The relationship between
heavy metal
and the so-called "
shoegazer
" movement of the early '90s might not be apparent in writing, but with
Justin Broaderick
's amazing transmutation of his grinding
industrial metal
in
Napalm Death
and
Godflesh
into the dark, sonic bliss of his current incarnation as
Jesu
, it doesn't seem so far-fetched anymore. Immediately upon first listen the connection between one-man band
Neige
's French "
black metal
" roots and his current
neo-psychedelic
explorations under the
Alcest
moniker doesn't seem so far-fetched, natural even. Playing all the instruments on
's debut full-length
Souvenirs d'Un Autre Monde
("Memories of a Future World")
builds layers upon layers of ecstatically distorted guitars that evoke obvious comparisons to
My Bloody Valentine
's sonic extravaganzas and less obvious nods to the brooding minor-key post-
metal
of
, only perhaps a bit sunnier. There are only six songs on
Souvenirs
, and the formula deviates only slightly, but the mission statement is evident from the opening crunch of the first track
"Printemps Emeraude,"
as the foundation of majestic guitar swells and stately minimalist drums is laid and the journey begins, and the listener is seemingly transported over great distances and through lifetimes via hypnotic repetition and a series of dynamic shifts which are probably more important than the actual songs themselves. The feelings elicited are those of yearning, nostalgia, triumph and blissful peace, all without a single lyric in (discernible) English. And really, the best factor arising from the meeting of
shoegaze
is that this is a guitar album -- a monstrous, churning, epic guitar album -- without a single guitar solo! ~ Brian Way