Les Voyages De L'Âme is an excellent addition to the Alcest's already prodigious output, and it establishes itself early on as one of 2012's finest metal releases.
Here, when everything's as clear as it is on Les Voyages de l'Âme, he feels almost too exposed, and the big climaxes he's reaching for don't arrive. There's no denying the beauty, but it feels weirdly muted-- or perhaps just unsurprising.
This is simply one of the most beautiful and definitely best records I have heard in my life. It is great for anyone who loves still life byThis is simply one of the most beautiful and definitely best records I have heard in my life. It is great for anyone who loves still life by opeth. It is full of astonishing melodies, yet it reflects an extremely dark under current. It is just amazing. I highly suggest it.…Expand
As a metal fan I'm just shocked how good this album is. It's a deep traveling album and you don't need to be a metal fan to love. It's justAs a metal fan I'm just shocked how good this album is. It's a deep traveling album and you don't need to be a metal fan to love. It's just pure music that never ceases to amaze me. I've listened to this more than anything to date in 2012 (written 9/11/12) and it just keeps getting better. You should own this.…Expand
I hit this just by coincidence searching for best albums of year 2012. This is a really good listen for a metal fan. Great mix of variousI hit this just by coincidence searching for best albums of year 2012. This is a really good listen for a metal fan. Great mix of various sub-genres. The only negative thing about is that I don't know French and cannot understand the lyrics. I wish I could find some English translation.…Expand
Alcest create a limbo lounge for souls weighed down by life's heaviness on these "voyages of the soul", and once acoustically settled in it isAlcest create a limbo lounge for souls weighed down by life's heaviness on these "voyages of the soul", and once acoustically settled in it is an amazingly dark yet beautiful journey through the blackness of uncertainty to the promise of light. But isnt' that what life's about?…Expand
An album that filled a need that I didn't realise I had. Sitting somewhere between my love of the likes of Sigur Ros and metal, this is aAn album that filled a need that I didn't realise I had. Sitting somewhere between my love of the likes of Sigur Ros and metal, this is a beautiful piece of work.…Expand
I've wanted to like this so much more than I ultimately did. Ecailles de Lune is just absolutely spectacular, perfect, beautiful... JustI've wanted to like this so much more than I ultimately did. Ecailles de Lune is just absolutely spectacular, perfect, beautiful... Just wonderful! For those who haven't heard, think of Deafheaven's glorious Sunbather album but with a little less shoegaze and more black metal. Shelter is a very decent shoegaze album only hendered by a little monotony in a few songs and some repetition here and there, but for his take a on a pure shoegaze album, it's awesome! However, the middle child, Les Voyages de L'ame, Alcest just kinda... well... disappointed me, for a lack of better word. I listened so many times, yet felt nothing. It felt grandiose, but never delivered. "Sur L'Ocean Couleur de Fer" from Ecailles de Lune is better than all of these songs on this album. The instrumentals on this album are quite nice, but I wish they had done more with them. The vocals are beautiful as always, but never really changed pitch much. It was kinda like listening to a long, drawn-out, hum for an hour. I'm glad Alcest decided that he wanted to try a more shoegaze sound but this is more of the "cocoon" stage where it's changing but not necessarily its most beautiful. I'd give it a go if you're a fan and apparently most like it way more than I do. Give "Summer's Glory" or "Nous Sommes L'emeraude" a go, latter being probably my favorite on this disc. I give it a 2.5/5…Collapse
