QuicksandInteriors

Epitaph Records
10 November, 2017
quicksand band
7
A strong come-back

It’s a miracle post-hardcore forerunners Quicksand reunited, let alone made a new album. Their two great albums from the 90s sounded like they would implode. Turns out that sound reflected the relationships within the band; breaking-up twice, with the second seeming permanent (recent news about guitarist Tom Capone suggest there’s still some struggles). Two decades later, the band has surprised everyone and released new album Interiors. Instead of the older, tenser Quicksand, Interiors introduces a stronger and evolved group.

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Opening track Illuminant is an exciting start, featuring a massive riff that burrows into your skull. Also noticeable is the slower pace and lack of shouting from frontman Walter Scrheifels. It’d be unfair to dismiss Quicksand for lacking their former aggression, but they instead work within their constraints, hitting hard with a muscular riff and frenetic noise textures.

The years may have wearied Quicksand, but they push against their new limitations.

Guitars add textures and range across the album, from the title track’s wild squeals to the shimmers on Warm And Low that replicate those on The Smiths’ How Soon Is Now? These explorations are a great touch, although the two interludes of dreamy guitar experiments are unnecessary and ruin the album’s flow.

The best showcase of the new Quicksand is the lush Cosmonauts. Schreifels’ vocals are restrained and emotive, floating amongst dreamy guitars. Their embrace of pretty melodies is a welcome touch, showing a lot of musical growth has happened over the last 20-plus years.

The rhythms of bassist Sergio Vega and drummer Alan Cage have always been Quicksand’s secret weapon, and it’s still the case on Interiors. They give tracks like Under The Screw a frantic groove, and build an unbearable tension across Sick Mind. It’s a shame Cage’s drums aren’t higher in the mix; even though Vega’s bass packs brawn, more of Cage’s drumming could’ve given the album a fuller sound.

The years may have wearied Quicksand, but they push against their new limitations. The only weak-link is Schreifels’ vague and uninteresting lyrics—the only stand-out is the clunker “New phone/ Who is this?” But the enriched musicianship makes up for this, making Interiors a strong come-back for Quicksand.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Illuminant, Cosmonauts, Under The Screw
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