It was originally conceived as a solo project, though it would eventually take on the form of a full band as Aegnor (now known as La Sale Famine de Valfunde) and Argoth, with whom Neige played in Peste Noire, joined the fray and released a four-track demo entitled Tristesse hivernale in 2001. This demo was a more straightforward black metal affair, much different from what would happen next. After that released, Alcest returned to a one-member format, with Neige moving away from the metal overtones of the three-piece and embracing a more atmospheric approach to his work.
The 2005 EP release, Le Secret, was more in tune with the project’s ultimate goal, which was to put to ear, as it were, Neige’s fascination with an “otherworld”—of sorts—that had held a fascination for him beginning in his childhood. In 2007, Neige released the first full-length Alcest recording, Souvenirs d'un autre monde, which was released on Prophecy Productions, and was a critical success. Écailles de lune, released in 2010, continues in the otherwordly vein, evoking images of an underwater realm.
The band’s third album, Les Voyages de l'âme, was released on January 6, 2012.
Alcest’s fourth effort entitled Shelter was released on January 17, 2014 via Prophecy Productions. It features Birgir Jón Birgisson as producer, Amiina for the string sections and a guest appearance by Neil Halstead. This album is completely different to any previous Alcest works, and can be described as shoegaze/dream pop.
In 2016 with Kodama, they’re back with their heavier sound, while taking on a concept about “the confrontation of the natural world and the human world”.
2019 brings Spritual Instinct, released this time by Nuclear Blast Records. As Neige said, “It is a very cathartic record—something needed to get out of me. It’s darker than usual, and heavier.”
ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀs
Neige (Stéphane Paut) — vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards (2000–present), drums (2000–2009)Winterhalter (Jean Deflandre) — drums (2009–present)Zero (Pierre Corson) — guitars, backing vocals (2010–present; live only) Indria Saray — bass (2010–present; live only)
ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇs
Tristesse hivernale (demo EP, 2001, Drakkar Productions)Le Secret (EP, 2005, Drakkar Productions)Souvenirs d'un autre monde (LP, 2007, Prophecy Productions)Écailles de lune (LP, 2010, Prophecy Productions)Les Voyages de l'âme (LP, 2012, Prophecy Productions)Shelter (LP, 2014, Prophecy Productions)Kodama (LP, 2016, Prophecy Productions)Spiritual Instinct (LP, 2019, Nuclear Blast)
Écailles de lune
Alcest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La rumeur des vagues m'apaise, je profite de cet instant précieux, invitant la chaude brise marine á raviver me sens alanguis.
Hanté par le mirage des jours heureux j'attends que naissent au large les échos de la nuit.
Mes pensées se noient à l'horizon.
Les heures fielnt, la mer soupire sous des astres lointains déposés en une pincée d'or tremblante sur les houles.
Elle ouvre sa danse hypnotique, et absorbe mon regard décoloré.
Telle une âme en suspension, je voudrais sans crainte disparaître sous le flots; Entendre jaillir des profondeurs leur complainte ensorcelée.
Elles m'appelleraient de leur royaume de nacre et d'écailles aigue marine pour m'emmener loin des miens, d'un monde qui m'est étranger.
Dire adieu aux lueurs du matin, laisser les courants froids purifier mes pensées, statufier mes chairs, pour trouver le sommeil tout au fond de l'océan.
The lyrics to Alcest's song Écailles de lune are a meditation on the beauty and mystery of the sea, and the desire to escape from the world and surrender to its hypnotic embrace. The singer describes watching the July light fading over the beach, and allowing their thoughts to wander towards the fiery horizon. The sound of the waves brings peace, and they savor this precious moment as the warm sea breeze invigorates their senses. However, they are haunted by the memory of happier times, and long for the echoes of the night to be born on the far horizon. The singer's thoughts become lost in the vast ocean, as time slips away and the stars shiver on the rippling waves.
As the sea begins its hypnotic dance, it absorbs the singer's colorless gaze. Like a soul suspended in mid-air, they long to disappear fearlessly beneath the waves, and hear the enchanted lamentations risen from the depths. They imagine being called from a kingdom of mother-of-pearl and aquamarine scales, to leave the world they do not recognize behind, and be taken far away by the sea. Holding hands with the sea, they desire to slowly sink into the silently welcoming black waters, bidding farewell to the morning lights and allowing the cold currents to purify their thoughts and solidify their flesh, in order to find sleep at the bottom of the ocean.
Overall, the lyrics of Écailles de lune explore themes of nostalgia, beauty, and escape, through the lens of the sea's hypnotic and otherworldly allure.
Line by Line Meaning
La lumière de juillet s'eteint sur les grèves et songeur, je laisse mes pensées se perdre á l'horizon flamboyant.
As the July light fades over the shores, I let my thoughts wander towards the blazing horizon.
La rumeur des vagues m'apaise, je profite de cet instant précieux, invitant la chaude brise marine á raviver me sens alanguis.
The sound of the waves soothes me and I relish this moment, inviting the warm marine breeze to revive my weakened senses.
Hanté par le mirage des jours heureux j'attends que naissent au large les échos de la nuit.
Haunted by a mirage of happy days, I wait for the echoes of the night to arise out at sea.
Mes pensées se noient à l'horizon.
My thoughts drown in the horizon.
Les heures fielnt, la mer soupire sous des astres lointains déposés en une pincée d'or tremblante sur les houles.
The hours fly by as the sea sighs beneath faraway stars deposited like a trembling pinch of gold on the waves.
Elle ouvre sa danse hypnotique, et absorbe mon regard décoloré.
The sea opens its hypnotic dance and absorbs my faded gaze.
Telle une âme en suspension, je voudrais sans crainte disparaître sous le flots; Entendre jaillir des profondeurs leur complainte ensorcelée.
Like a suspended soul, I would like to disappear fearlessly beneath the waves and hear their enchanted lament burst forth from the depths.
Elles m'appelleraient de leur royaume de nacre et d'écailles aigue marine pour m'emmener loin des miens, d'un monde qui m'est étranger.
They would call me from their kingdom of mother-of-pearl and light blue scales to take me far away from my own, a world that is alien to me.
Leur tenant la main, lentement, je voudrais sombrer dans de eaux noires m'accueillant silencieusement.
Holding their hand, slowly, I would like to sink into the black waters that silently welcome me.
Dire adieu aux lueurs du matin, laisser les courants froids purifier mes pensées, statufier mes chairs, pour trouver le sommeil tout au fond de l'océan.
To bid farewell to the morning light, to let the cold currents purify my thoughts, turn my flesh to stone, and find sleep deep at the bottom of the ocean.
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@postmoderncondition3353
16:49
time stops, let it sink in
you are disappearing in a numbing sphere
here nothing matters
just be and be for yourself
close your eyes
if you need to
and stay as long as you want to,
if needed
stay forever
@anapaularossa5748
Sur l'océan couleur de fer
Sur l'océan couleur de fer
Pleurait un choeur immense
Et ces longs cris dont la démence
Semble percer l'enfer.
Et puis la mort, et le silence
Montant comme un mur noir.
... Parfois au loin se laissait voir
Un feu qui se balance
On The Iron-Coloured Ocean
On the iron-coloured ocean
Cried an immense choir
And those long screams whose insanity
Seem to pierce through Hell
And then death and silence,
Rising just like a black wall
...Sometimes, in the distance, could be seen
A swaying fire
@Latium.
1. Écailles de Lune (Pt. 1)
La lumière de juillet s'eteint sur les grèves et songeur, je laisse mes pensées se perdre à l'horizon flamboyant.
La rumeur des vagues m'apaise, je profite de cet instant précieux, invitant la chaude brise marine à raviver me sens alanguis.
Hanté par le mirage des jours heureux j'attends que naissent au large les échos de la nuit.
Mes pensées se noient à l'horizon.
2. Écailles de Lune (Pt. 2)
Les heures filent, la mer soupire sous des astres lointains déposés en une pincée d'or tremblante sur les houles.
Elle ouvre sa danse hypnotique, et absorbe mon regard décoloré.
Telle une âme en suspension, je voudrais sans crainte disparaître sous les flots; Entendre jaillir des profondeurs leur complainte ensorcelée.
Elles m'appelleraient de leur royaume de nacre et d'écailles aigue marine pour m'emmener loin des miens, d'un monde qui m'est étranger.
Leur tenant la main, lentement, je voudrais sombrer dans de eaux noires m'accueillant silencieusement.
Dire adieu aux lueurs du matin, laisser les courants froids purifier mes pensées, statufier mes chairs, pour trouver le sommeil tout au fond de l'océan.
3. Percées De Lumière
Au bord de l'onde
La chaleur intense
Du soleil m'enivre.
Je m'abreuve à sa lumière,
Et laisse ses rayons ardents
Dèlier mes membres engourdis
Pour m'offrir une seconde naissance.
Là haut un ciel
Sans nuage,
D'un bleu étourdissant,
Se fond avec la mer.
Ivre de lumière,
J'ai maintenant l'impression
De ne plus marcher sur votre sol
Et entends les cris
De mon âme non humaine
Implorer sa libération.
4. Abysses
5. Solar Song
6. Sur l'océan couleur de fer
Sur l'océan couleur de fer
Pleurait un choeur immense
Et ces longs cris dont la démence
Semble percer l'enfer.
Et puis la mort, et le silence
Montant comme un mur noir.
...Parfois au loin se laissait voir
Un feu qui se balance.
@coleyboy1921
Anyone have any other bands that have similar vibes/ balance as Alcest?
I can’t think of any other way to describe it rather then it’s just the right mix of beautiful melancholy, if it was any more sad or depressive or lacked any uplifting melodies and/or clean interludes I definitely couldn’t listen to a whole album.
My home genre is melodic death metal and I’ve honestly hardly ever found anything in that genre that’s too sad or morose for me.
Like I can’t do straight out black, it’s way too depressing, but I like stuff like this and melo death bands that take elements from doom.
Plz help! I’ve spent all quarantine searching n I need the fellow metal heads expertise!
\m/
@meonlinux
No other band can make me cry. Except Alcest.
@ragnid
same its so beautiful
@volusian95
same
@ignaciolofeudo4051
Cuánto bobo de mamá q hay por aca
@nathangreen5097
This is probably my favorite Alcest album. Not saying the others aren’t good but this one, for me, speaks.
@rodzuniga9165
same for me dude, i cant explain how much this album means and makes me feel every time...
@nathangreen5097
@Rod Zúñiga no doubt. Whole album, start to finish is superb. Kodama is my next favorite I think. But this one, to me, defines Alcest.
@Serdris
10 years later, still the best
@GondolaVoyager
Souvenirs has always been my personal favorite but this is definitely second. I just love the shoegaze feeling on Souvenirs so much.
@iGoldenBen
Ye souvenirs just pips it with this a close second for me