Bring On The Psychics

It’s impossible to overstate the influence that Quicksand has had on the hardcore scene. Formed in New York City in 1990 out of the ashes of Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Burn, and Bold, the band took the aggression of hardcore and added a more groove-driven crunch to it, unintentionally inventing the genre known today as post-hardcore. After releasing two major-label masterpieces in the nineties-1993’s Slip and 1995’s Manic Compression-the band split up at the peak of their powers, only to reunite in 2012 and release Interiors and Distant Populations. Inspired by a quote from scientist Carl Sagan, Bring On The Psychics, Quicksand’s first album in five years and Equal Vision Records debut, sees guitarist/vocalist Walter Schreifels examining his past through his present reality. “For this album, I was going back to a lot of my earlier influences like Break Down The Walls or Start Today,” he explains. “Regardless of whether you’re into hardcore or youth crew, they’re really cool records because they’re speaking to the time and providing possible paths to a better future … with mosh parts. That’s the energy that I wanted to bring to this.” From the hook-driven heaviness of the opener “Get To It” to the shoegaze splendor of “Crystallize,” the band covers a lot of sonic ground on Bring On The Psychics, but it always sounds like Quicksand. Its technical virtuosity is on full display here as well, from bassist Sergio Vega’s locked-in bass grooves on “Cool Guy” to Alan Cage’s dynamic drumming on the album’s title track. The band also stretched out musically on the album as evidenced by the breezy ballad “Days You Run To,” a song that might even surprise longtime fans.