Quicksand and Hot Water Music have a lot of history together, with the former’s Walter Schreifels having produced the latter’s classic No Division album all the way back in 1999. More recently, the two outfits undertook a joint North American tour in 2024, and they also have a European leg launching next month. To further celebrate that friendship, the bands have issued a surprise EP that finds them covering each other’s music.
The four-song split record was released this morning (October 29th) via Equal Vision. Hot Water Music contributed a previously unreleased song called “Undertow,” which was tracked at the same time as their recent Vows record, as well as a faithfully chug-swung cover of “Fazer,” the opener to Quicksand’s legendary 1993 debut LP, Slip.
Quicksand, meanwhile, delivered an original tune titled “Supercollider” and a cover of HWM’s “Free Radio Gainesville.” Schreifels had previously put backup vocals on the No Division version, before picking it up with his own band a quarter century later.
“Like many who grew up listening to hardcore and punk rock from early ages on, we were inspired and driven by a lot of work from all the members that make up Quicksand and of course by Quicksand themselves,” Hot Water Music vocalist-guitarist Chuck Ragan said in a statement, adding that the making of No Division in 1999 with Schreifels “went from surreal and intimidating to completely comforting and empowering. Our respect and admiration grew tenfold until we got the chance to tour with them. We already admired and respected them, now we love them like family.”
For his part, Schreifels said that the new split EP marks a “full circle moment” for him.
He added: “I’m beyond grateful that all these years later Quicksand is back doing what we love along with our brothers in HWM, still playing with that same passion that drew us together in the first place. Feels like home.”
Quicksand and Hot Water Music’s split is streaming in full right now. You can check it all out via the players up above and down below.
The date details on the upcoming European tour can be found here.