Artist: Alcest

Title: Les Voyages De L’Ame

Type: Album

Label: Prophecy Productions
Alcest are a band that divides opinions, and let’s face it; they are about as threatening as a sheepskin rug. They are the cuddly toy of the metal kingdom. They are the equivalent to being snuggled up with a cup of warm cocoa and a book by your favourite author in front of a log-fire while the outside world is covered in snow and ice. And in a way, that’s a good thing. It may not do the image any favours but deep down we all crave a bit of comfort once in a while, especially when flu-season hits. If you’re familiar with past efforts from this band then you’ll know all too well Alcest are not about making music to get you fired up for a night of sweaty mosh pits and drinking till you puke. Nevertheless, there is room for beauty in metal and they have been welcomed by those with an open mind as more than a mere guilty pleasure.

 

Their music is summed up nicely on the Metal Archives page which says; “As a child, Neige had dreams about a “Fairy Land”, “a place with colours, forms and sounds that do not exist here.” The music of Alcest is highly influenced by these dream experiences.” This definitely comes across on Les Voyages De L’Ame as much as on previous efforts; the music here is dreamy, wistful and awash with subtle otherworldly colours and it is rather easy to lose yourself in Neige’s fairytale wonder. ‘Autre Temps’ gets things off to a great start with an airy, flowing melody that ebbs and flows beneath Neige’s softly spoken vocals that course through with a somewhat melancholic sentiment. As the chorus sweeps in it almost crashes towards you with a sudden unexpected ferocity and a sing-along vocal line that is most irresistible.

 

Track two, ‘Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles’ really rages forth with fearsome guitars while a ferocious rasp cracks through the surface. As things pick up the drums crash and rumble as the high-pitched jangly guitar gives a mesmerising shimmer to the sound. There is that black metal atmosphere and feeling of solitude and reflection to this album and though incredibly light and fluffy there is an overlying sense of darkness and at times a harshness to the music that gives it a real boost. Mesmerising guitars work their magic on ‘Les Voyages de L’Âme’ as it brings the mood down and wallows in melancholic serenity, kind of like a solitary wander through an enchanted forest. ‘Havens’ is a short interlude and the vocals are displayed with such fragility you fear they will break if the wind blows in the wrong direction. It’s rather haunting the way the vocals are buried within the mix, almost as if trying to escape and be heard from somewhere underground, and the heavenly wails on the final track ‘Summer’s Glory’ are a nice touch.

 

There is certainly an alluring charm to this album, although just as with the last album it takes a few listens for its beauty to unfurl. Les Voyages is romantic and dreamy, dark and captivating, and will sweep you off to another world (7.5/10, Luci Herbert)

 

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