Search - Alcest :: Ecailles De Lune (Jewel Case Edition)

Alcest - Écailles de Lune

Andrew Vice | Plano, TX | 05/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alcest is the current musical venture of the blackwave mastermind, Neige. Known for his seamless blend of shoegaze and black metal, Neige is a pioneer in the field, and truly an expert at crafting heavy, crushing, beautiful music. Alcest's brilliant debut, Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde, played more with the shoegaze side of the blackwave genre, but Écailles de Lune finds Neige perfectly balancing these disparate influences while crafting a truly excellent record. Though you'll find some black metal inspired vocals on track 2 and 3, this is largely still a rock album, and Neige's incredible guitar playing is the perfect accompaniment to both his throaty screech and his unexpectedly beautiful singing voice. The instrumentation throughout the record is wisely placed and expertly played, and the production really shines on the opening and closing tracks, the first a progressive number boasting multiple components and a variety of incredible guitar tones. Truly, a record for any fan of guitar rock, this is one of the best of the year."