Album Review: Worst/Rust Proof Split - 'Violent Assault From The Southern Sphere'

Like Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama, I’m up for whatever. Including split releases, like say, Rust Proof's and Worst's new 7" split, ‘Violent Assault From The Southern Sphere’.

Maybe it goes without saying, but split releases can be a great thing for like-minded artists to put out. It can help get one another exposed to each other’s fan bases. It can neatly fill in time between albums and tours, and often, it can generate some great songs. These releases usually come about because the two bands are best buds with each other (highly likely), Or they put a bunch of band names on a wall and blindly threw a dart at them to see who they'd collaborate with next (highly unlikely). Other times, it’s just because they’re on the same label and it makes sense from a business and stylistic perspective.

While the first joint release between Rust Proof and Worst meets the criteria for the latter, that doesn’t make it a bad thing, not by any means. Both bands share the commonality of being apart of 10-54 Records and share the same love and passion for hardcore music, despite the former being from Geelong and the latter being from São Paulo. Both bands write straight-up hardcore jams and while neither band is that original musically, not by any stretch of the imagination, goddamnit do they pull off this sound and style well.

Okay, okay, enough beating around the bush.

Rust Proof have released two new gems into the wild for this split -'A Mortal Low' and ‘Cretin’. They're definitely more metallic sounding and crunchy than their Brazilian buddies (who are more of a brutal, blunt force object musically speaking). The former track is groovy and thick - typical RP, really. Whereas the latter is faster, more vicious until the final minute where the band get really jiggy with it and groove the fuck out. This is perhaps one of my favourite Rust Proof songs thus far, and Chugga's vocals (so Aussie) are just brutal at times, and that makes them stick out from the crowd, I think. Musically, these two tracks do feel like B-sides from their last record, ‘Civil Treason’, but that’s o-fucking-kay with me as that record was damn solid to begin with. Y'know, build from your foundations and all that.

On the flip side, Worst’s contribution to this split is ‘Born In The 3^rd World’ and ‘Target On My Chest’, both of which are equally solid. As I said above, Worst's music is basically a blunt force object to the head and both of these songs prove that to be true. It's also easy to see that these dudes love their riffs and that they really love their breakdowns, as evident by the end of ‘Born In The 3^rd World’. But it's not a cliché, Warped Tour love for breakdowns, it's more of a "I-will-legitimately-kill-you-and-your-family-during-this-breakdown" kinda way. You feel me? Course ya do!

The only problem I have with split releases such as these is that if it’s with two bands you really like and they only do a song or two, you're left wanting more. A lot more. Quality over quantity, always, but I wouldn’t have minded a little bit more to sink my audible teeth (ears?) into. I would have loved a cover from each group, whether it was a cover of one another’s songs or even a rendition from a group that they really look up to. Good God, I'd love to see Worst covering 'Destroy Everything' or Rust Proof performing a 'Heavenhell' cover (*cue the salivating at the mouth a la Homer Simpson).

Hardcore is probably my most beloved genre of music. With two bands like Rust Proof and Worst, two groups that I think really embody what hardcore is about, I can really get behind the work they put out. Yes, neither band is reinventing the wheel, but you don't have to reinvent with each new release as the best hardcore and metal albums haven't revolutionised their respective genres - they just did it really well! So make sure you show that stuck-up reinvention-seeking wheel the underside of your boot and give it a good kick in the ass, much like this split does.

1. Rust Proof – A Mortal Low

2. Rust Proof – Cretin

3. Worst – Born In The 3^rd World’

4. Worst - Target On My Chest