Artist: Quest of Aidance
Title: Dark Are The Skies At Hand
Type: EP
Label: Pulverised Records

Swedish death grinders QOA release their second EP, and this is a band that really needs to get out a full-length album. Their last release ‘Fallen Man Collection’ was one of those random purchases from a consistently good label, so when it came for this to be reviewed, I could not say no. Recovering from the immediate battering of opening tune ‘Distant World Arrival’, it kind of sounds like an alien force landing (they do like the Arnie film “Predator” by all accounts!), power, aggression, blast beats and pure death tones mixed for good ear bleeding pleasure. Without any reading material with this release, the second track ‘Red Dust’ does sound like it has been recorded in a different studio, although I will leave an open comment on this, as I am not sure, but it does appear to sound different in level and tone. But this is not going to stop you grooving with the opening guitar work before being ground into submission. This is a particular head fuck, and chaotic with ‘Sirian Bleed’ doing pretty much the same thing. Six and a half minutes are completely wasted on this EP with two tracks that have no business or place being there, what a wasted opportunity! Dark ambient and an overture, not really in keeping with the previous head battering now is it? So alas, the final track ‘Yield’ quickly finishes things off in a very much grind state of affairs.

What does QOA offer? Tight, groovy death/grind, similar to that of Germany’s Depression, but unfortunately they have put two duff tracks on a short wondrous release. But one can only hope that these EP releases are a taster for a full length album, QOA are talented and fit perfectly with your need to brandish everyone else in the world a motherf*cker and to get out of your way, so that would make perfect driving music…not! In all seriousness, a brutal assault, a great release.

http://www.myspace.com/questofaidance
http://www.pulverised.net