title: Quicksand created: 2026-04-07 updated: 2026-04-07 type: band tags: [band, post-hardcore, era-1990s, era-2010s, era-2020s] sources: [raw/articles/quicksand-wikipedia.md]

Quicksand

New York City. Formed 1990 by Walter Schreifels (guitar/vocals, ex-gorilla-biscuits), Tom Capone (guitar), Sergio Vega (bass), and Alan Cage (drums). Post-hardcore. One of the most important bands bridging NYHC and the alternative/post-hardcore of the 90s.

Key Releases

Slip (1993, revelation-records) — Debut. “Dine Alone,” “Fazer,” “Omission.” Dense, rhythmic post-hardcore. One of the best debut albums in the genre.
Manic Compression (1995, Island/Atlantic) — Major label. More polished. “Thorn in My Side,” “Delusional.” Commercially disappointing — the major label couldn’t market it.

The NYHC-to-Post-Hardcore Pipeline

Walter Schreifels played in virtually every important NYHC band: Youth of Today (bass), Gorilla Biscuits (guitar), CIV. His move to Quicksand — a more atmospheric, rhythmically complex band — represented NYHC’s evolution into post-hardcore. Schreifels proved that hardcore kids could make sophisticated, dynamic music without losing intensity.

After Quicksand

Rival Schools (2001-2003, reunited 2008-present) — United by Fate (2001). More indie-rock influenced.
Walking Concert — Schreifels solo project.
Quicksand reunited (2012, then again 2017-present) — Interiors (2017), Distant Populations (2021). Proved they still had it.

Sergio Vega

Bassist Sergio Vega went on to join Deftones (2009-present) — connecting the NYHC world to the alternative metal world.

gorilla-biscuits — Schreifels’s previous band
nyhc — the scene
revelation-records — their label
post-hardcore — the genre

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