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In their 3rd full-length - “Les Voyages De L’Âme” (“Journeys Of The Soul”) – Alcest have crafted an album that is deeply personal and ever so detached from the sonic violence of their past. In all honesty the album turned out to be much better than I expected. The music we have here sometimes merits comparisons to Anathema’s “Eternity” and the term ‘shoegazing’ gets thrown in even though I feel this adjective devaluates the music. Every now and then we hear some Black Metal screams that ultimately enhance the dynamics and overall feel of the album. Although this release doesn’t seem to be a conceptual one, the title is appropriate since most songs make reference to journeys towards an ethereal place or state-of-being. The lyrics are in French, the band’s mother tongue, but the music’s emotionality permits an appreciation by any non-francophone listener. I particularly enjoyed ‘Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles’ - a song encompassing a wide range of musical ideas such as Katatonia-type riffs, blast-beat surges and a truly cathartic climax. Some songs in “Les Voyages De L’Âme” don’t stand out as strongly as others. Besides, while the producer’s intention was clearly an evocation of atmosphere, the downside of this is that the vocals’ dreamy-like quality sometimes makes the words indecipherable. Then again, this atmosphere and the music in general are palpable enough to make the album a satisfying one. “Les Voyages De L’Âme” heralds a band on a journey to greatness. | ||||||||||||||||||
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