Alcest

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Alcest is a French band from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, led by Neige (Stéphane Paut). It started in 2000 as Neige’s black metal solo project, briefly became a trio, but by 2001 Neige was the only member left. From 2005 onwards, Alcest began adding shoegaze and post-metal elements. Drummer Winterhalter joined in 2009 after eight years with Neige as the solo member.

Alcest has released seven studio albums and three EPs. Their fourth album, Shelter (2014), marked a shift toward a pure shoegaze sound, while Kodama (2016) returned to their blackgaze roots. They are widely credited with pioneering the blackgaze/post-black metal style, especially with the 2005 EP Le Secret.

Early on, Alcest’s lineup included Neige on vocals and guitars, with Aegnor on lead guitar and Argoth on bass. After the 2001 demo Tristesse hivernale, the band became a one-man project again, with Neige steering Alcest in a more personal direction. The debut studio album Souvenirs d’un autre monde appeared in 2007, drawing comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Jesu for its dreamy, wall-of-sound feel.

Other key albums include Écailles de lune (2010) and Les Voyages de l’âme (2012), both well received. Shelter (2014) abandoned metal in favor of full shoegaze, though Kodama (2016) brought back the heavier blackgaze sound. Spiritual Instinct arrived in 2019, followed by Les Chants de l’aurore in 2024, whose lead single was “L’Envol.”

The name Alcest comes from Alceste, a character in Molière’s The Misanthrope. Neige chose it for its ethereal feel and because Alcest represents the project’s “otherworld” memories. The band’s music often centers on ethereal atmosphere and emotional soundscapes, blending heavy tremolo guitars with lush, dreamy textures. From Le Secret onward, Alcest helped shape blackgaze, merging black metal’s intensity with shoegaze’s hazy beauty to create a distinctive, uplifting sound.