KODAMA

There's no album like Kodama. This record has left me speechless every single one of those dozens of times I've listened to it. Pure ethereal beauty with a deep wave of melancholy in the mix. All the instruments layered perfectly together with the vocals creating harmonies that are out of this world. They tell a story. As I close my eyes and listen to this record I see landscapes. I see places that feel and look like they only exist in fantasy worlds.

Not only do I see these gorgeous visions, I feel indescribable emotions even more. A lot of wistfulness is what I hear. The melodies sound like smiling while crying. Pain, but beautiful pain. Really beautiful. Listening to this album specifically opened my eyes as a prog fanatic on the fact that seriously, you don't have to play really technically to achieve a diverse sound. Layering is a big part of this record and the way Alcest does it is a total success, as always. The soundscapes that this album holds are difficult to describe with words. The listening experience is always a feeling, a strong link of emotions.

What comes to analysing the music itself, this record beholds a concise collection of guitarwork that consists of impeccable chord progressions and riffs that play a huge part in creating the atmosphere on this album. Not only do we have heavenly, varying melodies made by multiple layered guitar tracks on songs, we also have rhythm sections that are really important in creating the intensity of the tracks. Compact double bass parts and astonishing work with the cymbals, really highlighting the metal aspect of the record.

Then there's the vocals?oh wow. Breathtaking. It's truly incredible how Neige is able to produce a perfect blend between raw, heart wrenching screams, transferring them to emotional and angelic clean vocals that bring tears in your eyes. The mixing is clear but not too modern sounding at all, considering that we're talking about an album that is partially black metal.

Speaking of which, I never thought I'd stumble across a band that mixes two really different genres so flourishingly. The best way to describe it is pure. Just like their sound and view on making music, it's not pretentious or fake, it's all made with emotion and feel, the band pouring their souls into their records with Kodama being one of the prime examples. It's the way everything is tied together so well and the 42 minutes of content this record has beneath it feels like the perfect amount. Nothing feels out of place and there's just the right amount of everything. Nothing is missing, nothing feels excessive. The balance is ideal and each song progresses just right. Not a single song is too long or too short. What this album really does is leave you wanting more. Alcest has a sound like no other, a truly irreplaceable one.

Best track: Kodama

Rating: 10/10