Almost 20 years ago, the young French band Alcest released their EP Le secret, a proposal that brought together the lightness and gentleness of shoegaze with the darkness and strident melodies of black metal. Today, the duo has perfected this aesthetic, delivering their seventh full-length, all light and nostalgia.
Mastering chiaroscuro also means being able to step out of it to delve deeper into the various facets of this blend. On Écailles de lune (2010), Alcest borrowed heavily from the black metal heritage in fairly progressive tracks, while Shelter(2014) evacuated almost all traces of heavy music in a pastiche to Slowdive and other shoegaze pioneers. 2016’s Kodamabrought back the band’s black metal roots, though it was the deliberate inspiration by Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki that infused the album with personality.
On Les chants de l’Aurore, it’s hard to pinpoint what sets the album apart from the others. It’s certainly more coherent and consistent than its predecessor Spiritual Instinct (2019), but you can’t help but hear a certain redundancy. This is potentially the most symbiotically “Alcest” release since the classic Souvenirs d’un autre monde (2007), indistinguishably blending aesthetic poles. And the comparison is all the more apt given that both opuses deal in equal measure with memories. An apt return to form, perhaps. Les chants de l’Aurore is also a succession of structurally simple tracks, built around catchy verses and choruses that stretch out over varying lengths from track to track. A sort of heavy, yet ethereal rock from which occasional sharp cries emerge among distant chants, the music spares complex developments in favour of variations on its themes. Layers of tremolo supporting the melodies reinforce an aggressive background, without distorting the mellow tone of the whole.
Overall, this new album is less distinctive in Alcest’s discography. Its summery melancholy, reminiscent of the first album, could just as easily please as disappoint, depending on the relationship each listener has with the band. One thing is certain: Les chants de l’Aurore is a catchy, effective and mature album. From the very first listen, the melodies soak into your mind, inviting you to contemplate the remnants of seasons past.
