Ataraxia/Taraxis

Last updated
Ataraxia/Taraxis
Ataraxia-Taraxis-pelican.jpg
EP by
Pelican
ReleasedApril 10, 2012
Studio
  • Engine Studios (Brooklyn, New York)
  • Infrasonic Sound (Los Angeles, California)
Genre Post-metal
Length18:03
Label Southern Lord Records (LORD155)
Producer
Pelican chronology
What We All Come to Need
(2009)		Ataraxia/Taraxis
(2012)		 Forever Becoming
(2013)

Ataraxia/Taraxis is the fifth EP by American post-metal band Pelican, released through Southern Lord Records on April 10, 2012. [1] Ataraxia/Taraxis was Pelican's final release to include founding guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec until 2025's Flickering Resonance. [2]

Contents

Background and composition

In 2010, two years prior to the release of the Ataraxia/Taraxis EP, founding member and guitarist Laurent Schroeder-Lebec retired from touring with Pelican. [2] In an official press release, it was clarified that the parting was amicable, and that he chose to focus on his family and career instead of the band. [3] After concluding recording of Ataraxia/Taraxis, Schroeder-Lebec admitted that his "heart wasn't fully in" preparation for the next full-length album, and he removed himself from the composing process.

Pelican's goal with Ataraxia/Taraxis was to capture all major sides of the band's sound, "melodic rock, smokey doom, ambient soundscape, acoustic desert-folk, and minimalist electronics." [3] Aaron Harris of fellow post-metal outfit Isis aided in recording percussion for the EP.

A music video for "Lathe Biosas" was released on August 20, 2013. [4] A brief clip of the EP's first track, "Ataraxia", serves as the introduction to the video, which goes on to intersperse acted scenes with live performances. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 74/100 [6]
Review scores
SourceRating
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Consequence of Sound C+ [8]
Drowned in Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Exclaim! Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Metal Injection(positive) [11]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Thrash HitsStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]

Ataraxia/Taraxis was met with positive reception. The EP received an average score of 74/100 from 7 reviews on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [6] Alternative Press reviewer Jason Pettigrew called the EP "ambitious" and "essential". [7] Denise Falzon of Exclaim! wrote, "Each song on Ataraxia/Taraxis is diverse, with moments of melodious prog-rock, powerful riffs and hazy ambience; however, there's also cohesion to the EP that makes it feel expansive and utterly epic." [2] Writing for Drowned in Sound , Michael Brown said the EP "reinstates Pelican at the top of the instrumental food chain and, if they continue like this, they show no sign of coming down." [9] Brice Ezell of PopMatters called moments of the EP disappointing, but also wrote that as a whole, it is excellent and never boring. [12]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Ataraxia"3:21
2."Lathe Biosas"4:46
3."Parasite Colony"4:41
4."Taraxis"5:14
Total length:18:03
Japanese bonus tracks [14]
No.TitleLength
5."An Inch Above Sand" (Live)3:58
6."The Creeper" (Live)6:10
7."What We All Come to Need" (Demo)5:22
Total length:33:33

Personnel

Pelican

Additional personnel

Chart positions

Chart (2012)Peak
position
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [15] 23

References

  1. ↑ Andrew Martin (January 10, 2012). "Pelican Announce New EP, 'Ataraxia/Taraxis'". Prefix Magazine. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Adams, Gregory (June 27, 2012). "Pelican's Laurent Schroeder-Lebec Leaves Band". Exclaim! . Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Important Announcement Jun 26 2012". hydrahead.com/pelican. Pelican . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  4. ↑ Breihan, Tom (21 August 2013). "Pelican – 'Lathe Biosas' Video". Stereogum . Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Pelican – Lathe Biosas (Official Video)". Southern Lord Records . Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Ataraxia/Taraxis [EP] by Pelican – Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  7. 1 2 Pettigrew, Jason. "Pelican – Ataraxia/Taraxis EP". Alternative Press . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  8. ↑ Young, Alex (13 April 2012). "Pelican – Ataraxia/Taraxis EP". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  9. 1 2 Brown, Michael. "Pelican – Ataraxia/Taraxis". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on January 2, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  10. ↑ Falzon, Denise. "Pelican, Ataraxia/Taraxis". Exclaim! . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  11. ↑ Ulrey, Jeremy (18 April 2012). "CD Review: Pelican Ataraxia/Taraxis". Metal Injection. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  12. 1 2 Ezell, Brice (22 April 2012). "Pelican: Ataraxia/Taraxis". PopMatters . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  13. ↑ Ruth Booth. "EP: Pelican – Ataraxia/Taraxis". Thrash Hits. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  14. ↑ Ataraxia/Taraxis (Japanese edition) (CD liner notes). Pelican. Daymare Recordings. 2012. DYMC-159.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ "Pelican Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
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