Walter Schreifels is a post-hardcore renaissance man whose talents I first encountered in 1993 while working at a record store. We received an advance copy of Slip by Quicksand, a band I’d never heard of before. But back then, we would give anything a spin. The lead single was “Fazer,” an intriguing track that stood out amidst a transformative period in music—sitting in the timeline between the debut albums from Rage Against the Machine and Korn.
Despite their sound often drawing comparisons to contemporaries like Helmet and Fugazi, Quicksand, in my view, surpassed these parallels through their exceptional songwriting. Their music was not just accessible; it was undeniably captivating. Every track on Slip was a post-hardcore gem, mirroring the consistency and depth found on Def Leppard’s Hysteria, but within a post-hardcore metal context.
Slip was, in many ways, the Hysteria of its genre—not in terms of mainstream hits, but as a near-perfect record for its time and niche. When Quicksand released their second album, it presented an elevated level of polish and production. However, despite its artistic merit, it didn’t garner the commercial success one might have hoped for. Quite frankly, I think they got fucked by a label that didn’t know what to do with them.
Leap forward to 2001, and Schreifels made a triumphant return with another project, Rival Schools. The band burst onto the scene with the instant classic “United by Fate.” Had Schreifels finally found his breakthrough? Could this fusion of his unmistakable voice with a fresh stylistic approach finally resonate with the masses? It appeared so.