Pelican

Pelican has always been a band not just from Chicago, but distinctly of Chicago. Formed in 2000 by guitarists Trevor Shelley de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec alongside brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg on bass and drums, Pelican emerged from the city’s free-spirited, genre-fluid scene. “The ‘90s in Chicago was a free-for-all. Everyone was just coming from a place of pure creativity,” says Shelley de Brauw. With Schroeder-Lebec returning after Dallas Thomas’ 2022 exit, the band embraced their roots while forging something new on Flickering Resonance. Longtime fans will recognize Pelican’s ever-evolving ethos, now underscored by their partnership with Run For Cover Records. The new album highlights the band’s broad influences—not just from titanic metal acts like Godflesh and Goatsnake, but also ‘90s post-hardcore, space-rock, and emo. Quicksand, Christie Front Drive, and Hum shaped their sound as much as heavier bands did. “A lot of people didn’t hear it,” Schroeder-Lebec says. “I was like, well, I guess the metal world is where we fit. But now, I’m willing to acknowledge all the suits we’re wearing.” With Flickering Resonance, Pelican shifts their focus from pure catharsis to an appreciation of fleeting joy, finding light even in the heaviest moments. This reinvigorated lineup proves that their sound remains as dynamic and vital as ever.