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"Écailles de Lune" (2010): After 3 years, Alcest returns, certain that it would be too easy to come back with a carbon copy of Souvenirs. The Shoegaze remains, but Black metal frequently takes the spotlight, though it must be said that his Black is not aggressive, and Neige's voice has often returned to using Growl. But the mood has also completely changed: It is more melancholic because there is an awareness of the loss of Eden due to an adulthood that will tarnish its serenity, at least until the descent into the furrow of the stormy waters. So even here there is a happy ending, but it will only come at the end, in a hypothetical future. Among the tracks, the title track stands out, divided into two different segments, and the celestial Solar Song, the only song entirely clean. This also reaches excellent qualitative levels, but the debut remains unsurpassed.

Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde (2007), described by the visionary Prophecy Records, which has never made a misstep in its entire operation, as "the triumph of spring over winter." And there is no more fitting definition to describe the debut: Starting from Black Metal roots, which are now very distant but still linger in the overall atmosphere, it projects beyond, shaping everything with influences that are so far removed yet astonishingly well blended, namely the sinuous transcendence of Post-Metal and the divine pulsations of Shoegaze, from which it draws a saturated and enveloping tapestry. Simple tracks with a linear structure, where the guitar, with its arpeggios and strokes, weaves the melodies, complemented by vocals that are always distinctly clear. Music that evokes the secret garden each of us had as children, whether real or born from our imagination, yet no less vivid for it: Bucolic worlds where the fascinations of sunny nature, with the lively branches of trees, refreshing streams flowing freely, and brilliant flowered meadows, reign supreme. Bright romantic visions surrounded by a patina of verdant romanticism, pure innocence with a warm aura in which, after the end of the glacial winter, one can find solace. Solar and optimistic music that celebrates the miracle in which the emotional pathos and romantic force boldly rise, burning with the fire of passion, creating music so significant that it lifts the spirit. All tracks are recommended, but if I have to name a few, I would start with the diaphanous elegy of "Ciel Errant," "Sur L'autre Rive Je t'attenderai," and the absolute pinnacle of the band from the land of Napoleon, "Les Iris." Music through which it seems that love will finally be reborn in our eyes.

Let’s say that Kamelot, despite not impressing me, will influence bands like Epica (Consign To Oblivion) and Adagio. There are several favorable elements: First of all, the meticulous attention to arrangements and production, precise, clean, and aggressive (compared to previous albums), along with the effective vocal deliveries of Norwegian Roy Khan, warm and sensual just the right amount. Everything flows pleasantly, and it must be admitted that the structure of the songs is more intricate than the average in the genre, and the colossal atmospheres are interesting, but they almost entirely lack hits, if we exclude the very famous "The March Of Mephisto," featuring paladin Shagrath, the short but effective title track, and the abundant trumpet calls of the long, but truly gripping and tense "Memento Mori." The other tracks range from a formal sufficiency to a fuller one, and for this reason, also due to a sense of tedium that peeks in towards the end, my updated rating is a 6.8.

Let's say that Kamelot, despite not having impressed me, will influence bands like Epica (Consign To Oblivion) and Adagio. There are several elements in their favor: first of all, the meticulous attention to arrangements and production—precise, clean, aggressive (compared to previous albums)—and the successful tones of the Norwegian Roy Khan, warm and sensual just enough. Everything flows pleasantly, and we must admit that the structure of the songs is more intricate than the average of the genre, with interesting colossal atmospheres; however, they almost entirely lack hits, if we exclude the famous "The March Of Mephisto," featuring the paladin Shagrath, the brief but effective title track, and the blaring trumpets galore of the long, yet truly captivating and tense "Memento Mori." The other tracks oscillate between formal adequacy and a fuller satisfaction, and it is for this reason, along with a sense of boredom that creeps in towards the end, that my updated rating is 6.8.

After quite some time, I managed to get my hands on their debut, Nocturnalight, for which I must admit I had high expectations, both due to the positive reviews scattered across the web and because the genre is, at least potentially, right up my alley. Instead, not only did I not like the work, but it is even mediocre: Erroneously compared to Lacuna Coil, with whom they share nothing at all, we find ourselves facing a gloomy Gothic Metal, influenced by Doom, where the most similar references are the melancholic departures of Theatre Of Tragedy, particularly from the era of Velvet Darkness They Fear and Aegis. Though there are some Italian melodies that remind one of the very early Macbeth, the female voice of Edera is not far from that of Manda. But it is pointless to say that their music is stripped of any value; it flows flatly, not only failing to provoke the slightest thrill but also becoming bothersome due to its dullness and repetitiveness. The only scant positives are the production and the decent "Gloom," which, despite heavily bearing the brunt of the comparison to the chromatic universe of Third And The Mortal, offers glimpses of emotion. Overall, for me, it’s a resounding failure. Has anyone else listened to it?