Quicksand's chugging, New York City post-hardcore seethes with early ‘90s Gen X angst. The band's two full-length records—Slip and Manic Compression—became highly influential for groups like At the Drive-In and Absolve. Both albums are weighty and destructive, mixing sludgy, overdriven guitar and tense atmospheres with catchy hooks and melodies. Their brand of alternative metal opts for less flash and more gloom, relying on crushing distortion and singer Walter Schreifels' impassioned lyrics about the dark complexities of existence.