Forever Becoming
Forever Becoming | ||||
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Studio album by Pelican | ||||
Released | October 15, 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2013 at Electrical Audio Studios | |||
Genre | Post-metal | |||
Length | 50:12 | |||
Label | Southern Lord (LORD182) | |||
Producer | Chris Common | |||
Pelican chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 74/100[1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
Forever Becoming is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Pelican. The album was released on October 15, 2013 through Southern Lord Records.
Background, writing and recording
Forever Becoming is the first Pelican album since its inception in 2001 to not feature founding guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec. He withdrew from touring with Pelican in 2010, told his fellow band members that his "heart wasn't fully in it" during the writing of the 2012 EP Ataraxia/Taraxis, and publicly announced his departure two months after the release of the EP in June 2012.[3] Schroeder-Lebec left to spend more time with his family. Pelican originally planned on carrying on as a three-piece band,[3] but then-touring guitarist Dallas Thomas of The Swan King became a full-time member and ended up contributing to the writing process of Forever Becoming. On working with Thomas, guitarist Trevor de Brauw said, "[Bassist Bryan Herweg] and I are more freewheeling. We don't have every detail worked out, whereas [Dallas Thomas] is very meticulous and really likes to have things thought out. Having that balance means we're not going to veer too far in either direction."[4]
On the sound of Forever Becoming, de Brauw described it as being "a lot darker, depressive, and angry," which he attributed to the "nervous headspace" caused by continuing on without Schroeder-Lebec.[4] While songs on some of Pelican's more recent albums experimented with a traditional or pop structures, the songs on Forever Becoming were designed to feature a narrative or journey, with songs intentionally ending very differently from where they began.[4]
Forever Becoming was produced by Chris Common, formerly of These Arms Are Snakes, who also previously produced Pelican's 2009 studio album, What We All Come to Need.[5]
Promotion
Prior to the album's release, Pelican released an online stream of "Immutable Dusk" in July 2013,[5] a stand-alone single for an alternate version of "Deny the Absolute" in August 2013,[6] and an online stream of "The Cliff" in September 2013.[7]
Track listing
- "Terminal" – 3:27
- "Deny the Absolute" – 5:35
- "The Tundra" – 5:13
- "Immutable Dusk" – 7:01
- "Threnody" – 8:07
- "The Cliff" – 4:06
- "Vestiges" – 7:15
- "Perpetual Dawn" – 9:28
Personnel
Forever Becoming personnel according to liner notes.[8]
Pelican
- Bryan Herweg
- Larry Herweg
- Trevor Shelley de Brauw
- Dallas Thomas
Additional musicians
- Chris Common – mellotron on "Threnody," additional drums on "The Tundra" and piano on "Perpetual Dawn"
- Bruce Lamont – baritone sax on "Terminal"
Production and recording
- Chris Common – recording, mixing
- Joe Lambert – mastering
- Jon San Paolo – assistant engineering
- Gregoire Yechen – assistant engineering
Art and design
- Stephen O'Malley – collage design
- Andrew Weiss – photography
References
- ↑ "Forever Becoming Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
- ↑ Heaney, Gregory. "Forever Becoming - Leican : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
- 1 2 Adams, Gregory (June 27, 2012). "Pelican's Laurent Schroeder-Lebec Leaves Band". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
- 1 2 3 Mejia, Paula (July 17, 2013). "Pelican Regroups on 'Forever Becoming'". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
- 1 2 Adams, Gregory (July 10, 2013). "Pelican Return with 'Forever Becoming,' Unveil New Track". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
- ↑ McGovern, Kyle (August 13, 2013). "Pelican Unleash Alternate Version of Relentless 'Deny the Absolute'". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
- ↑ Crane, Matt (September 18, 2013). "Pelican stream new song 'The Cliff'". Alternative Press. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
- ↑ Forever Becoming (Media notes). Pelican. Southern Lord Records. 2013. CD booklet. LORD182.