Pelican is a post-metal band known for their entirely instrumental and overtly cinematic compositions. They are influenced by like minded predecessors such as Isis and Neurosis, but also take cues from sludge/doom metal groups like Sleep and Black Sabbath and jazz tinged, post-rock pioneers such as Tortoise.
Pelican was conceived in Chicago, Illinois, US by brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg (the band’s drummer and bass player respectively) and guitarists Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec. After 11 years with the band Lebec left the formation and was replaced by Dallas Thomas in 2012.
Considering the many parallels drawn between Pelican and Isis it made since that they would sign on to Hydra Head Records (a label owned and run by Isis member Aaron Turner). Through this label Pelican released their 2003 eponymous EP and followed it up with their studio debut “Australasia”. “Australasia” was a critical hit and pushed the group into niche, but respected metal circuits alongside acts like the Russian Circles.
Before switching over to the label Southern Lord Records, the band released two more albums through Hydra Records: 2005’s “The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw” and 2007’s “City of Echoes”.
On 6 June 2009 Pelican made their 1st release through Southern Lord Records, their EP “Ephemeral”. The band supported their acquisition to the label and their new release with a promotional tour alongside label mates “Wolves in the Throne Room”. For Pelican’s 2009 album “What We All Come to Need”, they recruited Greg Anderson and Aaron Turner as guest musicians and went into a much darker and brooding direction, borrowing the riff based structure established by bands such as Black Sabbath.
Pelican released the EP “Ataraxia/Taraxis” in 2012 and embarked on a lengthy European tour, which included stops at the Dunk Festival in Belgium and the Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands. Pelican released their 2nd studio album “Forever Becoming” through Southern Lord Records in 2013.
Apart from playing in Pelican, members Larry Herweg, Trevor de Brauw, and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec comprise the experimental-metal group Tusk. Pelican has also released several splits with many highly credited bands such as post-hardcore aficionados, These Arms are Snakes and Japanese post-rock sensation, Mono.
Phoebe Bridgers
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