This seems to be the season of the ethereal Post Metal and pseudo Post Black concoctions. The eclectic Eva Can’t just got some undue attention lately. And their fare truly sails in the same or similar waters the folks of Alcest usually occupy. So, it only behooves us to give Les Chants de l’Aurore a hefty shake to see what gives.
Because until now, the wheezy geezers over at the Review Desk always kicked it back into its corner after they played the first two songs or so. Meaning, the rapture everybody expected somehow left the building before the piece even seriously got underway. So, let’s hope they were wrong and a ton of Alcest-y delights will beckon us. Bring it on!
As the cognoscenti of RMR lore will remember, Spiritual Instinct got a mixed reception over here. While the entrenched fan crowd truly fawned over its alleged grandness, the enthusiasm often escaped the RMR crew. But – the piece undoubtedly displayed a subdued metallic bite and some primeval allure. A trait that finally carried it into the safe waters where good records dwell.
Now, Les Chants de l’Aurore seems to have shed the metallic shackles to a point. That doesn’t mean that you won’t find any genuine metallic threads in there, far from it. But the record evolved into an often free-wheeling mélange of Avant-Garde melodies and harmonies that seem to meander aimlessly about a soundscape lost in the mists. Already Komerebi (sunlight in Japanese) and L’envol attest to that with a slightly metallic flavor and some snarky guitar leads and riffs. In other words, you’ll find typical Alcest, driven forth by Neige‘s wispy chants.
Majestic tremolos and atmospheric Black Metal musings await once Améthyste takes off. This track will undoubtedly talk to the beastly metalhead faction best.1 After all, the track contains some harsh rasps and screams with some foresty forays into the good ol’ times when BM acolytes burned churches still. But Les Chants also contains its surprises. The progressively kissed Flamme Jumelle – for instance – made us sit back with its undeniable groove and them vibes echoing stuff prog masters such as Caliguala’s Horse already concocted some time ago. And that despite the questionably themed clip attached below.
After that, Les Chants de l’Aurore somehow got lost in translation. The weird piano and cello interlude may reach far into the historical expressions of melodies and harmonies. But it feels out of place in this here record. Because right after this, you get yet another Japanese-themed piece. L’Enfant de la Lune (月の子 – tsuki no ko, or Moonchild in English) reminisces the starting track Komorebi. In other words, the record returns full circle to its start with some fairly repetitive second track. And the inherent repetitiveness is yet again one of the issues that already was all but too apparent on Spiritual Instinct.
And that leaves us with a new record that is down-home Alcest with its intricately woven soundscapes. But – the piece also quickly became very predictable to the point of turning into a pretty generic album of a long-standing underground-gone-mainstream Post Metal band. And don’t get me wrong, most tracks on Les Chants de l’Aurore are proof of superior song-crafting skills. Of a remarkable ability to wrap complex sentiments into soaring soundscapes that will make you stay a while longer. And yet, the overly meandering ways often leave you scratching your head. And that’s a trait that made us pull back from the record more than once.
Ultimately, the fan crowd of Alcest‘s mysterious ways will find a lot to like on Les Chants. It is after all the proverbial bread and butter of this band’s work to date. I could imagine a full listen at sunset by the beach with a cold beer, seagulls on full display, and mighty waves crashing onto white sand. A record that will let you seize (and enjoy) the moment once or twice. But it won’t reach much farther than that.
Ed’s note: Do you want to find out what members of Alcest are up to elsewhere? Try Zéro Absolu and be amazed. Or explore what Alcest-y thoughts can do to other, only vaguely related pieces.
Record Rating: 6/102 | Label: Nuclear Blast | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 21 June 2024