"Through every chapter of this band, I've tried to read some of the things people say about us," he says. "Of course, I'm intrigued. I think every musician has a threshold for reading things about themselves, though, and after a while, you're better off just not reading much of it. But I did read that [we're secretive], and I remember thinking to myself, 'Does not playing live much because of circumstances in our lives at that time mean that we're secretive?' Hardly.

"So, maybe it was the lack of vocals," Lebec continues, "and the art on the records Ð the general vibe of our music maybe lending itself to a writer thinking we prefer semi-obscurity. That's also hardly the case. Pelican, if there can be a definition for our band, is simply the sum of four musicians who are great friends, who are individuals, coming together to create something new to themselves. A few years down the line, we're obviously touring a zillion times more than we could in the early days. So the 'secretive' tag is even less applicable. We're actually totally approachable."

That settled, it's worth mentioning that Pelican's latest, City of Echoes, shows its cards more than most of the band's records to date. With each consecutive release, these Illinoisans seem increasingly prone to allowing elusive textures and new sounds to find their way into the fold. And by that measure, Echoes stands out above the pack, even though it is not the heaviest of the band's discs so far.

"How our music evolves has always just sort of happened," Lebec says. "We write in clusters. So when inspiration hits, I start to write with whomever is available to me. The clusters for the songs are generally brought on by a catalyst, be it a life event, something I heard, or even an idea. In this case, it's absolutely (and it actually hit all of us, not just me) the year and a half we spent touring Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw. We became a full-time band and learned so fucking much about playing, running our band, maintaining a DIY ethic and trying out new ideas, making the most of each night, fighting exhaustion, traveling the world, etc. Of course, there's a mountain of experiences and thoughts there, but the concentrated drive for City of Echoes was writing a record that would move us and provide material for a truly energetic performance. We didn't discuss it; it just happened, and I can tell you that 95 percent of the shows we've played since we finished the record have been some of our favorites ever. I love this record. For us, it absolutely shines a light on what I hope is unique about our band."

But perhaps the best way to understand this unique band is through Lebec's quote on Pelican's website. "We're a fucking triumphant band," it reads, and you'd be hard-pressed to disagree with him. These songs, all bombast and momentum, passion, and hinge-snapping force, they beg for hyperbolic, 10-letter adjectives. Of course, if you're still unconvinced, Lebec will happily elaborate.

"I'm a huge fan of metal, and I've been for years," he says. "And I always loved the carpe diem, triumph-of-the-will, stand-your-ground vibe of metal. And then, of course, hardcore. But metal had more triumph to it, in its imagery, melodies, and crescendos. It's the fucking best, basically, and it's a big part of us, too, but it's not the whole. So yeah, the quote was fitting, and I actually found a lot of people using that word or something similar to describe how certain songs made them feel. And I embrace that. I love melody and feeling good and positive, and ending a song with pure delight painted all over my face."

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