Pelican
Ephemeral
Southern Lord (2009)
I'll be honest. I hadn't really listened to Pelican all that much since City of Echoes was released in 2007. In fact, I think I gave that album two or three plays total; since then their discography has seen limited plays. I really have no logical explanation for my lack of listening. I think the "post-metal" craze got overblown and I fizzled out on the whole sound. Two years removed, Pelican returns with a brand new EP for Southern Lord Records, their first release since departing from longtime home Hydra Head. Ephemeral is just a three-song EP but Pelican accomplish a lot. Since their untitled EP release, Pelican has slowly been infusing their sludgy metal-driven rock approach with more accessible explorations. With "Ephemeral" and "Embedding the Moss" we find the band regressing slightly from this mainstream influence. Leading off with the title-track, Pelican demonstrate their early incarnation isn't as far removed as fans and critics play it out to be. Bryan Herweg centers the opening sequence on a nice fluid bassline. This is partnered with some stoner-inspired riffing by Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec and a basic drum beat. After a few repetitions, the bassline continues, but the riffs … Read more
GREYMACHINE
Vultures Descend
Hydra Head (2009)
What do you get when you toss members of Jesu, Isis, Godflesh, House of Low Culture, The Lotus Eaters, Mamiffer … Read more
Swamp Thing
In Shame
6131 (2009)
Rob Gordon's first lines uttered in High Fidelity are What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about … Read more
The Mars Volta
Octahedron
Warner Bros. (2009)
Throughout their eight-year tenure as a band, The Mars Volta has never been timid about doing whatever they please. The … Read more
The Red Baron
My First Love
Blood & Ink (2009)
Christian hardcore isn't exactly my thing but I was willing to give The Red Baron's debut album, My First Love, … Read more
