Review Summary: Mediocrity, thy name is Rust.
The benefits of the Internet to the music world are well known to all. While the Interwebs can sometimes work as a double-edged sword, sapping money from music companies through piracy and illegal downloads, the fact remains that for the artists - particularly the lesser-known ones - there are very little downsides to file sharing. You become better known, build a fanbase, get people to your concerts (thus generating money indirectly) and can even put a stopper on bootlegging and piracy.
This was exactly the case for Greek metallers Rust. The band are veterans of the scene, having been around for over two decades now, but have, in all this time, put out a single official album, 1990's
Shoot Them Higher. In amidst the turmoil of the next few years, with two scrapped albums and severe stylistic changes, the band's one and only opus began to be heavily bootlegged, seeing as its original release had been limited to the band's home country. As such, the band decided for the lesser of two evils, and put the album up for grabs on their website. A laudable gesture, to be sure; but was
Shoot Them Higher really worth all the fuss? In a word: no.
In fact, this is the kind of album whose imprtance is acquired solely on the back of rarity and collectible value. Musically, while never less than entertaining, it has very little to offer, being exceedingly derivative, lacking choruses and often descending into mediocrity.
Style-wise, Rust play the kind of heavy metal that was already a decade late even in 1990. The prevalent sound on
Shoot Them Higher is pure NWOBHM, from the shaky, lo-fi production to the angular riffs, prominent bass and mid-high-pitch vocals. Sadly, while this style is known to rub most metal veterans the right way, it also has some clear shortcomings, which Rust are powerless to escape. And while nothing here ever approaches the levels of stupid perpetrated by some of the original movement's bands (Tygers of Pan Tang, anyone?), there is also nothing that can make this album stand out from a throng of similar ones.
Being Greek, Rust were obviously concerned with being as classic as possible; therefore, it comes as no surprise that songs like the title track,
Out Of Control or
Time take their cues from bands like Manilla Road, Tygers of Pan Tang, the German Steeler, Angel Witch or even early Warlock. The production is wavering, the musicianship and attitude punky, the vocals high-pitched, the rhythm section generally fast-paced and rather prominent, there are hard rock elements, and the whole thing sounds like a trip back in time. One can easily see the band clad in denim, leather and white sneakers, rehearsing in a room full of Wytchfynde posters. Sadly, the foursome never really shows the talent necessary to join the elite of the style, which results on this album being the very definition of averageness. The songs are pleasant while they last, but leave very little in their wake, other than a chorus or two; the riffs and general song structures recall ten thousand other bands; and while the lead singer and the bass player in particular are quite talented, a few clumsy transitions from acoustic to electric and the shaky sound quality end up dragging the band down.
In short, then, this was a release that hardly needed a revival. Sure, this second coming has the added benefit of being free for anyone to sample. However, the interest in the original product was hardly justified, and most customers are likely to have that initial taste and leave it at that. As for the band, they valiantly trudge on, currently working on an album described as having death/thrash metal leanings (!) And while this one is dismissed by Rust itself as a symptom of youth, that's only all the more reason not to revive it. No harm in giving it a try, but you'll be losing nothing if you give it a pass.
Recommended Tracks
Out Of Control
That Look
One More Time
Download it officially for FREE here: http://www.rust.gr/
