Did we all get a little carried away with Alcest’s 2008 debut, the beautiful but ultimately somewhat shallow ‘Souvenirs d’un Autre Monde’? I know I did. Perhaps it was the timing (I was on a massive Slowdive trip when it landed) but mainman Neige’s ethereal chords, wistful vocals and dreamy songwriting really struck me and I was swift to praise the album to the skies. Time and reflection has revealed ‘Souvenirs…’ to be perhaps a little too dreamy, perhaps a little too wistful and light. It’s still an enchanting listen but one suspected that a character with the undoubted creative ability such as Neige was still to make his masterpiece.
So, has he managed to achieve this with the follow-up? Initial impressions suggest that this may not be the case and that he has seen fit to simply put out ‘Souvenirs Part 2’. Recruiting Peste Noire’s/Ameseours’ drummer Winterhalter has certainly provided Alcest with more of a backbone but to begin with, it’s pretty much business as usual. And it’s good business for sure – Neige once again provides some deeply emotive vocals, saturated in reverb, whilst his trademark ‘uplifting-yet-melancholic’ guitar work is all present and correct. So far, so last album. It’s only when the melodies start to unfurl and that the songs begin to imprint themselves on your mind when it becomes apparent that far from being a sequel to the debut, this record is a distinct improvement on all fronts.
For a start, it’s a touch darker. At times, it can be almost abrasive, the many interweaving layers of fuzzy distortion being more prominent in the mix. The frequent passages of clean guitar are resonant, mournful and affecting without being melodramatic. Clearly influenced by mid-period The Cure, Cocteau Twins and the aforementioned Slowdive, they’re some of the album’s most powerful moments – the opening & closing minutes of the title track’s second part and the final song ‘Sur L’oc Can de Fer’ resonate very strongly. Elsewhere, Neige’s sporadic resumption of black metal shrieking and some taut blasts add a welcome element of raw despair to the proceedings, complementing the established Alcest blend of Anathema, Katatonia and atmospheric black metal. It all adds up to a much more varied experience than the debut yet no less focussed as a result of it. Even ‘Solar Song’, (which has more than a hint of October Rust-era Type O Negative about it) is affecting with a slow-paced and reflective aura bringing the listener into a welcoming embrace.
I asked earlier if Neige has made his masterpiece – as ever, it is too early to tell with ‘Ecailles De Lune’. Certainly, there are times when the overtly wistful, croon-heavy nature of Neige’s approach becomes cloying whilst occasional melody lines are just a little too obvious. Nevertheless, what is beyond doubt is that the man has managed to once again give voice to his singular vision and create something that portrays a stark, wounded beauty that many strive for and very few achieve. It’s emotional, engaging and incredibly well composed and has once again affirmed Alcest’s current position as one of extreme metal’s most talented artists.
http://www.myspace.com/alcestmusic
