Formed in 1999 by French black metal multi-instrumentalist Neige, Alcest was originally conceived as a solo project. It took the form of a band in time to release a demo in 1999. This demo was a more straightforward black metal affair, much different from what would come next. After that release, Alcest returned to a one-member format, with Neige moving away from the metal overtones of the three-piece and embracing a more atmospheric approach to his work. Neige went on to issue Le Secret (2005) Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde (2007), split releases with Angmar (2007) and Les Discrets (2009), Écailles de Lun (2010), and Les Voyages de l'Âme (2012). ~ Chris True