date. While «Le secret,» the debut EP from 2005, was the key to the world of Alcest, «Les voyages …» unites everything that characterises Alcest in terms of concept and music. While an epic composition such as «Là où naissent les couleurs nouvelles» would have found its place also on «Écailles de lune,» «Beings of Light» with its blazing character reminds of the ground-breaking «Le secret.» On the other hand, «Autre temps» – the album’s first single to which there is also an impressive and visually stunning video clip – is a prime example for the melodic and catchy side of Alcest that initially came to the fore on the band’s debut album «Souvenirs d’un autre monde.» Something that is common to all of the songs, however, is the predominant feeling of euphoria and bliss, always subtly overshadowed by melancholia and yearning.
Tracklist: 01. Autre Temps 02. Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles 03. Les Voyages De L’ me 04. Nous Sommes L’Emeraude 05. Beings Of Light 06. Faiseurs De Mondes 07. Havens 08. Summer’s Glory
Picture LP in green protection sleeve, printed with gold text (1000 copies available)
Alcest – Les Voyages De L’âme Label: Prophecy Productions – PRO 122LP Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: Germany Released: 05 Oct 2018 Style: Shoegaze, Black Metal
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The quintessence of Alcest
«Les voyages de l’âme» («The Journeys of the Soul») is Alcest’s third album and contains the quintessence of the group’s creative work to date. While «Le secret,» the debut EP from 2005, was the key to the world of Alcest, «Les voyages …» unites everything that characterises Alcest in terms of concept and music. While an epic composition such as «Là où naissent les couleurs nouvelles» would have found its place also on «Écailles de lune,» «Beings of Light» with its blazing character reminds of the ground-breaking «Le secret.» On the other hand, «Autre temps» – the album’s first single to which there is also an impressive and visually stunning video clip – is a prime example for the melodic and catchy side of Alcest that initially came to the fore on the band’s debut album «Souvenirs d’un autre monde.» Something that is common to all of the songs, however, is the predominant feeling of euphoria and bliss, always subtly overshadowed by melancholia and yearning.
Gatefold vinyl with original cover by Fursy Teyssier, incl. poster; limited to 500 copies.
Label: Prophecy Productions – PRO 106 LP Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition Country: Germany Released: Mar 2010 Style: Shoegaze, Black Metal
The second album by the pioneers of post-black metal
LP (black vinyl) incl. protection sleeve and poster
Three years after their genre-defining record “Souvenirs D’un Autre Monde”, Alcest return to the sound of black metal on their sophomore “Écailles De Lune”, but without forgetting any of their trademarks: calm passages, massive slabs of guitars, catchy melodies, and hook-lines going straight to the heart. “This time I was especially inspired by the seaside, the energy and the exaltation you can feel when you sit in front of the sea at night,” Neige tries to describe the album’s atmosphere. “It appears terribly fascinating, full of secrets and scary at the same time.”
Memories live within us all. We dream of our loved ones, of our experiences, and we even dream of dreams and other worlds. When Neige, the mastermind behind ALCEST, is dreaming his dream, the end result is so much more than fitful sleep. He lets us partake of his “Souvenirs d’un autre monde”, of the innocence of childhood, a personal Elysium – and this Elysium is radiant, emerald green, luscious, and all the fresher the deeper you immerse yourself in it. “Écailles de Lune” is different, though, as ALCEST are moulding ambivalences on this album. “This story isn’t really a metaphor of death, as it would seem to be. For me, it is about a man who decides to leave one world for another one, literally. Like a passage to another reality, another state of existence,” Neige says about the album concept. “This time I was especially inspired by the seaside, the energy and the exaltation you can feel when you sit in front of the sea at night. It appears terribly fascinating, full of secrets and scary at the same time.” Stylistically, Neige reverts to the sound of Black Metal that once shaped him: a picture of heart-rending, otherworldly screams, collages filled with passion and sadness, and the characteristic clean vocals. These mellow and ageless voices manage to weave a shroud of sorrow around the album. “Écailles de Lune” is like a dream, a manifesto of transience and human inferiority. For all the changes, Neige has kept all of his trademarks: calm passages, massive slabs of guitars, catchy melodies, and hook-lines going straight to the heart – all this once more delivers a convincing articulation of ALCEST’s unique style. Close your eyes and dream along. This time, melancholy shall propel and unite us. We immerse ourselves once more in fairyland. This time, it doesn’t seem fresh but fallow. Its pallor and its shadows are unfathomable, and it reveals itself to us through our senses. It is always there when we quest for it.
Label: Prophecy Productions – PRO 190 PIC Format: Vinyl Picture LP Album Country: Germany Released: 30 Sep 2016 Style: Shoegaze, Post Rock, Black Metal
“Kodama” the fifth album from Blackgaze pioneers, Alcest, marks the French duo’s ferocious return to the stylistic maximalism of its early albums while continuing the band’s relentless pursuit for new sounds and fresh ideas. “Kodama” is the Japanese word for ‘tree spirit’ and ‘echo’ and from the album’s structure and dynamics to its cinematic sound, “Kodama” indeed ‘echoes’ Alcest’s 2010 classic, “Écailles De Lune”. But this is no simple back-to-the-roots album: the band has more punch, rhythm and organic feel than ever before. While clearly influenced by bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Dinosaur Jr, Grimes and The Cure, “Kodama” ultimately reveals itself as Alcest’s ‘Japanese album’, drawing substantial inspiration from Japanese art and culture.
Originally triggered by Hayao Miyazaki’s anime film “Princess Mononoke”, “Kodama” picks up on the fate of its protagonist and, at its core, deals with the sensation of not belonging; of living in between worlds, be it city and nature or the physical and spiritual one. Duality is also crucial for the visual approach of the album, realized by French graphic designer duo Førtifem. Paying tribute to Japanese illustrators like Takato Yamamoto, the visuals portray contrasting elements like nature/urbanity, youth/death, femininity/animality and combine poetic elements with darker ones that were not present in Alcest’s earlier works.
By giving the album a cultural, stylistic and compositional narrative, Neige and Winterhalter keep “Kodama” from just being the latest improvement on the Alcest sound and instead make the album a most rare and exciting thing: a vital, relevant record from a pioneer that not only upholds the band’s trailblazing legacy but actually makes you want to see where they go next.
Label: Der Schwarze Tod – tod22, COD Music and Distro – COD:01 Format: CD, Album Country: Russia Released: 16 Jun 2015 Style: Post-Punk, Experimental, Black Metal
Iridescent soundwaves of metallic lights, post-punk influences and atmospheric wind streams. Newest Isaz musical art stay between emotions and sentiments.
Sello: Prophecy Productions – PRO 114 Formato: CD, Album , DigiBook País: Germany Fecha: May 2005 Estilo: Shoegaze, Black Metal
The key to the esoteric otherworld of Alcest The original EP “Le Secret” from 2005 sets out the framework that is essential for all other works of Alcest. For the first time, Neige uses his music here as a medium to channel and communicate the esoteric experiences of his early childhood. The original recordings from 2005 are as equal a part of this re-release as are the new recordings of the songs.
Sello: Lupus Lounge, Prophecy Productions Formato: CD, Album País: Germany Fecha: 2011 Estilo: Black Metal, Avantgarde, Experimental
Hypnotic Black Metal avant-garde
Four years after their much-lauded debut album “IIII,” Farsot – one of the greatest hopes of German Black Metal – release their sophomore “Insects”. On this album, the band from Thuringia once more breaks the bounds of Dark/Black Metal and presents a unique new definition of dark music, emphasising trance-like instrumentals as much as clear, conjuring vocals and many groovy passages.
Label: Antichristian Front Records Format: CD, Album Country: Spain Released: Dec 2008 Style: Shoegaze, Black Metal
Germany’s Black Autumn is a one-member project of M. Krall. According to Metal-Archives, the band has been in existence since 1993 and there have been a slew of releases post-2003, all of which have evaded me. This includes the debut album released last year, Ecstasy, Nightmare, Doom. Rivers Of Dead Leaves was the first taste of Black Autumn that I had and the first thing that struck me was its eclectic make-up. In essence, this album is all about abstract, sluggish, melancholic riffs that usher you into an utterly bleak and depressive world. But there is a lot more to this album than the standard depressive black metal album. The most noticeable aspect is the portions that lean towards ambient and industrial music. There are even some neat movie samples to be found on the album (Blade Runner on Ashes for example: “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I’ve watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those … moments will be lost in time, like tears…in rain.
Time to die.” – fits like a charm). The sheer variety of the riffs is also something to take of note. It’s not all tremolo picking all the time like some of these 2-bit bands that pass off as bruisingly depressive black metal. In fact, there are hardly any blastbeats at all to be found. Here’s where you get Godflesh-lite drum machine goodness instead – with a lot of passages harbouring some extremely cool double-bass work. The guitar tone is absolutely crushing and is somewhat reminiscent of a polished version of that found on Blut Aus Nord’s The Work Which Transforms God. A lot of the gloomy melodies found on the album tread on folkish routes bringing to mind names like Current 93 and Death In June. Don’t worry though, there’s enough firepower in them to keep things engaging and not turn into a snoozefest. Krall opts for a reserved vocal approach rather than an out and out psychotic shrill that is usually the weapon of choice in this genre. The vocals are heavily distorted and have a very cold, electronic, industrial feel to them which fittingly complement the despondent atmosphere.
The keyboards and electronics utilized are done so in a very optimum manner while still maintaining minimalistic ambitions. As mentioned, Black Autumn seemingly draw inspiration from a variety of bands, not limited to black metal and this fact ensures that you don’t lose interest midway through the album. Elements of Shoegaze, Funeral Doom, Industrial Black Metal, Dark Ambient, Folk and hell, even bits resembling the melodic eccentricities of Amoral. The songs are very consistent and the only song I didn’t like as much as the others was A Darkness Profound. The standout track of the album is A 1000 Years In The Water – magnificent music. There seems to be a whole story woven around the character of Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The famous painting of Ophelia by the English Sir John Everett Millais is printed on the CD even. All in all, excellent fare for a black metal fan and if you call yourself one, you should certainly pick this one up. Black Autumn is one band whom I will surely keep an ardent eye on.
