Metalcore is saturated and ridiculed. It comes with a tough crowd to please, and the odds are stacked against those who dream of making an impact. Despite this, Britain is still pretty good at plucking out a jewel and giving them a polish, so the hopefuls continue to queue up. Currently unsigned and unknown, Somerset’s From Rust are next up to deliver their 20-minute pitch: five track EP, ‘Lost Sense of Life’. Sadly, it’s a forgettable release.
Opening offering ‘Whispers’ feels like it dropped a decade ago as uninspiring breakdowns and pinch harmonics litter the single. There is nothing offensive about it, but there lies the problem. Those who are successful demand and retain attention, one way or another, but this rarely progresses past small talk.
‘Predictable Pain’ is the highlight. Every effort has been made to secure a thunderous, professional sound, finally displaying a dynamic and refined side to the five piece. Yet, ‘Grey World’ and ‘Gone Forever’ instantly fall back into old traps. The late introduction of spoken vocals adds nothing but a blot on their bingo card, and only the absence of clean choruses denies them the full house. There is some meat on the bone, but it is not easy to pick out.
In a crowd so fierce and competitive, From Rust will be fortunate to survive the auditions. Any future record needs to hit much harder, and that won’t happen by recycling material from ‘Ascendancy’ and ‘Count Your Blessings’. ‘Lost Sense of Life’ has an essence of promise, so the challenge is to make more of those moments.
MATT BORUCKI