Alcest announce new album Spiritual Instinct

French atmospheric proggers Alcest have announced they will release their new album, Spiritual Instinct, on October 25. it will be the band's sixth studio album, and first for new label Nuclear Blast.

"The recording of Spiritual Instinct has been a long and challenging process, but we feel really proud of it and can't wait to share our new music with all of you," Alcest frontman Niege told Prog. "The artwork (which you can see below) has been made by the Parisian duo Førtifem and represents a sphinx, as a reference to the symbolism art movement. The sphinx is the ultimate figure of the enigma, which embodies both the spiritual and feral sides inside us.“

Alcest have been announced as support for MONO's 20th Anniversary show at London's Barbican on December 14. The band will also play:

GER Ferropolis (w/Full Force) - June 29
POL Warsaw Prog In Park - July 12
FIN Joensuu Ilosaarirock - 13
GER Weil am Rhein Baden in Blut - 20
ROM Sibiu ARTmania Festival - 27
GER Balve Prophecy Fest - September 13
FRA Paris Red Bull Music Festival, Le Trianon - 25
SPA Barcelona AMFest - October 13
NED Leeuwarden Into the Void - 18
GER Hameln Autumn Moon Festival - 19
FRA Strasbourg La Laiterie - 26
UK Damnation Festival - November 2
GER Neunkirchen Gloomaar Festival - 16
SPA Madrid is the Dark - December 6
NED Eindhoven Metal Meeting - 13
UK Barbican (w/MONO) - 14

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.