Les Chants de l'Aurore
Alcest · 2024
43 min · 7 tracks · black metal
Ethereal melodies intertwine with atmospheric textures, creating a transcendent blend of black metal and shoegaze influences.
Top tracks — play these first
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Komorebi — Opening the album, this track encapsulates the essence of Alcest’s sound by blending delicate guitar lines with haunting vocals, setting a dreamlike tone.
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L’Envol — This expansive piece showcases dynamic shifts from serene passages to powerful crescendos, exemplifying the band's ability to merge contrasting emotions seamlessly.
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L’Enfant de la lune (月の子) — Rich in atmospheric layers, this track explores themes of longing and connection to nature, making it a poignant highlight that reflects Alcest's artistic vision.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album effectively blends black metal and shoegaze elements, showcasing strong craftsmanship and cohesive atmosphere.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a layered soundscape that gradually builds, with the first track featuring ethereal guitar melodies and soft vocals.
- Each track maintains a consistent atmosphere, often blending harsh black metal elements with shoegaze textures, creating a dynamic contrast.
- The final track features an extended outro that fades into ambient sounds, allowing for a reflective conclusion to the album.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- long immersive listening sessions
- atmospheric background focus
- gradual builds and payoffs
- dynamic emotional journeys
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By the release of Les Chants de l'Aurore, Alcest had established themselves as pioneers of the blackgaze genre with their previous album, Kodama, released in 2016. This album marks their return after an eight-year hiatus, showcasing a continued evolution in their sound while deepening their exploration of personal and nature-inspired themes.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Les Discrets· Agalloch· Deafheaven
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Komorebi 6:39
- 2 L’Envol 8:02
- 3 Améthyste 8:30
- 4 Flamme jumelle 5:17
- 5 Réminiscence 2:50
- 6 L’Enfant de la lune (月の子) 7:28
- 7 L’Adieu 4:52
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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