The story of QUICKSAND DREAM goes back to the late 90s when the Swedish metallers recorded this material that nowadays is released via High Roller Records in vinyl and only for 500 lucky listeners who like bands like the cornerstones MANILLA ROAD and IRON MAIDEN; if I hear the word 'cliche' from you, I will go ape! You can easily see that QUICKSAND DREAM could be a project formed by two individuals: Goran Jacobson who did the vocals and the mastermind of the band, Patrick Backlund, who played all the instruments on "Aelin: A Story About Destiny" but the keyboards. Pure Heavy Metal with the bass lines on top and a characteristic heartrending voice on helm are the two main marks of QUICKSAND DREAM combining many virtues: simplicity, loose, epic and sensibility at the same time, without being light or micro.

Reminding a little bit albums like the debut of their compatriots DEAD MAN (without the psych tunes), or even better the older "Granicus" in a more metallic mode, "Aelin: A Story About Destiny" is a 100% Heavy Metal record which has raw but inspiring moments and a social concept theme about choices of following your heart or predetermined and dark paths of sorcery. It consists of 7 tracks that reach 51 minutes totally and has a beginning, a middle and an end which unfold through the fantasy-oriented lyrics. The second track, "A Child Was Born" has a bombastic and glorious introduction like the main catchy riff till the middle of it which acquires a doomy theme that fades out nice and easy and passes the baton to the previous riff again.

But my favorite composition afar is "House Of Wisdom" and its certain hooking SABBATH-esque theme which fits perfect the reading of Goran Jacobson, reminding of BLACK WIDOW's past performances. As heavy and doomed as "Aelin's Oath" is and still Jacobson's voice brings me in mind something between Johan Rydholm and Woody Leffel. The epic characteristic is diffusive through the album and the perfect production of the vinyl sets in an appropriate way the final result, keeping the old school MANILLA ROAD temper.

So far, so good; "Aelin: A Story About Destiny" is an album that brings us the QUICKSAND DREAM's past scent. What about today? I agree that 10 years have passed and it still sounds fresh and good looking but can we expect a new effort from nowadays' QUICKSAND DREAM? The answer seems to be an unrevealed secret; till we find it out and unlock all the secrets of the world, "Aelin: A Story About Destiny" is nothing but a nice pal.
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