There are thousands of records released each year in the realm of heavy metal and its surrounding terrain, and it’s easy to say that most of it is dark to its core, sometimes disturbingly so. That leaves a lot of place for music that doesn’t delve in the worst elements of society and that can give you a breath of fresh air from the carnage.
Long-running duo Alcest have plied black metal, shoegaze, and wondrous sentiments into their music, and their forays into magical, fictional worlds always separated themselves from the pack. That carries over onto “Les Chants de L’Aurore,” their seventh record and first since 2019’s “Spiritual Instinct.” After a time of great uncertainty that haunted us all, the band—vocalist, guitarist, bassist, synth player Neige and drummer Winterhalter—retreated back into that inner world to find something that provided solace. We’re surrounded by so much negativity and anxiety each day, that having something that can help you escape that for about 45 minutes can be the relief one needs to persevere.
“Komorebi” starts in a bright haze with effusive singing and soaring melodies. It’s apparent right away how much the band is exploring the light, the energy and playing gushing, another major gust in the final minute settling into an angelic finish. “L’Envol” is punchier when it starts, the fog deepening as the pace swells. The catchiness is impossible to shake as the moodiness increases, and Neige’s singing makes clouds burst, sunbeams swallowing everything whole. Vicious shrieks arrive, reminding that thorns exist in this realm, synth beams melting away the remaining ice. “Améthyste” opens with guitars churning and sweeping, the pace injecting energy. Guitars swirl before a sense of calm permeates, the shrieks bursting, and then shadowy singing emerging, driving as the playing continues to rupture. Melodies shine as energy floods, and melodic waves wash ashore.
“Flamme Jumelle” has guitars dripping and smooth singing, howls following later as dreamland enchantment is achieved. Cool playing gusts as the singing keeps digging deeper, filling the senses and cooling your lungs, the playing cascading as the cloud cover thickens. “Réminiscence” is a quick piece with keys and cello scrapes, the singing soothing as a choral haze envelopes your mind. “L’Enfant de la Lune” starts with speaking tingling the senses, the playing tearing open with strong singing leading the way, the pace storming into spacious atmosphere. The playing calms as the guitars layer, the singing eventually cutting through and amplifying the emotion. A brief gasp of serenity meets with a sudden jolt, everything spilling over into a static-rich finish. Closer “L’Adieu” is moody and dark, gentle singing wafting, glazing as the strings build. The dreamy sequence numbs, the elegance spreading its crystal-colored wings and soaring into the black.
Alcest’s worldview always has been different than most heavy bands, and that largely has to do with their colorful imagination and refusal to shy away from exploring positive energies. “Les Chants de L’Aurore” is a new chapter that combines all the best of Alcest’s history, remaining dreamy and exploratory while visiting the edgier and bloodier moments of their kingdom. This is a nice new entry, another chapter flowing with colors and shades that can be a welcome breather to the chaos and uncertainty of existence.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/alcest.official
To buy the album, go here: https://shop.nuclearblast.com/collections/alcest/products/alcest-les-chants-de-laurore-pre-order
For more on the label, go here: https://www.nuclearblast.com/
Meat Mead Metal 