General Event Info: AT BEACHLAND BALLROOMGrog Shop Presents at The Beachland Ballroom:Pelican PorcelainAxiomaThursday, July 17Doors 7pm / Show 8pmAll Ages$20 advance / $25 day of show+$2 at door if under 21 Chicago rock institution Pelican have announced that their first full length in six years, Flickering Resonance, is set for release May 16 via Run For Cover, and unveiled plans for US and EU tours this Summer to follow their run supporting Russian Circles this March (full tour dates below). With founding guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec rejoining the band for his first full length since 2009s What We All Come To Need, the albums eight songs tap into the spirit of their formative era when Schroeder-Lebec teamed with fellow guitarist Trevor Shelley de Brauw and brothers Bryan and Larry Herweg (on bass and drums respectively) during the heyday of Chicagos all ages hub Fireside Bowl. The venues variegated booking style would often result in post-hardcore, space-rock, indie, metal, and emo bands sharing bills, unwittingly providing a vast template of influences for the young band. A lot of people didnt hear it at first, says Schroeder-Lebec of the bands roots in a panoply of punk-related subgenres. I was like, well, I guess the metal world is where we fit. But now were more willing to acknowledge all the suits were wearing.Though Pelicans thick sonic backbone remains intact, via a recording by longtime ally Sanford Parker (a collaborator as far back as their first EP), the songs on Flickering Resonance demonstrate a more humanistic side of the band. Songs like Pining For Ever and Indelible tease Pelicans doom-metal bonafides while feeling equally ebullient and earnest - playing like a downtuned Texas Is The Reason transmuted to a post-rock landscape. Meanwhile songs like the searing lead single Cascading Crescent act as an appreciation for the glimmers of joy that occur even in the bleakest landscapes, as represented by an opening cavalcade of heavy riffs that pivot mid-song to a sugar rush of pastoral melodies. In conjunction with the albums pre-order, the song is being made available as a limited edition 7 single featuring a vocal version (exclusive to the vinyl) fronted by emo icon Geoff Rickly of Thursday on the b-side.When Laurent left and we were able to carry it through, there became a real sense of gratitude for the fact we still have this artistic outlet and a community of people who want to support it, states Shelley de Brauw, referencing Schroeder-Lebecs ten year sabbatical from the group. That feeling of deep, grounded appreciation doesnt just dwell within the band members, its expressed outwardly in every track on Flickering Resonance. Because at the core of Pelican are four individuals who have grown both separately and together, and always will.