One-man black metal projects are a dime a dozen these days, but leave it to a gentleman hailing from Avignon, France, and going under the pseudonym of “Neige” to create something truly gorgeous and unique. Consisting of two sprawling songs, Le Secret is an EP that proves that black metal does not necessarily have to be all about being grim or sanctimonious. Rather, joy and nostalgia seem to be the modus operandi under which Neige operates, resulting in a sound that is somewhat akin to what fellow countrymen M83 might sound like if they abandoned electronics entirely and added a healthy black metal influence; Shoegazer Black Metal, perhaps?

“Elevation”, actually a Charles Baudelaire poem set to music, could not be more aptly titled. Starting off with a soothing synth intro, the song then moves into a black metal cacophony that, while in keeping with the black metal aesthetic, can only be described as uplifting. Neige’s clever use of major chord progressions completely turns the notion that black metal has to always be “evil” or “melancholy” on its head. The song literally sounds like it is soaring through the sky. Before long, truly pained black metal shrieks are added to the proceedings, but, as with the melodies, they are tasteful and do not so much as simply blend in with the rest of the instruments as they fly above them, adding to the wondrous and ethereal atmosphere.

While clocking in at just under a half hour, this EP is quite unlike anything I have heard in the normally limited confines of its genre. Music this beautiful should not go unheard.

Review by Alec Head

Review date: 08/2007

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In a word, gorgeous.

With Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde, Neige has released an album by the likes of which I am inclined to drop whatever it is I am doing at any given moment, sit down, and listen for its entire 42-minute duration. At once touching, warm, and alive, Alcest makes music that simply "breathes."

Further embracing the shoegazer elements found on the more black metal-influenced Le Secret EP, Souvenirs, despite being the creation of one man, succeeds more at sounding like a full ensemble joyfully playing off one another than a masturbatory solo project, and unlike most shoegazer bands, Neige does not bury the instruments beneath a soporific haze. Rather, the music retains the heft and clarity of a good metal album, but is not overly crisp or slick in the production department. Alcest goes about things organically, slowly building up an atmosphere of endless greenery, French gardens, joy, memory, and nostalgia through epic guitar riffs (both acoustic and electric), light chanting (both male and female), and unobtrusive rhythms.

For one man to compose music that is at once unpretentious and ambitious is certainly a feat. Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde is without a doubt one of the best albums of 2007 and certainly a watershed album for Neige.

Review by Alec Head

Review date: 12/2007

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