If there was a choice in between 'average' and 'very good' then I think my mind would be made up. As there is no plain old 'good' then I've gotta give it more time. I've heard the album several times now - time will tell whether Average or Very Good overtakes the other.

I've been meaning to get this. I might have to get it tomorrow. Souvenirs was gorgeous, its one of my personal favourites so I'm very interested to hear this.

Finally gave the album a listen...I'm with Engine on wishing there was a choice between Average and Very Good. Entertaining to say the least, but I can't help but feel he threw in the black metal vocals just because he was struggling for some way to distinguish this album from the last. There is some definite growth in production and chord progression, but for the most part, it would have been Souvenirs Part 2.

The black metal vocals were handled nicely, but I really felt that that is what the Amesoeurs was for. A couple songs on this album could have fit nicely on an Amesoeurs record. I quite enjoyed that I had those two sides to Niege...but now I don't know what to think. I'm sure I'll get over it, as this is a good album. I just hope this isn't an indication that this kind of sound is all we can expect from Alcest.

It's certainly not as good as Souvenirs. There are some really great moments on the album but I liked the contrast of styles on Souvenirs whereas CDL feels like an average shoegaze album with occasional moments of greatness.

Still a good album in it's own right but a step down from Souvenirs.

Ok, so like most people it would seem i was a little worried about working the black metal elements into this record after the sheer quality of the previous record where all trace of black metal was ignored for more powerful shoegaze and at times quite post-rock esque ambient passages. To top Souvenirs, for me, this record would have to have been an absolute masterpiece as I have played the hell out of that over the last year or so to where that short record, in terms of number of tracks, still managed to get Alcest in my top 15 on Last.FM.

I'm playing the new record over and over again. It finishes and I start it again. Probably 75-80% of it sounds like a very natural progression and almost a follow up to Souvenirs and the heavier, aggressive black metal passages are done very well. The tracks just seem to bleed in and out of these two themes very naturally.

I still don't know if I prefer this one to Souvenirs but whereas a number of members here are comfortable enough to rule this out completely, sometimes while listening I feel this album could even be a step up and hopefully lead to even better things.

If there were a higher option than excellent in this poll, i'd choose that.

I love the album but I think I prefer Souvenirs. It was more dreamy and emotional. For some reason I don't like the sound of the guitar in some of the songs off this release. I don't know what the difference is though :confused:

Very Good