| | Full Review | Ratings (684) |
Give your Rating |
| 3.5 great | Panzerchrist | October 26th 19 |
Remember when Neige put out multiple statements denouncing the white nationalist nonsense of the
bands he was just a marginal part of anyway? Why don't we jump ship from Metalsucks style,
clickbait soundoffs to actual discussions on the music in question?
It's solid, no doubt. It lacked definition on my first several spins, but it is turning out to be
an especially detailed album, and each incremental re-listen yields more and more reward overall.
The overarching concern of Nuclear Blast pushing the band into more mainstream territories might
have been warranted, but they almost certainly do the style with substance and grace. Another
excellent addition to their catalog.
24 Bumps | Bump |
| 0.0 | Xenophanes EMERITUS | August 1st 19 |
Remember when Neige was in Peste Noire? Or how Winterhalter hands out white power flyers at PN shows?
7 Bumps | Bump |
| 0.0 | Arditi | October 28th 19 |
The amount of virtue-signaling and white guilt here is disturbing. Just enjoy the music, or don't.
3 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | PortalofPerfection | October 29th 19 |
This is incredible. A dozen listens in and not only am I not burning out on it, I'm loving it more with each spin. This thing is instrumentally packed but still breathes. It's powerful and aggressive, but still reflective and strikingly beautiful at times. Firmly rooted in their signature sound and style, but does just enough with introducing new song structures and sonic elements so as to be unique within their discography. And it's easily their most grand-sounding and epic-feeling album to date. Supremely listenable start to finish, I never have any desire to skip a single track or moment. Just amazing. I can't get enough of it.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 5.0 classic | iBuuv666 | October 25th 19 |
Without a doubt one of the most beautiful, deep and best releases of 2019. When you thought that Alcest couldn't get better... Boom; Spiritual instinct
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.6 great | Benjamin Kuettel EMERITUS | October 25th 19 |
A more metal-charged affair and technical rhythm section are the most noticeable changes in Spiritual Instinct, being probably their most energetic release.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | kalkwiese | September 5th 23 |
This slaps and fucks fairy bitches and satisfies them in the process
Bump |
| 2.0 poor | J.C. van Beekum | June 25th 20 |
Alcest has really ran out of ideas with this record. Painfully average release.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | noahconstrictor | May 14th 20 |
Solid, but a bit too atmospheric for my tastes. Felt like everything melded into one song at various points.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | cjbizzlebizzle | December 30th 19 |
Feels like a very natural next step for this band that has been infusing more metal and rock elements into their music with each and every release and at the same time it feels like a culmination of what Niege has been working on for over a decade. The dreamy landscapes and ethereal vocals of the shoe/blackgaze are still prominent but more often contrasted by groovier uptempo post-metal riffing and the album just has more energy overall than any previous release the band has put out. If there is any knock it is that a lot of the riffs, chord progressions and especially vocal melodies will sound rather familiar if you have been following this band since the beginning. Despite that it is another very, very good release from one of the most important contributors to the fusion of metal and shoegaze. Tons of great up and down dynamics to the songs although the peaks just fall short of matching the best moments on previous Alcest releases.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Xenorazr | December 21st 19 |
Spiritual Instinct is assuringly safe. Coming off of Kodama, it might feel like a stale strand of tracks, but there's just enough for Alcest fans to settle down and be content with it.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Doublez38 | November 26th 19 |
I think Spiritual Instinct is a good album, sometimes fantastic but finally overall, although it deserves praise, it will remain a good album. The beginning is for me well above and the end is a bit slow (after "Isle of the Dead"). It is quite easy to access. True to who they are. It is sufficiently attractive and active. The writing is nice, not extraordinary, but on the other hand I know that it's not all that important to have the voices in front, but I had a terrible difficulty knowing if it was French or English.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Bedex | November 13th 19 |
Alcest show us once again that they are a supremely consistent band. 1 is the clearest jam here and shows us a brand of Alcest we haven't seen before, more straightforward, with more prominent bass and drums (love it), lots of riffy riffs, and a lesser emphasis on lush reverberated atmospheres. 2 is in the same vein, albeit a bit less jammy - both tracks do have a few short clumsy sections here and there. The album then softens to more regular Alcest material and didn't mark me as much - the softest track being 5. 4 feels uninspired, but the other tracks are all really nice. I like the direction they took, and admire that they managed to once again change their sound (both in prod and comp) while retaining their identity, but somehow I wish they pushed it a little further. Still a solid 4.1
Bump |
| 3.5 great | ellagos | November 12th 19 |
The most straight-up Metal record I've heard from these guys but those melodies still shine through and when all the instruments come in just right it feels euphoric.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | JayM | November 11th 19 |
Just awesome and worth repeat listens as it never gets boring.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Chino smoking it up! | November 4th 19 |
Definitely not focused on building that light vs dark thing they are known for. Perfectly fine by me. Neither those endless crescendos well known for the genre, which I find sometimes to be kinda annoying...just me tho. This fits me the right way. Songs are beautiful...and there's cool riffing this time, in detriment for multi-details/instrumentation m/r
Bump |
| 0.0 | LeisureMuffin | October 28th 19 |
Even though it's on Nuclear Blast, this is really good.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | quetzal | October 28th 19 |
It's a good album but I'll need to listen more before I bump it up. I haven't truly loved an Alcest album since Voyages, but I think I might like this the most since then. Something is missing though, I don't feel the magic anymore.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Erwann S. STAFF | October 28th 19 |
It's basically Kodama's atmosphere BUT WIZ DA RIFFZ. It's ofc a very good album, but I feel the riffination (it's not a word) they wanted to go to could have been more prominent; here, I can't help but compare it to Kodama. However, Alcest remains Alcest, a consistent band that always delivers.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Chuggy | October 27th 19 |
Despite how much I hate French ppl I will rate this high because it's legit awesome.
Also, fuck Metalsucks. Rosenberg and Neilstein are morons.
Bump |
| 0.0 | tenderscum | October 25th 19 |
as always, a welcome warm blanket. except this blanket riffs hard.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | MeatWolf | October 24th 19 |
Quite enjoyable, focused, clear and firm. This is basically Kodama without almost all the fluffy shit.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | JOK | September 15th 19 |
All the ethereal and otherworldly trademarks that make Alcest remain with a new found punchiness and sense of aggression. Alcest haven't reinvented the wheel, but they've perfected their sound and added enough curveballs to keep the attention of longtime listeners. This will most likely be my AOTY.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | haesslichermensch | August 1st 19 |
the album is not on spotify/bandcamp. how can there be reviews with a rating of 5? where is that album released on?
Bump |
| 0.0 | GhandhiLion | July 31st 19 |
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 55 5 5 5 5 5 5 55 5 5 55 5 5 5 55 5 5 5 5 55
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| 4.0 excellent | cb123 | April 29th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | Verdr | March 20th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | Halez | January 27th 24 |
| 4.5 superb | TheGuy | January 5th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dan H. EMERITUS | December 25th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Optimist | December 14th 23 |
| 2.5 average | budgie | December 4th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Avet | October 21st 23 |
| 3.5 great | Luna | August 30th 23 |
| 5.0 classic | xeom | July 13th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Deebo05 | April 24th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | FunJan | April 3rd 23 |
| 3.5 great | Above | January 16th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Shwany | January 13th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Timmy | January 11th 23 |
| 3.0 good | Aurora | January 5th 23 |
| 3.5 great | h0rsie | December 19th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | jounik | October 29th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Bren80 | August 2nd 22 |
| 4.5 superb | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | June 14th 22 |
| 3.5 great | qt | January 10th 22 |
| 4.5 superb | MonkMan | December 29th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Surtur | December 24th 21 |
| 3.5 great | john | December 6th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | JoneHK | December 6th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Karen94 | November 24th 21 |
| 3.5 great | Deadb0y | November 14th 21 |
| 2.5 average | Lvxfra | October 23rd 21 |
| 3.5 great | Hybza | September 18th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | zbyna | September 16th 21 |
| 3.0 good | n3zar | September 15th 21 |
| 3.5 great | DocBass | September 9th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Zakusz | August 19th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | mallen- | August 18th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Nimlot | July 3rd 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Jerrad | July 3rd 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veks | June 18th 21 |
| 3.5 great | Harlz | March 12th 21 |
| 3.5 great | yayafa | February 22nd 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Juuso | February 7th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | mctang | January 28th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | mursu | January 1st 21 |
| 3.5 great | Hehe | December 15th 20 |
| 3.5 great | sicky | November 24th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gary STAFF | November 21st 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Kralle | November 2nd 20 |
| 3.5 great | StBrox | October 22nd 20 |
| 3.5 great | RMHQ | July 10th 20 |
| 3.5 great | luetin | June 18th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | tysly | May 31st 20 |
| 4.5 superb | kx8 | May 2nd 20 |
| 3.0 good | Wolfe | April 28th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | akimbo | April 26th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Host78 | April 18th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | nashet | April 12th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Izildur | March 13th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | progsun | March 13th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Josh | March 11th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | TVparty | March 2nd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | K3nsei69 | February 28th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Roomex | February 27th 20 |
| 3.5 great | alsid | February 20th 20 |
| 3.5 great | latpac | February 13th 20 |
| 2.5 average | dabisco | February 12th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Vasilis S. CONTRIBUTOR | February 10th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Laen | February 5th 20 |
| 2.5 average | CK1991 | January 30th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | wwirusz | January 29th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | kevbogz | January 28th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | kleggi | January 22nd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | bbm | January 15th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Fabio | January 14th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | unkle | January 13th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | bnyby | January 12th 20 |
| 2.5 average | Crysler | January 9th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | IlRoz | January 8th 20 |
| 3.0 good | sevhar | January 7th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | stesta | January 2nd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | EvoHavok | December 31st 19 |
| 3.5 great | SuzyC | December 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dimosths | December 27th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Dama | December 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | ARDCWE | December 22nd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | bobby72 | December 20th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Akifexx | December 18th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | ckssr1 | December 16th 19 |
| 1.0 awful | DJO | December 14th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | hadriel | December 7th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | kspsml | December 7th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | CamiloG | December 4th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | bSmith | December 3rd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | LedZep94 | November 30th 19 |
| 1.0 awful | Elohim | November 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | kouichi | November 27th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Wichita | November 26th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Shogun | November 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Coast | November 22nd 19 |
| 3.0 good | Acole9 | November 21st 19 |
| 3.5 great | bde1314 | November 21st 19 |
| 2.0 poor | Edlund | November 21st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Photon | November 21st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | ughmas | November 20th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Madz981 | November 20th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Inveigh | November 20th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Above313 | November 14th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Arkuru | November 13th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | gilly | November 12th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | BigHans | November 12th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Marci | November 12th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Macck | November 10th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Fenix | November 9th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kantala | November 9th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | neel980 | November 9th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | snakesc | November 8th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nishe | November 8th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | JWT155 | November 7th 19 |
| 3.5 great | jmh886 | November 6th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | prouty | November 6th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hawks | November 6th 19 |
| 3.0 good | gnimas | November 5th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hyndez | November 4th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Jeejee | November 4th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Agonba | November 4th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gbhill | November 3rd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | JS19 | November 3rd 19 |
| 3.5 great | Juca89 | November 2nd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | adios | November 2nd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | arf | November 2nd 19 |
| 3.5 great | 8genre | November 2nd 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | heck | November 1st 19 |
| 3.0 good | doofy | November 1st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Elevon | November 1st 19 |
| 3.5 great | FUNKEN | November 1st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Pangea | November 1st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Enzx | November 1st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | October 31st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kruppe | October 31st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | KotoFtw | October 31st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | emmny | October 31st 19 |
| 3.5 great | neikos | October 31st 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Sully83 | October 31st 19 |
| 4.5 superb | acew787 | October 31st 19 |
| 3.3 great | Trey STAFF | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | ariich | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Handers | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Skye09 | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rausku | October 30th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Marxman | October 29th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Risodo | October 29th 19 |
| 2.5 average | qwenta | October 29th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Egarran | October 29th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | cfg26 | October 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Greem | October 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Thor | October 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Evreaia | October 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jaxer | October 28th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nine | October 28th 19 |
| 3.5 great | ian b | October 27th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | kiehe | October 27th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | valek | October 27th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | LMadden | October 27th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Rodstar | October 27th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Faraudo | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Phate72 | October 26th 19 |
| 3.0 good | aGit | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Sunnyvale STAFF | October 26th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | SlyZ | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | hsb | October 26th 19 |
| 3.7 great | jesper STAFF | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Honza | October 26th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Aurien | October 26th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Kyle Ward EMERITUS | October 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | botb | October 26th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Hewitt | October 26th 19 |
| 3.3 great | clavier EMERITUS | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Gmork89 | October 25th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | dragoth | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Wingtwz | October 25th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | alamo | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | JLR2DEG | October 25th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | madtwoo | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Moge | October 25th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | mogmi | October 25th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Qboy | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Elynna | October 25th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | morry | October 25th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Dmax28 | October 24th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | zzf1918 | October 24th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | vyralx | October 16th 19 |
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