The Big Alcest Blog

:seedling: Hello, people of Metal Amino. :seedling:

It has been quite some time since I created a blog for the Metal Amino community.

I have quite a number of ideas conspiring in my head about the type of blogs I wish to write and what inspires me to produce them.

One of the ideas that had been present in my mind for some length of time is to construct a blog that discusses a band I aspire to see perform live and why I wish to do so. Whether it be their captivating music or the nostalgia the band provides me with, it shall be transcribed within this blog my thoughts upon the band as a whole and my opinion regarding their albums which I consider to be notable in order to not overly exude the latitude of my writing.

Alcest

Alcest has been a band that I have loved for over six years now, yet I have not seen them live due to work commitments throughout my life, and I am regretful that I have not taken some more holiday entitlement breaks in order for me to see Alcest perform live.

Alcest, the blackgaze band was originally founded by Neige in year 2000 as a solo project, and then projected into becoming a three member band, consisting of Argoth on bass guitar and Aegnor on lead guitar. Neige met Argoth when they performed together in the band Peste Noire. A four track demo known as

Tristesse hivernale  was then released in 2001, which led Alcest to then returning as a solo project with Neige as frontman and the band restoring from the Black metal demonstrated in the demo to more atmospheric nuances.

Currently, the band lineup consists of:

Neige (Stéphane Paut) — vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards (2000–present), drums (2000–2009)

Winterhalter (Jean Deflandre) — drums (2009–present)

Zero (Pierre Corson) — guitars, backing vocals (2010–present; live only)

Indria Saray — bass (2010–present; live only)

In 2005, Alcest's EP Le Secret was released, which was more in synergy with Neige's original idea of Alcest's music to demonstrate a celestial quality.

Le Secret (link)

Alcest then went on to releasing Souvenirs d'un autre monde in 2007 by Neige, which was a success for Alcest and is my personal favourite album which Alcest has released to date.

It features a beautiful atmospheric tone throughout, which I believe is the sound that Neige was looking for when he sought after the band to acquire an otherworldly sound.

Souvenirs d'un autre monde (link)

Printemps Émeraude

Coming in strong with a semi-hollow electric guitar for the intro, which leaves a lasting impression on the listener & I believe to be the perfect guitar for creating blackgaze chords.

For anybody who cares, the guitar used was a Fender Telecaster thinline. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

The guitar solo has beautiful points of breaking between ionate and peaceful, which I feel provides the listener a connotation of being taken on a compelling journey.

Souvenirs d'un autre monde

The title of this song translates to memories from another world, and that is precisely what imagery listening to this song invokes. One feels as though they are being transported with a mystical fable. Neige vocals sound clean and utopian.

Here are the lyrics in English, for anybody interested:

From where I come, time does not exist.

Seconds become hours,

Short years fly away

And our misleading words are replaced

By music and colours

That floats like perfume in the amber air.

Don't be afraid, everything is finished now.

Break the chains of your mortal fears

For forever in being freed

And find the past quietude.

Don't be afraid, everything is finished now.

Let your tears fall one last time.

For forever in being freed

And re the world from which you came.

Tir Nan Og

Starting off with some bongo drums and transitioning in with piano melodies, the final song featured on the album is upbeat and shoegaze, yet manages to feel like it derived from a medieval fantasy realm with the assistance of the drums keeping tempo.

Tir Nan Og

It translates to Land of the Young in Irish, and in Irish folklore is an otherworldly universe which one remains eternally youthful. The upbeat rhythm and piano melodies create an ethereal and convey joy, which one can envision what life within Tir Nan Og may be like.

Les Voyages de l'âme (link)

Autre Temps

The first song within the album. It is an ambient piece, with clean, cut back guitar instrumentals that gradually build up and are softened by Neige's vocals.

Les Voyages de L'âme

The lyrics translated into English, appear to be about one leaving their body and the every day burdens of life and coming to an epiphany by reaching out to the stars which assist one to find joy in the opulence of life. It is a beautiful song, that is very ambient and features post-metal electric guitar riffs whilst maintaining its shoegaze quality with soothing vocals and softer acoustic chords.

Summer's Glory

This song posseses soft but more upbeat vocals, which tie in with the theme of summer, an electric guitar is also used in order to keep in theme with the lively upbeat connotations in this song. It is a harmonious and uplifting end to Les Voyages de l'âme.

Kodama (link)

In 2016, Kodama was produced, and it truly is a beautiful work of art. This album steps from the light and airy atmosphere of its shoegaze predecessors and into the shadows of a more blackgaze ambience.

Kodama

Kodama sounds more frantic and less relaxed and slow in comparison to its forerunners with tremolo pick guitars ing ethereal vocals, providing the listener with the impression of embarking on an epic journey.

Untouched

This song has a beautiful atmospheric folk quality to it with rich, intense vocals and post-metal sounding guitar riffs. This song makes me envision discovering uncharted earth in a mystical land.

Onyx

Onyx is the final song in the album, it features a sound that is more in line with black metal, synthesisers and used to create an eerie ambience paired with drum blastbeats and electric guitars.

Spiritual Instinct (link)

This album Spiritual Instinct, 2019 is described as cathartic and darker by Neige, which one may foreshadow would be the theme within this album from the final song in Kodama, Onyx.

Les Jardins de Minuit

Translates into English as 'The Gardens of Midnight' and this is exactly the imagery that this song conveys. There is a heavier more gritty use of electric guitars and more generous use of drum blsstbeats which fluctuates between postmetal and blackgaze.

Sapphire

I am in love with this song; it features heavier use of guitars and drums which blend together to create a captivating sound. Neige's vocals feature a more raw and zealous quality.

Spiritual Instinct

Heavy guitar riffs, and vocals that sound like a Elysian chant. Spiritual Instinct sounds like a post-metal version of an otherworldly melody. It is striking and leaves me anticipating what other tour de force Alcest might construct in the future.

Overall

My overall impression of Alcest is that each album they create is skillfully crafted with delicate consideration to the feeling that the music will provide the listener. The sound is comforting and nostalgic, yet fresh and compelling.

Alcest is one of my favourite metal bands due to their ability to bring their audience with them on an unearthly voyage, and their sound throughout each album matures into something more sublime and high quality.

Interview with Neige about Alcest (link)

Behind the Album Cover (link)

🪶Thank you for reading my blog, if you have done so, I hope I have inspired you to give listening to Alcest's music a try. It was a pleasure to create a blog about a band which has inspired and consoled me throughout the years of my life.🪶