5/6 - metalreview.com

Hot damn, you mean to tell me that super groups aren't always less than the
sum of their parts? Get outta here. I approached this self-titled EP by
Baltimore's Quills with both high expectations and a certain degree of
caution. The band features members of Misery Index, Ruiner, and Swarm of the
Lotus, all of whom have put out very impressive albums over the past year.
Somehow, though, they manage to actually fulfill the intimidating level of
potential suggested by those names, and this release is one of the most
compelling grindcore albums I've heard in a long time.

It's a goddamn shame that it's so short too, because these boys could wreak
some serious havoc with a little more time. As it stands, though, Quills is
a seven-minute blast of hooky melody played with absolutely scalding speed
and intensity. It is brief, to the point, and almost instantaneously
memorable, which is far more than I can say for virtually any grind. Danny
Porter (Ruiner), behind this album and his main band's recent EP, has firmly
established himself as one of the most innovative and exciting young
hardcore/grindcore guitarists around. He's gifted with an unfailing knack
for crafting blistering high-velocity chord structures that somehow
simultaneously maintain a stunning capacity for hair-raising catchiness.
Drummer Chris Csar (ex-Swarm of the Lotus) and Misery Index/Dying Fetus bass
honcho Jason Netherton provide a super-tight and oftentimes crusty rhythmic
bass to Porter's desperate fury. The overall effect is something like His
Hero Is Gone ripping through their set in doubletime while Pg. 99 and Orchid
egg them on, and it's friggin' beautiful. Some of these songs have even
gotten STUCK IN MY HEAD ("I Sank Your Battleship," "The Flickering Light"),
and if you know your grind you know exactly how much that means.

It'll be a fucking crime if these guys don't put out a full-length, and the
sooner the better. Seven minutes of this shit just ain't enough.



http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=784

8/10

Hoarse vocals, flailing blast beats and odd skronky guitar chords in a
seven-minute maelstrom — if you want grind, you got it! This Baltimore band,
sporting current and former members of MISERY INDEX and SWARM OF THE LOTUS,
shreds flesh with quickness and lethal intensity on this, their debut LP
(also available on 7" from an even smaller and more obscure label, natch).

What's cool about the QUILLS approach is that it's a bit more linear than
the usual math-splatter in fashion today. These guys hearken back to a time
when bands like BRUTAL TRUTH could create ugliness, but still kinda thrash
out too – there's definitely some mid-to-late-'90s hardcore influence here,
including honest-to-Christ breakdown action, and insane-o riffs that
actually get repeated four or eight times, long enough to latch on to them.

And if that sounds too staid and boring for you, keep in mind the whole
thing's still seven fucking minutes long. It's still pretty damn brutal and
would make 99.9% of the earth's population cry — it just happens to have
some memorable parts as well, which isn't a crime (well, maybe a fashion
faux-pas these days, but that's it). The end result is something all too
rare: a short grind album that actually makes you wish it was a bit longer.


- Keith Bergman


http://www.exclaim.ca

By Greg Pratt
August 03, 2006

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.


www.undergroundreview.net

Quills – Self-Titled
Galy Records
Grindcore

I wasn't really familiar with Maryland's Quills before I received their
latest self-titled offering in the mail, but after hearing this brief, but
none-stop caustic assault, their name is definitely not one to forget.
Quills has members from other acts such as Ruiner, Misery Index, and an
ex-Swarm of the Lotus member, but what I got was something I didn't expect.
I figured this was going to be some sort of dissonant Metalcore or Hardcore
release, considering the other projects the members have been in. But
instead, I got an 8-song, 7-minute-short EP filled with pummeling,
unrelenting Grindcore that gives Phobia and Terrorizer a run for their
money. As you just read, this thing is only 7 minutes long, and as the band
states, they like to "Keep it short, keep it fast"; let me tell you, they
stick to their words and have created one heck of an album, even is there's
not much to absorb.

Since this EP is criminally short, I'd feel stupid going into all the little
details with what it offers, so I'm going to keep this review short, too.

The album, from start to finish, just batters your brains with unrelenting,
lightening fast, and sometimes groove-laden Grindcore similar to the
aforementioned groups Phobia and Terrorizer, and even carrying some
resemblance of the lesser known His Hero is Gone. The production is caustic
and music itself is raw, but when it comes to this style of music, this
album carves a nice little niche in the Grindcore world and sticks out. I
even hear a tiny hint of melody through all the thick riffing and blasting
percussion, which brings to mind some of Ruiner's melodic Hardcore
influence. All of the songs are super short; the longest ("I Sank Your
Battleship") lasting a mere 1:29 and the shortest ("One Year Under Ten
Seconds") clocking in at 7 seconds. But none-the-less, I was entertained
with the short amount of brutality this album contains. And with
surprisingly strong lyricism and a solid production, overall this makes for
a good listen, and will certainly be in repeat on my stereo for a while. If
you like Grindcore, especially bands like Phobia, Terrorizer, His Hero is
Gone, and Sayyadina, this will make a fine addition to your collection. For
a small price you can't go wrong with Quills.