Alcest – Shelter

Releasedate: 20-01-2014; Label: Prophecy
By: Sabine van Gameren

“Shelter” is the fourth album by Alcest, The shoegazing formation from France. The have been active since 1999 and released besides the full length also plenty of shorter releases and splits.

Last year the band brought us an amazing surprise at Tuska Metal festival with their amazing set early on the day and with the album “Shelter” in our hands there are the expectations. As the rumour has been going around that the Metal part fell out of it and listening the release only confirms that. What is left is the beautiful atmospherical shoegaze elements and maybe you will find enough in that. What comes up is the inevitable name of Sigur Ros as an indication of what to expect. Not completely surprising, having the same producer working on their album also, so the resemblance is more than just an the observation. Luckily the band has their gorgeous French lyrics that helps in giving the whole an extra dimension of dreaminess. The whole seem to be a well thought concept.

The balance between instruments is carefully worked out into the tiniest details and it shows that these guys are perhaps perfectionist at their sound. It is pure, it is very honest and the music listens so easily that those metal fans who liked their previous releases will get over the fact that it has now been taken into a bit different direction soon. So early in the year, but already an album in your hands that at the end of December still hasn’t disappeared into the archives. Guarantueed!

Line-up:
Neige – Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard
Winterhalter – Drums

Tracklist: 01. Wings 02. Opale 03. La nuit marche avec moi 04. Voix sereines 05. L’Eveil des muses 06. Shelter 07. Away 08. Délivrance

Links:
Alcest Official