Quicksand was always one of the bands I'd hear my high school friends crappin' on. Basically, they said they couldn't cut it, which I guess came down to the simple fact they were all Deftones fans and crazy about Sergio Vega on the bass. It didn't help how quickly Quicksand folded too. Anyways, it took me years before I could really chime into this debate, or even appreciate both bands and honestly, I can now say that either one I'll listen to... anytime. I've got no horse in this race but what I can stand by is that Interiors, Quicksand's first album since 1995, is a sound argument why they should never have stopped making music in the first place.
They've got some negative press lately but with a new album out, if you're a fan you only want to hear about the positive. Not on and off reunions or criminal activities of a member gone off the rails, but something worthwhile and lasting, which Interiors provides. Walter Schriefels (vocals, guitar) reminds us why we should stand by their side, fans old and new, pushing the baggage of their Deftones, the Gorilla Biscuits and heck, even Rival Schools' links all down into the basement. Well, at least for the opening tracks.
This allows Quicksand to rise up, take a deep breath and then pull you under with their reintroduction. And so they do with aplomb. The record starts off in their vintage style --thumping bass, dense guitars and a post-hardcore sound that takes you right back to the early '90s. A bit thicker, slightly grungier than the old days and a tad, well, I'd just say, more flexible. "Illuminant" and "Under The Screw" are as classic as you'll get and the perfect examples to illustrate this point.
A musical break then follows and chucks you into the middle of the record, taking you to another era via Interiors' time machine and well, that's to the era of Rival Schools. "Cosmonauts" is a gentler and slicker rock anthem (oh yeah, much more melodic too) while "Hyperion" gets all shimmery and a tad shoegaze to really show that Quicksand aren't confined to their sandbox, willing to pay homage to the sidestreams that comprise their vast body of musical style and formative influences.
These songs in particular don't feel like typical Quicksand but they do come off as a natural evolution, with "Hyperion" even touching base with label-mates, Pianos Become The Teeth's Keep You. The last few closing songs do attain a balance between the rough, rugged songs I mentioned above though, and these smoother tracks (which I admit are the most Deftones-y songs on tap) -- especially "Normal Love" -- perfectly bookend Schriefels' smart takes on his never-ending wars in life. All set to buzzy guitars and a bass-kit dynamic that adds so much oomph and clout to a band that, well, doesn't really have to do much to get you going. Dive in and see if you emerge alive.