A new style of metal rose in the early 21st century; one that was light on the vocals and heavy on the instrumentals. But it certainly wasn't your dad's familiar metal instrumental -- prog-like overindulgence gave way to sounds alternating between dreamy soundscapes and crushing riffs -- as evidenced by groups like
Pelican. On the group's second full-length for Hydra Head, 2005's
The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw,
Pelican introduce a new texture to its sonic palette: acoustic guitars. But those expecting a full-on flamenco guitar concerto will have to look elsewhere, as they're used sparingly. The phrase "the type of album you have to listen to all the way through" seems custom-made for the moody and atmospheric
Fire, as it really is a sort of aural roller coaster. With the same stylistic thread running throughout many of the album's seven tracks, individual standouts are hard to pinpoint, but if push came to shove, you can't go wrong with the epic album opener, "Last Day of Winter."