Concert Photography - Alcest
Alcest is a post-metal band hailing from Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France. Formed by Stéphane Paut (Neige) in 2000, Alcest would garner attention and critical acclaim following the release of their 2005 EP Le secret, a landmark work in metal widely considered to be the birth of the blackgaze genre. Following the release of their debut album Souvenirs d’un autre monde, Alcest would solidify themselves as one of the most innovative metal acts of the 21st century, and further refine their blackgaze sound on records like Écailles de lune and Kodama.
While on tour for their 2024 record, Les Chants de l'aurore, I was given the opportunity to photograph Alcest during their performance in Detroit on 3.19.2025.
These images are a mixture of experimental portraiture and concert photography, utilizing ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) to abstract subjects and distill the hazy and layered atmosphere that gives Alcest their signature sound. These experimenal images are meant to evoke the vague imagery of recalled memories, referencing Alcest’s goal of distilling “a journey through memories of a distant world.“
As of 2025, Alcest is a duo of multi-instrumentalists Neige and Jean Deflandre (Winterhalter). Their touring lineup consists of Neige, Winterhalter, Pierre Corson (Zero) and Indria Saray.