4 out of 5

Produced by: Matt Hannigan (recorded by)

Label: self-released

An expertly played, well-recorded live session that… doesn’t add much to already quality originals.

Pelican is a mostly non-(if ever) overdubbed instrumental metal act who specialize in, generally, stoner-paced sludge.  It sounds damn good live, and Arktika effectively captures that, with minimal audience addition (which I consider a positive).

The tracks mostly cover material from three preceding releases – the slightly underwhelming Ataraxia/Taraxis and What We All Come to Need, and the excellent Forever Becoming, with final guest stars Dead Between the Walls from City of Echoes and Mammoth, from their first EP.  Those last two – blended into one long track – are almost worth the price of admission because, especially the latter, is from when Pelican were at their most pummeling, and its goddamn rewarding to hear the track/s in a new context.  The other songs are, as mentioned, performed with precision: album perfect, and with a patient cadence that, in the case of the Ataraxia / What We All songs, makes them sound a bit sharper, but the Forever Becoming songs hit a bit below their studio versions, so it balances out.

Overall, it’s like a best of of recent material, and with great, deep fidelity for a live recording, making it an absolutely worthwhile set.