Amesoeurs | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France |
Genres | Shoegaze, post-punk, post-black metal |
Years active | 2004–2009 |
Labels | Code 666, Profound Lore |
Spinoff of | Alcest |
Past members | Neige Audrey Sylvain Fursy Teyssier Winterhalter |
Amesoeurs was a French post-punk/post-black metal band. A side project of Neige of Alcest, the group was formed with musicians Audrey Sylvain and Fursy Teyssier in the summer of 2004. Their goal was to create music that "reflects the dark side of the industrial era and modern civilization".
Teyssier initially left the band shortly after its creation, but returned in 2008, while Winterhalter, who would go on to join both Alcest and Les Discrets, joined in 2007. The band disbanded in 2009.
Shortly after Amesoeurs's formation a few songs were written and the band performed a gig. Soon after, Fursy Teyssier decided to leave the band to go back to his studies. In April 2005, a first 3 track EP entitled Ruines Humaines was self-recorded. Neige was leaving the black metal band Mortifera at the time and he used two tracks ("Bonheur Amputé" and "Ruines Humaines") he had originally composed for Mortifera for Amesoeurs's EP. The EP was finally released through Northern Silence Productions from Germany in 2006. [1]
In 2007 Fursy joined the band again and drummer Winterhalter (drummer in Peste Noire between 2006 and 2008) was added to the mix for the full-length album Amesoeurs, released in March 2009 through the Italian label Code 666 records. [2] The first album was recorded during winter 2008-2009 in the Klangschmiede Studio E with Markus Stock from Empyrium, [2] and it is described by the band as "a kaleidoscopic soundtrack for the modern era". Pitchfork gave the album a 7, calling it a "journal of triumph and heartbreak" and "a fervid last gasp of genre-melding creativity". [1] Allmusic writer Ned Raggett gave it a 3-star rating, stating "the most notable thing about Amesoeurs is how little of a unique identity it has in the end. Nearly every notable trend in recent French metal seems to crop up throughout, not to mention other sounds from elsewhere in Europe". [3] Cam Lindsay of Exclaim! stated that the album "furthers black metal's scope while ruffling a few feathers along the way". [4]
After the release of the album, Amesoeurs split up due to what the band described as "internal conflicts and different points of view regarding the band's future". [1] Teyssier and Winterhalter went on to form Les Discrets, while Neige's focus returned to Alcest. [2] Winterhalter became Alcest's drummer in 2009.
The Vision Bleak is a German gothic metal duo comprising Ulf Theodor Schwadorf and Allen B. Konstanz. The group's lyrics are noted for their horror themes and heavily allude to works of classic writers/filmmakers of the genre, such as H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, George A. Romero and John Carpenter, among others. They self-describe their musical style, which mixes gothic metal, doom metal, symphonic metal and horror punk aesthetics, as "horror metal".
Alcest is a French post-black metal band from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, founded and led by Neige. It began in 2000 as a black metal solo project by Neige, then became a trio, but members Aegnor and Argoth left the band following the 2001 release of their first demo, leaving Neige as the sole member. In 2009, drummer Winterhalter from Les Discrets joined Alcest, after eight years with Neige as its sole full-time member.
Le secret is an extended play by French blackgaze band Alcest, released in 1 May 2005 through Drakkar Productions. It is Alcest's first release with creator Neige as sole member, as former members Aegnor and Argoth both left after the 2001 demo Tristesse hivernale, and the only release with Neige as sole performer.
Separation Anxieties is a 2000 album by 12 Rods. It was the band's third full-length album.
Souvenirs d'un autre monde is the first full-length album by French band Alcest, released in August 2007. The title refers to the meaning behind the music of Alcest, as its leader and songwriter, Neige, sees it as a journey through his memories of a distant world he has been in contact with.
Peste Noire are a French black metal band from La Chaise-Dieu, France. The band was formed by "La sale Famine de Valfunde", also known simply as "Famine", in 2000. Their music uses standard black metal elements mixed with traditional Gallic instrumentation, and influences from genres like punk and electronic music. The band is sometimes referred to as P.N. or K.P.N.
Écailles de lune is the second studio album by French blackgaze band Alcest, released on March 26, 2010 by Prophecy Productions. It is the first Alcest album featuring Winterhalter on drums. Although it continues in the direction started with the first album Souvenirs d'un autre monde, Écailles de lune marks a darker, louder transition into shoegaze, while also coming back to the band's black metal origins as it features harsh vocals like those found on their second release Le Secret.
Amesoeurs is the only full-length album by Amesoeurs. It was released in 2009, just before the band broke up. Northern Silence Productions released a special limited LP edition of the album in three different versions: the "Metallic Century" edition, limited to 333 copies, the "Cold Light" edition limited to 333 copies, and the "Night Sky" edition limited to 222 copies, which all come with an exclusive bonus track "Gas in Veins - demo version".
Les Discrets is a French post-rock project created and led by Fursy Teyssier as a "platform gathering music and art." Teyssier was the sole member of the band until 2009, when he was joined by Audrey Hadorn and Winterhalter. Les Discrets released Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées in March 2010, Ariettes oubliées... in February 2012 and, after Winterhalter left the band in 2013, Prédateurs, in April 2017, which saw a transition towards an indie rock and trip hop-oriented sound.
Audrey Sylvain (born 26 June 1984) is a French singer and dancer, originally from Avignon. Her first band was Amesoeurs. She also sang on Alcest's debut album. She was a full-time member in Peste Noire until her departure in 2016. In 2019 Audrey Sylvain released Incandescente — the debut EP of her solo project Malenuit.
Septembre et Ses Dernières Pensées is the debut album from French band Les Discrets. It was released on 26 March 2010 through Prophecy Productions.
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Alcest / Les Discrets is a split EP by French shoegazing bands Alcest and Les Discrets, released on November 30, 2009 by Prophecy Productions.
Ariettes oubliées... is the second full-length album by Les Discrets, released in 2012 by Prophecy Productions. "Ariettes oubliées... I: Je Devine à travers un murmure..." was released as a music video directed by Audrey Hadorn.
Stéphane Paut, known professionally as Neige, is a French songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist musician, and record producer from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, now relocated to Paris. He is the founder of the black metal/shoegaze project Alcest and also the founder for the now-defunct Amesoeurs.
Fursy Teyssier is a French songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, animator, and graphic designer. He is most known for being the creator, leader, guitarist, bass guitarist, and lead vocalist of shoegazing band Les Discrets. He is currently the live bass guitarist for Empyrium. He is also the former guitarist and bass guitarist of Amesoeurs, and the former live bassist of Alcest. Since 27 December 2015 he is a live member of German gothic metal band The Vision Bleak; he previously directed the music video for their song "The Wood Hag".
Ruines Humaines is the first EP and the very first release of the French band Amesoeurs. It was released in 2006. The EP is dedicated to Ian Curtis and Joy Division.
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Prédateurs (transl. Predators) is the third full-length album by French band Les Discrets, released on April 21, 2017, by Prophecy Productions. It is their first album without drummer Winterhalter, who left in 2013 to focus on his other band, Alcest, and therefore their first as a duo.