French post-black metal band Alcest has returned with their newest release, Les Voyages de L’Âme. I was completely unaware of this band until very recently when the music video for Autre Temps, the first track off this album, was released. What I heard was absolutely captivating. It was so emotional, so dynamic, so atmospheric, so beautiful; there was something there that made me feel in a way I hadn’t since I first heard Cynic’s Traced in Air. In conjunction with a video that matches the music in every way illustrated above, Autre Temps is, in layman’s terms, completely god damn awesome.
Needless to say, I was intrigued. I felt a masterpiece coming on, as many others may have as well. Unfortunately, Les Voyages does not quite live up to my (unfairly) high expectations set by their first single. Autre Temps is, in my opinion, remains the high point of the album and the rest sort of trails off from there. It is by no means a bad album, but some issues hold it back from being something truly incredible.
Alcest’s main attraction is definitely the atmosphere Neige has created. The beautiful vocals and majestic melodies make for some of the most emotionally provoking music I have heard in a while. But it continues throughout the entire album with little change; while listening, I kept waiting for hit me with something hard, but it never happened. Even the few portions where the vocals did become harsh, the tone never really shifted. Les Voyages really needed a little bit of edge, a few swift kicks to the balls to change things up. Without these moments there is no real contrast and that divine atmosphere established at the beginning of the album ultimately loses its impact by the end.
Autre Temps aside, nothing on Les Voyages is all that endearing as well; while well written, nothing really pulled me in. A good experience, but not too memorable. But this is less of a problem that I have with this album and more of a problem I have with black metal and post-rock in general. Too drone-y, too repetitive; music like this needs more variation and more of an edge to leave a mark. It’s very ethereal and can be a nice experience, but ultimately leaves me unsatisfied, just as Les Voyages did.
Alcest’s Les Voyages de L’Âme doesn’t quite live up to my expectations, but is a very decent album nonetheless.
7/10
A fat guy riding a skateboard playing Free Bird on an acoustic guitar?
Greatest thing I have ever seen in my life.
By Matt Collin
January 2012
