RVCA

Figured it was about time I posted something worthwhile around here. Feeling inspired by a recent resurgence of these type of threads, I think I'll dive right in. I haven't planned this out much and I'm just typing whatever comes to mind, so if it seems like I don't know what I'm talking about... I probably don't.

15. Alcest - Écailles de lune (2010, Shoegaze/Blackgaze/Atmospheric Black Metal/Dream Pop/Post-Rock)



This band has garnered quite the array of genre tags over at rateyourmusic, and I believe that's exactly what initially prompted me to investigate into what Alcest really sounds like... they couldn't possibly be sticking Black Metal and Dream Pop on the same album, could they? For the most part, yes, that's precisely what's going on here. "Écailles de lune, Pt. 1" and "Solar Song" wrap haunting metalgaze around the ethereal black metal of "Écailles de lune, Pt. 2" and "Percées de lumière", two songs that feature some of the most bone-chilling vocal screeching I've yet heard. "Abysses", a short interlude, is perhaps perfectly descriptive of its namesake. The closing component of the album, "Sur l'océan couleur de fer", ties things together with shoegaze so dreamy, it's hard to imagine you're still listening to the same album, and yet it all flows beautifully.

Neige, the vocalist/guitarist/bassist/synthesizer/all-around-badass of Alcest, has some fascinating thoughts swimming around in his head. "I would say that Écailles De Lune is different from Souvenirs (their previous effort) mainly because these albums don't share the same concept. Souvenirs was a description of memories I had as a child about a luminous far away dimension, to summarize it is a musical testimony dealing with an esoteric experience of life in another plane of existence which has nothing to do with the world we know. Écailles De Lune could be seen as a metaphor of how I manage to live with this experience now in my everyday life. As I sometimes feel that nobody really understand and grab what I am speaking about, in some moments it's like if I was a stranger here, and speaking for nothing."

Zer0

Écailles de Lune is one of the standout albums of last year. It took me a little while to get into it at first and I didn't think it was as good as Souvenirs de Autre Monde but when it finally clicked it sounded incredible. It has more depth and variety than Souvenirs and is probably my favourite of the two now. This will be an album I'll be listening to in years to come.

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LoathsomePete

I'm still on the fence when it comes to this whole "Blackgaze" movement cropping up in France. While I'm not opposed to musicians using black metal as a basis but progressing the sound beyond the conventional sound (I mean two of my favourite bands are Solefald and Emperor), I just haven't been as "wowed" by this sound as others. I thought Écailles de lune was a nice album and gave me the incentive to check out a few of the others (Lantlos' .neon (2010), Austere's To Lay Like Old Ashes (2009), and Les Descrets' Septembre et ses dernières pensées (2010)), but none of them convinced me that this is going to carve itself a permanent niche and become more widespread.

It's nice to see that others are making these list threads, definitely breathes some life into these forums, and seeing as how you've actively made it a habit to post in mine I will return the favour.

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Last.FM
101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

Alfred

Awesome album that I really need to listen to again. I don't listen to a lot of black metal, but I appreciate its atmosphere and vibe, and this album does a perfect job of making those two aspects more... available? Best word I can think of.

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bob.

way to start off a list with something i've never heard of

blackgaze huh....i think i really should look into this

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A kiss is the beginning of cannibalism.

Reach out, pierce the fine fabric of the sheltering sky, take repose.

RVCA

I'd actually heard Lune before Souvenirs, and in my opinion Lune is the far superior album. But I was in the same boat as you, more or less. I listened to Lune once and only half-payed attention (a mistake I now regret), and it hadn't clicked until recently.

You know, I haven't delved any deeper into Blackgaze so I guess what you just mentioned is probably a solid starting point. Thanks

Great. I do realize that these kind of threads get the most attention early on, and then as the creator keeps adding to them, either interest wanes or people don't feel compelled to keep replying even though they might still be reading. So I appreciate anyone who has input for me, at any time.

Yeah I know what you mean. I definitely think this is one of the most interesting interpretations of black metal, and perhaps one of the most accessible.

I've managed to recommend something Bob hasn't heard?

DoctorSoft

Listened to that first song , good stuff definitely gonna get that album

Paedantic Basterd

Exact same case with the journals. Every time someone comments (within it, or out) that they enjoy mine, I'm shocked that it has readers. You've just got to derive your satisfaction from the writing of it, rather than the reception it gets.

Zer0

I hate when people use terms like 'blackgaze' to describe them, it's best just to throw all labels out the window when listening to them.

If you want to investigate similar bands you definitely have to listen to the self-titled album by Amesoeurs. They only released one album and Neige was their guitarist and shared lead vocals with a female vocalist. Amazing stuff.

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RVCA

14. Cap'n Jazz - Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On, and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over (1994, Emo/Post Hardcore)



If you've ever been a teenager, as I'm assuming most of you have at some point, and you've ever had emotions (particularly lust and frustration), I think you'll find Burritos quite agreeable. You've got some kids banging away at their instruments and one dude absolutely effacing everything humanity has ever learned about singing. There's nothing fancy here. No gimmicks, not very much technical skill, not a whole lot of polish... and I think that's exactly what makes this an essential Emo album. Rather nonsense and surrealistic lyrics combine with frequent shifts in tempo best described as "spazz attacks" to create something raw and real. And from what, a bunch of 16 year olds? Impressive.

Kitty kitty cat, kitty kitty cat...