Throughout six albums, Alcest have been carving out a stunning brand of shoegaze-inspired post-black metal. This summer the French duo will return with their seventh offering in the form of ‘Les Chants De L’Aurore’. They’ve shared a track called ‘L’Envol’ to mark the album’s announcement.
The enthralling track serves as both a reminder (or as an introduction) of Alcest‘s ability to take you on a majestic musical journey. The eight-minute-long number begins with Winterhalter’s towering percussion and Neige’s distorted guitars, before easing into itself. As it hits its chorus, guitars ring out and then segue into a serene section with soothing strings and vocals. Overall, ‘L’Envol’ dynamically ebbs and flows, compelling you to its harmonious end. It’s accompanied by an enchanting video created by French artist Yoann Lossel.
“For this first single release, we wanted the music, lyrics and visuals to be as coherent and immersive as possible,” explained Alcest founder Neige. “‘L’Envol’ is a musical return to the atmosphere of Alcest’s first albums. I wrote this song after an inspiring trip to Corsica, where I met amazing people and was surrounded by some of the most unique landscapes I have ever seen. It is about escaping from earthly reality to join a flock of mythical birds flying through the known boundaries of our world.”
No doubt Alcest and ‘L’Envol’ allow you to escape, even for a fleeting moment. Nevertheless, as Neige states in ‘Les Chants de l’Aurore’s announcement, it is “a great introduction to the overall atmosphere and themes of the album.”
Alcest will follow the release of ‘Les Chants de l’Aurore’ on June 21st with a lengthy UK and European tour in the Autumn. It will conclude with 4 dates in the UK and Ireland.
December
11th Electric Brixton, London
12th Academy 2, Manchester
13th The Garage, Glasgow
14th Academy, Dublin
Tickets are available here.
1. Komorebi
2. L’Envol
3. Améthyste
4. Flamme Jumelle
5. Réminiscence
6. L’Enfant de la Lune (月の子）
7. L’Adieu
‘Les Chants de l’Aurore’ by Alcest is released on June 21st, 2024, on Nuclear Blast. Full pre-order details will be announced soon.
Find Alcest on: Facebook | X (Formerly Twitter) | Instagram | Spotify | Apple Music | Linktr.ee
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