Pelican’s Flickering Resonance marks a significant return for the Chicago-based instrumental post-metal pioneers. Known for their richly layered guitar work and cinematic sonic arcs, Pelican reemerges with their first full-length studio album in six years. This album also marks the reunion of their original lineup. Guitarists Trevor de Brauw and Laurent Schroeder-Lebec trade in wide-spectrum harmonic textures, shifting between overdriven weight and ambient clarity. Bryan Herweg anchors the group with a dark, grounded bass tone, while Larry Herweg provides dynamic structure and propulsion behind the drum kit.
Released on May 16, 2025, via Run for Cover Records, Flickering Resonance expands the group’s compositional vocabulary while preserving the visceral, groove-forward intensity that defined their earlier catalog.
Flickering Resonance is crafted with Pelican’s grasp in making expansive, emotive compositions. The album’s eight tracks are characterized by layered guitar work, dynamic shifts, and a focus on atmosphere. While the album excels in creating immersive experiences, it occasionally leaves a yearning for more pronounced melodic lines and solo passages.
The album opens with “Gulch,” a compelling statement of intent shaped by guitarists de Brauw and Schroeder-Lebec. Their interwoven lines build a sense of momentum through layered counterpoint and warmly distorted tones. Beneath them, Herweg lays down a melodic yet solid bass foundation, while drummer Herweg gives the piece a sense of directional gravity through his responsive, weighty grooves. The theme is allowed to breathe and evolve, making for an expansive and dynamic opener.
“Evergreen” follows with medium-tempo rhythms that showcase the band’s knack for sonic interplay. Trevor and Laurent engage in call-and-response phrasing, shifting between modulated textures and delay-infused chord voicings that keep the tonal palette in constant motion. Meanwhile, Bryan and Larry provide a rhythm section that’s simultaneously locked-in and fluid, allowing the harmonic interplay to float without losing drive.
With “Indelible,” the ensemble constructs a distorted wall of sound, dominated by the thick, interlaced guitar tones of de Brauw and Schroeder-Lebec. The bass and drums intensify the rhythmic propulsion, creating patterns that feel massive yet articulate. The B section of the tune stands out as a moment of rare melodic crystallization, the guitars breaking through the density to deliver harmonized lines that feel declarative and emotionally direct.
“Specific Resonance” opens in murkier territory, with grungy overtone-laden riffs that churn beneath Laurent’s angular phrasing. The track’s turning point comes around the two-minute mark, when a spacious bridge enters. Clean, reverb-drenched guitar textures stretch across the stereo field, creating a fresh sonic contrast while Larry’s drums take on a more spacious, open character. It’s a moment that reshapes the album’s pacing and provides a necessary dynamic breath.
“Cascading Crescent” charges in on the back of a muscular riff, executed with precision and intent by Trevor and Laurent. Bryan’s bass drives the harmonic motion while providing rhythmic weight, and Larry’s drum patterns reinforce the track’s forward surge. A breakdown midway through the track reduces the distortion and invites a more intricate conversation between the guitars and bass, highlighting the group’s ability to vary density without losing cohesion.
With “Pining For Ever,” the band leans into its most overtly retro textures, drawing from the sonic language of ’80s hard rock. The guitars are richly saturated but not overbearing, allowing each chordal figure to breathe and reveal its inner motion. Bryan’s bass subtly reinforces harmonic transitions while Larry’s steady pulse holds the track in place. The song’s restraint and clarity make it one of the more texturally refined entries on the album.
“Flickering Stillness” introduces a haunting harmonic palette, with clean arpeggios from Trevor and Laurent casting shimmering reflections across the track’s open architecture. Larry’s entrance on the drums is understated and deliberate, building suspense through repetition and accent placement. Around the three-minute mark, a catchy, syncopated guitar figure emerges, providing a memorable thematic hook and bridging the track’s ambient and rhythm-driven halves.
Closing out the album, “Wandering Mind” begins with a resonant, full-bodied bass line from Bryan, establishing a moody and patient atmosphere. As Larry enters with a subtly intensifying pulse, the guitars begin layering harmonic tension with sustained voicings and double stops. The track climbs steadily toward a well-earned climax before gracefully tapering off, a strong structural finale that ties the album’s emotional arc together.
Flickering Resonance shows Pelican’s ability to craft intricate, atmospheric compositions. While the album may not fully satisfy those seeking prominent melodies and solos, it offers a rich array of instrumental textures and dynamics, showing how instrumental post-metal music can convey profound emotion and narrative without words. That’s the short of it!
