Gainesville, Florida's As Friends Rust formed in 1996, in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Though the band has undergone several lineup changes in its five years of existence, they manage to tour almost constantly, churning out their first few EP's at a good, systematic pace, until finally taking a lengthy break to re-organize and write an album's worth of material. Compared most often to the likes of Dag Nasty, Avail, Samiam and even Gorilla Biscuits, As Friends Rust have quickly become a quintessential band for fans of energetic hardcore with strong melodic leanings. They blend punk/hardcore angst with indie-pop hooks and leads, never neglecting the timeless rock n' roll backbone that bonds it all together. Live, no urgency, or pop-sensibility is compromised, as shows often end with showgoers stampeding the stage, leaving the band wondering exactly where their microphones went. Belgium's Goodlife Recordings introduced As Friends Rust to a hardcore world dominated by tired and redundant metal bands, with a five song EP entitled "The Fists of Time", soon followed by a split EP with pop-punk legends Discount. The next release, a self-titled EP, was put out by both Goodlife and Doghouse Records, and eventually Doghouse reissued all of the band's previous efforts. As Friends Rust has done extensive tours of the United States with internationally acclaimed punk acts like Dillinger Four, Discount, and most recently with Strike Anywhere. In Europe, the band has headlined several tours, as they alone have not experienced much difficulty pulling in 400+ show-goers. They have also been invited to play festivals everywhere, sharing bills with anyone from The Get Up Kids to Buzzcocks and Motorhead. Back from a healthy hiatus, As Friends Rust plan to continue this pattern of releasing and touring.