Alcest - Protection
Key Facts
Country: 🇫🇷
Genre: Blackgaze, Post-Black Metal
Release Date: 23rd August 2019
Record Label(s): Nuclear Blast
Album Release Date: 25th October 2019
Band Members
Neige – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass
Winterhalter – drums, percussion
Alcest - Protection
Review
Rating (out of 5🤘): 🤘🤘🤘🤘
French blackgaze pioneers return with a stunning new single from upcoming album Spiritual Instinct. Packed full of beautiful atmospheres blended with the best of Alcest's brand of black metal, Protection offers something melancholically soothing, progressive and intriguing. Alcest are an instantly recognisable band with a unique sound that few in this genre can match, after the success of 2016's Kodama there are big things expected of the band on Spiritual Instinct.
Musically, this is classic Alcest but a but more emphasis on the heavy, which is never a bad thing. The variety of heavy riffs is amazing in this song, melodic and groove filled Alcest have made full use of their progressive writing talents. With all the main atmospheres and overall melodies coming from the vocals, it gives the guitar room to be more assertive and aggressive in their approach. One of the main things that drew me into listening to Alcest all those years ago was their use of melody in a heavy but mystical way. This track carries that on but they have some how managed to reinvent themselves again with a new approach to the Alcest sound at the same time in my opinion. The clean, choral style vocals really add depth to the song as well as a counter melody towards some of the guitar work. Either way the harmony and contrast between the two is executed really well in my opinion, opening the song up with this epic and expansive atmosphere and texture. What I really like about this song is it's almost a semi-return to the sound of 2010's Écailles de Lune album, but then it could also be argued that elements of both Écailles de Lune and 2012's Les Voyages de l'Âme can be heard in this song. It has this really old school Alcest vibe that I really love, while I think Kodama attempted to re-visit that sound, Protection nails it for me and I haven't heard the rest of the album yet! As always the lyrics being sung in French makes the music could elegant and beautiful, Neige has a really amazing voice and I loved him featuring on Saor's Forgotten Paths earlier this year. Overall Alcest have created another songwriting masterpiece that I would love to see live.
The production is stunning, and I feel that that is an understatement. The clever use of reverb to soak the vocals but also give them a floating clarity over the thunderous arrangement beneath them is very admirable, because it feels like they should be worlds apart and clash but they don't. With that in mind thats more of a testament to the songwriting more than anything. I feel mix wise it carries on in the same vein as Kodama which shows some consistency which is always good. The guitar tones remind me very much of that album too, crunchy and layered exquisitely to really get the atmospherics right and nail that Alcest sound. I really love the drums on this one, super punchy, tight and sharp, the snare really cuts through to you can hear that groove through all the melodic and harmonious layers. The punch of the kick is almost hypnotic as well as deep and punchy. If the rest of the album sounds as good as this I will be over the moon. Overall a really thought out and considered mix, I think Alcest have wholly thrown their bodies on the line with this song to make it sound as epic as it deserves to be.
I know that the band have been working super hard over the the last couple of years to achieve something awesome. The wait for this song was more than worth it, mysteriously beautiful and beautifully mysterious, you'll be sure to be humming the melodies all day once they get in your ear. Check out Protection now!
Musically, this is classic Alcest but a but more emphasis on the heavy, which is never a bad thing. The variety of heavy riffs is amazing in this song, melodic and groove filled Alcest have made full use of their progressive writing talents. With all the main atmospheres and overall melodies coming from the vocals, it gives the guitar room to be more assertive and aggressive in their approach. One of the main things that drew me into listening to Alcest all those years ago was their use of melody in a heavy but mystical way. This track carries that on but they have some how managed to reinvent themselves again with a new approach to the Alcest sound at the same time in my opinion. The clean, choral style vocals really add depth to the song as well as a counter melody towards some of the guitar work. Either way the harmony and contrast between the two is executed really well in my opinion, opening the song up with this epic and expansive atmosphere and texture. What I really like about this song is it's almost a semi-return to the sound of 2010's Écailles de Lune album, but then it could also be argued that elements of both Écailles de Lune and 2012's Les Voyages de l'Âme can be heard in this song. It has this really old school Alcest vibe that I really love, while I think Kodama attempted to re-visit that sound, Protection nails it for me and I haven't heard the rest of the album yet! As always the lyrics being sung in French makes the music could elegant and beautiful, Neige has a really amazing voice and I loved him featuring on Saor's Forgotten Paths earlier this year. Overall Alcest have created another songwriting masterpiece that I would love to see live.
The production is stunning, and I feel that that is an understatement. The clever use of reverb to soak the vocals but also give them a floating clarity over the thunderous arrangement beneath them is very admirable, because it feels like they should be worlds apart and clash but they don't. With that in mind thats more of a testament to the songwriting more than anything. I feel mix wise it carries on in the same vein as Kodama which shows some consistency which is always good. The guitar tones remind me very much of that album too, crunchy and layered exquisitely to really get the atmospherics right and nail that Alcest sound. I really love the drums on this one, super punchy, tight and sharp, the snare really cuts through to you can hear that groove through all the melodic and harmonious layers. The punch of the kick is almost hypnotic as well as deep and punchy. If the rest of the album sounds as good as this I will be over the moon. Overall a really thought out and considered mix, I think Alcest have wholly thrown their bodies on the line with this song to make it sound as epic as it deserves to be.
I know that the band have been working super hard over the the last couple of years to achieve something awesome. The wait for this song was more than worth it, mysteriously beautiful and beautifully mysterious, you'll be sure to be humming the melodies all day once they get in your ear. Check out Protection now!
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