Falling somewhere between the anthemic alternative hard rock of Pearl Jam and the artsy, psuedo-metal experiments of Jane's Addiction, Rust's debut album Bar Chord Ritual is a well-crafted slice of '90s hard rock. Using only the most basic punk influences -- Ramones, Sex Pistols, Nirvana -- Rust concentrates on the AOR undertones of Pearl Jam's Ten, which means they fall closer to conventional hard rock than anything that could be labelled "alternative." Though they sometimes come up short with melodies, the band has a sheer, heavy power that will satisfy fans of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and Bush.