Alcest - Tristesse Hivernale

Band/artist - Alcest
Genre(s) - Black metal
Origin - France
Album - Tristesse Hivernale
Year of release - 2001

Alcest is a miracle. I've not kept my praises of Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde to myself, and it is one of my favourite albums ever written. On the whole, the album got so much attention that everyone who should hear it by now probably has, so again I'll offer a demo for those still looking to complete their mp3 discographies. Tristesse Hivernale is a four-song demo of lo-fi black metal which may be hard to get used to for those whose first contact with the band was the full-length. Neige's screeches are fearsome but it's not a very dangerous sounding tape altogether; the raw but muddled production blunts the edge of the riffs and it decidedly lacks a low-end punch. Melodies are not bad, especially the main riff in La Forêt de Cristal is very good, and it's a right passable 22 minutes of bedroom BM, but I prefer the later material any old time.

1. Tristesse hivernale (Autumnal sadness)
2. La forêt de cristal (The forest of crystal)
   
3. En mémoire aux valeureux guerriers (In memory of the valorous warriors)
   
4. La mort plane sur les contrées glacées (The dead plain in the frozen lands)
   

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