Quills

Eight songs in seven minutes is an equation that sounds pretty good to my grind-fried ears, and Maryland’s Quills are a welcome treat from Quebec’s Galy Records. Very old school in approach, these guys play a bass-heavy and totally destructive style of hardcore and metal. In spirit it evokes the mighty Brutal Truth, and in sonics it brings to mind His Hero Is Gone and, especially, Malefaction. The production is excellent, slightly muddy but to great effect. While it’s by no means a technical workout, each member is more than adept at their instrument. Cool riffs are all over the place, with an occasional melody creeping in; the drum work is almost hysterical, not with chops but with energy. With a member of Misery Index in the band, Quills are the antithesis of that band’s clinical approach to crafting extreme grind — this is a drunken fistfight captured on analogue, as opposed to a perfectionist band and their digital technology. Both bands are tops though, making me think Maryland could be the next great place for extreme music. This is an excellent EP, with a vibe that’s missing in a lot of extreme releases these days. And believe me, you won’t even want it to be a second longer. It’s that good.