All has changed in the Pelican camp since 2007′s City of Echoes won the hearts of mainstream critics at the expense of alienating some long-term fans. The post-metal outfit have re-located from their hometown of Chicago to Los Angeles, while also making the jump from Aaron Turner’s Hydra Head label to the ultra-trendy Southern Lord. So with the band seemingly poised to launch themselves into the commercial breach created by label-mates Isis and Sunn O))), it’s a genuinely pleasant surprise to see them release one of the most focused and accomplished records of their career. What We All Come to Need is easily Pelican’s finest album since 2003′s Australasia and firmly secures their place in the pantheon of post-metal’s most exalted riff gods.
WWACTN sees the return of the dense, heavy riffing that characterised the Chicago four-piece’s early releases, blended seamlessly with the more melodic leanings of recent efforts. Delicate piano parts have been torn out and replaced with chugging, leaden bass lines and tortured lead guitars to create a record that is darker and more sombre than its predecessor. But for all that, WWACTN is perhaps one of the band’s more accessible albums, with their recent focus on song-writing and composition finally starting to pay dividends in the complex melodies that seamlessly link riff after heavy riff. Guitar duties are split between Trevor De Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec as usual, with Aaron Turner of Isis adding a third guitar on the title track and Sunn O)))’s Glen Anderson filling the same role on “Creeper”. Bryan Herveg excels on bass throughout, though Ben Verellen of Harkonen is drafted in to help out on “Glimmer”, while brother Larry Herveg’s performance on drums is vastly improved from City of Echoes, greatly assisted by a much more flattering mixdown.
The album opens with “Glimmer”, its lazy, ponderous intro quickly giving way to a crashing rhythm onslaught and soaring guitar melodies. “The Creeper” sees a return to Pelican’s sludgy roots, though with a generous helping of bass groove stirred into the mix. “Ephemeral”, meanwhile, is a re-working of the title track from the EP of the same name, released earlier this year. The WWACTN version is a much tighter and more focused affair, its gradually evolving riff structures highly reminiscent of “Drought” from Australasia and an undoubted highlight of the album. The contrast between the melodic and the menacing that underpins this record is perhaps most pronounced on the dreamy, spaced out “Specks of Light” and the brooding “Strung Up From The Sky”, the latter showcasing one of WWACTN‘s most memorable riffs and frankly mind-blowing bass chops from Bryan Herveg. Closer “Final Breath” sees Pelican enter entirely new territory with the addition of vocals, anathema to most instrumental bands of their ilk. It’s a brave move but one that ultimately fails to pay off, with the dirgey track feeling out of place against choice cuts elsewhere on the album.
Closing song aside, WWACTN is a resounding triumph for Pelican and real return to form for a band that many felt had left their roots behind for good. Production is exemplary throughout, adding a tangible depth and presence to each track and really allowing the breathtaking rhythm section to shine. Though all the songs come in under the eight-minute mark, there’s a focus here that earlier albums lack and a real sense that this is a band finally hitting their stride after a string of inconsistent efforts. It’s a record that should calm long-term fans, anxious that Pelican had strayed too far from their core musical values, while offering an ideal entry point for newcomers. If What We All Come to Need is in any way an indication of the band’s future direction, Pelican fans should be very excited indeed.
