Pelican (band)
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This article's lead section may not adequately summarize key points of its contents. (April 2010) |
| Pelican | |
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 Pelican performing at Sant Feliu Fest in 2004 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Post-metal, sludge metal, post-rock |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | Hydra Head, Southern Lord |
| Associated acts | Tusk, Isis, Russian Circles |
| Website | Hydra Head Records site |
| Members | Trevor de Brauw Bryan Herweg Larry Herweg Dallas Thomas |
| Past members | Laurent Schroeder-Lebec |
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois. Established in 2000, the band stems from their native post-metal scene and is known for their atmospheric and entirely instrumental style. They have released four studio albums and four EPs and gained television exposure.
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Biography and description [edit]
The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences. Larry Herweg, Trevor de Brauw, and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec also make up three-quarters of the band Tusk.
Previously signed to Hydra Head Records (which is owned and operated by Aaron Turner of Isis), Pelican is now part of the Southern Lord Records roster.[1] The label has also announced that Pelican will embark on a tour with new labelmates Wolves in the Throne Room and that their first release for their new label is an EP titled Ephemeral, which was released June 6, 2009.[2] Trevor de Brauw stated that the new material would be darker, heavier and more "riff oriented" than on previous recordings, and Southern Lord stated that an undisclosed guest guitarist who "is very influential to the band" would be making an appearance on the new recording as well. What We All Come to Need was released on October 27, 2009.[3] Greg Anderson and Aaron Turner both appeared on the album. In celebration of the new album, the "Pelican Burger" was served at Kuma's Corner for one night.[4]
In 2012 Pelican announced the release of their new E.P titled Ataraxia/Taraxis. In April 2012 they also embarked on a European and UK tour, playing several shows across England as well as shows in Italy, Germany, Finland, the Dunk Festival in Belgium and the Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands. The support bands for this tour included Bo Ningen and Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster in the UK, and Tombs in continental Europe.
In June 2012, the band announced an amicable split with guitarist and founding member Laurent Schroeder-Lebec. Schroeder-Lebec had not been touring with the band for the prior two years, with Dallas Thomas of The Swan King performing live in his stead, but not participating in the writing process.[5]
Genre [edit]
Regarding the band's genre, de Brauw said, "I don’t think of Pelican as a metal band... I feel like we're part of a trajectory of Midwest bands that kind of blend aggression with a pop sensibility, so while it's easy to classify us with instrumental bands, we're not instrumental by design. We just didn't know how to put vocals in our music and for it to sound right."[6]
Speaking on the plethora of labels used to describe Pelican's genre, bassist Bryan Herweg states that "it's flattering, really", and that "I take that as nobody being able to classify what we're doing. I really don't want to be fixed in one genre."[7]
As for the instrumental nature of the band, Herweg states that "I think there are limitations that come with having a vocalist. If we had some big burly man in front screaming, we'd be classified as metal. If we had some scrawny guy we'd be emo. As it is, no one can pin us down."[7]
Touring has evolved the band's style from "drawn-out... slow-building" to "more direct and faster, and straight to the point" material to provide more energy on stage.[6]
Personnel [edit]
Current members [edit]
Former members [edit]
Laurent Schroeder-Lebec – guitars (2001–2012)
Discography [edit]
Full lengths [edit]
- Australasia (2003)
- The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw (2005)
- City of Echoes (2007)
- What We All Come to Need (2009)
EPs [edit]
- Pelican (2001)
- March into the Sea (2005)
- Pink Mammoth (2007)
- Ephemeral (2009)
- Ataraxia/Taraxis (2012)
Splits [edit]
- Pelican / Scissorfight / The Austerity Program (2003)
- Pelican / Playing Enemy (2005)
- Pelican / Mono (2005)
- These Arms Are Snakes / Pelican (2008)
- Young Widows / Pelican (2009)
DVDs [edit]
- Live in Chicago 06/11/03 (2005)
- After the Ceiling Cracked (Live in London) (2008)
Multi-Format Sets [edit]
- After the Ceiling Cracked (2008)
Other appearances [edit]
- Metal Swim – Adult Swim compilation album (2010)
Notes [edit]
- ^ "Pelican joins Southern Lord, plans new EP". idiomag. 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- ^ "Pelican announce "Ephemeral" EP". Punknews.org. 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
- ^ "PELICAN Completes Work On New Album". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ "PELICAN Announce In-Store Performances; Pelican Burger Unveiled; CD Pre-order with exclusive content begins Tuesday". Southern Lord. 2009-10-09. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
- ^ "PELICAN's LAURENT SCHROEDER-LEBEC Taking Indefinite Hiatus From Band". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ a b Mike Diver (2007-03-27). "Pelican: "We're neither trend setters nor trend followers"". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
- ^ a b Allan Wigley (2006-06-14). "Pelican's music tough to categorize". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
External links [edit]
- Pelican on Myspace
- Pelican at last.fm
- Pelican discography at MusicBrainz
- Pelican at Allmusic
- Obnoxious Listeners: Pelican
- Interview with Laurent Schroeder of Pelican on Metal Insider
- Indiepit Article
- Interview with Pelican
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