Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Quest of Aidance - Fallen Man Collection - 2006 - Pulverised Records

Track Listing1. Imminence 2. Distant World Arrival 3. The Hunter and the Prey 4. Vanishment 5. Man is the Harvest 6. Cranial Works of Art 7. 7th Target 8. Yield

The newly formed Quest of Aidance rise from a Swedish scene showing fresh signs of life. This is a welcome change, as their country’s days as Melodic Death titans have been waning (passing the crown on to Finland, arguably) for some time with no clear-cut successor waiting in the wings. And aside from this de facto geographical bonus, Quest of Aidance have two other prominent features that place them squarely in the positive column. The first, as I have exhaustively discussed elsewhere and will only allude to here, is the inclusion of Christian Älvestam, one of Sweden’s most talented and prolific new minds. This is, of course, not to snub the nearly equally notorious and talented Jonas Kjellgren on opposite axe and vocals. The second feature is the musical style itself, which is comparable to the new field of post-Nasum grind now being pioneered by the likes of Coldworker, Splitter, and Gadget.

The product of this amalgam: monstrous production and sharp performance from all quarters, with an underpinning of catchy riffs and vibes to round out an already attractive package. ‘Fallen Man Collection’ is an almost comically short EP at 10 minutes (eight tracks, one of which is an intro, another only :07, with strange atmospheric samplings padding the clock-in time of nearly every song), but the actual material that is presented exudes brutal confidence and depth.

Although the Swedish style of melodic riffing has sadly become overused in recent years (leading the genre and those associated with it into period of recession) it is still one of metal’s best assets. Used with judicious moderation, its inclusion here is the catalyst for Quest of Aidance’s ferocious and really quite addictive battery.

That these musicians, even under their ‘alter ego’ groups (which include Scar Symmetry, Torchbearer, Unmoored, and Centinex), go largely unrecognized is a shame. Quest of Aidance combines some of the best traits of their collective experience, producing a blistering grind/brutal death hybrid that will be absolutely devastating once it reaches the high gears of a full-length release.




--Etiam 04.23.07