A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times

Composition and recording

Before beginning work on its first full-length album Won in early 2001, As Friends Rust went through major line-up changes in late 2000. The band had previously released three extended plays; The Fists of Time, a split with Discount (both in 1998) and As Friends Rust (in 1999), and had been touring in promotion of that material since June 1998. As Friends Rust had hoped to record a full-length album in late 1999 or early 2000, but was unable to compose enough new material. Prior to leaving on a European and British tour in September 2000, guitarist James Glayat and drummer Timothy Kirkpatrick announced their desire to leave the band upon returning home. However, tensions during the tour ultimately caused a much bigger change in membership, so much so that the future of As Friends Rust was questioned.

Ex-As Friends Rust guitarist Peter Bartsocas was visiting Europe at the same time and decided to travel with the band. When Glayat injured his leg during the first week of the tour and flew home early, Bartsocas filled the vacant guitarist position. Several shows later, lead vocalist Damien Moyal lost his voice, leading bass guitarist and backing vocalist Kaleb Stewart to take up lead vocals, and in turn Bartsocas temporarily filled in as bass guitarist. Moyal and guitarist Joseph Simmons called Christopher "Floyd" Beckham (Glayat's at-the-time roommate, and an ex-member of Morning Again, Culture and Crucible) from Europe, asking him to join As Friends Rust as its new guitarist upon returning home, much to Stewart's dismay, leading the latter to quit the band. Moyal and Stewart were initially to stay over in Europe following As Friends Rust's tour, for a second tour with their other band Bridgeburne R, but Moyal was forced to find a new bass guitarist for both bands, as well as a new drummer for As Friends Rust. Due to its membership changes, As Friends Rust had to pull out of playing Gainesvillefest in December 2000.

The band briefly considered becoming a four-piece, with Simmons as sole guitarist and Beckham as bass guitarist (finding it easier to fill a single missing member on drums), and shortening the band's name to The Rust. By early 2001, the band was actively writing material for its planned first full-length album, as part of its existing three-release recording contract with Doghouse Records. The Doghouse Records contract called for one extended play (used up with As Friends Rust) and two full-length albums; The Fists of Time: An Anthology of Short Fiction and Non-Fiction was a reissue of previously recorded material and did not count towards the contract.

Release and packaging

The artwork and layout for A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times was designed and constructed by Moyal and frequent visual collaborator Jason Page (who had worked on As Friends Rust, The Fists of Time: An anthology of Short Fiction and Non-Fiction and Won). The cover art's main photograph was taken by Sarah Prieres. Due to contractual obligations, the band was required to include "As Friends Rust appears courtesy of Doghouse Records" in the booklet.

Equal Vision Records released A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times on compact disc and 12" vinyl on May 28, 2002. German record label Defiance Records, which had previously released Won on compact disc and 12" vinyl for the European market, licensed the rights to the extended play through an existing deal with Doghouse Records. Defiance Records' compact disc and 12" vinyl editions were released a day earlier than the American one, on May 27, 2002.

Promotion

At the time of Moyal's departure in late February 2002, As Friends Rust already had several upcoming shows scheduled and was in the midst of booking an entire year's worth of tours around the globe to fulfill its touring obligations to Doghouse Records, Defiance Records, Howling Bull Entertainment and Equal Vision Records in promotion of both Won and the forthcoming A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times. The band was also talking about writing a second full-length album and was being courted by larger record labels. Beckham initially stepped up as temporary lead vocalist, and former As Friends Rust guitarist Gordon Tarpley returned to fill the vacant guitarist position, as the band embarked on a short American Midwest tour supporting Sick of It All, Shai Hulud and Thursday during the first week of March 2002. This was immediately followed by a week-long American East Coast tour with Coheed and Cambria, The Stryder, Fairweather, Liars Academy, This Day Forward and Prevent Falls, which spanned from March 4–12, 2002, as part of the Equal Vision Records Presents: Spring Showcase 2002 Tour, and a one-off date opening for Agnostic Front in New York. On the way back to Florida, the band stopped to perform at the Chaos Days Festival in Savannah, Georgia on March 15, 2002.

Adam D'Zurilla (formerly of Short Order, Esteem, Die Tomorrow and Kumité) was finally welcomed as Moyal's replacement in late March 2002, allowing Beckham to return to playing guitar. D'Zurilla's first show was at the Hell City Tattoo Festival in Columbus, Ohio on April 5, 2002. As Friends Rust next embarked on a week-long American East Coast tour with Orlando, Florida-based metalcore band Bloodlet and California-based alternative metal band Hotwire, spanning from April 11–19, 2002, and on the way back stopped to play at Gorefest in Miami, Florida. A couple weeks' worth of shows were planned for mid-May 2002 with Gainesville punk rock band House on Fire and Texas emo band Pop Unknown, but most of the dates fell through and As Friends Rust ended up playing a series of one-off shows across the Southern United States. At the end of May 2002, As Friends Rust played a week's worth of Florida shows with New Jersey post-hardcore band Prevent Falls and Georgia melodic punk rock band Whippersnapper.

As Friends Rust played in Canada for the first time during a two-week tour that spanned from May 28 to June 9, 2002. The entire tour was originally to be shared with Montreal, Quebec-based punk rock band The Sainte Catherines, and covered nearly all of the country, but due to last minute changes, As Friends Rust ended up playing mostly newly booked shows restricted to Quebec and Ontario. The Canadian tour was immediately followed by a full-scale, month-and-a-half-long American tour, accompanied once again by Prevent Falls. Boston, Massachusetts-based post-hardcore band Garrison and South Bend, Indiana-based hardcore band Clark joined select legs of the tour. The tour included a show in nearly every State, and spanned from June 12 to July 28, 2002, during which time As Friends Rust had the opportunity to play Krazy Fest 5 in Louisville, Kentucky, and three Van's Warped Tour dates in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. Upon returning home in late July 2002, Beckham quit the band.

Critical reception

A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times received mostly positive critical acclaim upon release. As Friends Rust's style was described by most critics as more punk rock and less hardcore than previous releases, also bordering on mainstream rock and pop rock. Nevertheless, the band was still categorized as a melodic hardcore, emotional hardcore, punk rock, and post-hardcore band. Some critics also heard elements of rap or rap metal beginning to seep in.

Unlike with the band's past releases, reviewers less often compared them to other bands and pointed out that As Friends Rust had developed and matured, refining a sound of its own. Critics noted that A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times showcased the band at its peak, continuing a progression and evolution from Won. Comparisons were still drawn to Hot Water Music, Avail, Alkaline Trio, Dag Nasty, Henry Rollins, Glenn Danzig, Less Than Jake, Reach the Sky, Good Clean Fun, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Thursday, At the Drive-In, Saves the Day, and Strike Anywhere, along with perceived elements of Sisters of Mercy, Pink Floyd, Type O Negative, and Dinosaur Jr.

The music on A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times was described as radio-friendly, melodic, energetic, catchy, driving, and poppy. The six songs were praised as innovative and unique, having clever tempo changes, and for being different from each other. Wisner's production was also praised, as it had been on Won.

Moyal's vocals on the extended play were also singled out by many critics who admired his ability to sing and scream with equal dexterity. His vocals were noted as smoother, less raspy, and deeper than on earlier releases. His lyrics were lauded as profound, clever, deep, coherent, well-thought out, having a strong message, and suggested as well-worth reading.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Moyal. All music written by Simmons, Beckham, Swain and Rankine, except where noted. Credits are adapted from the EP's liner notes.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the EP's liner notes.

As Friends Rust

Damien Moyal – lead and backing vocals, guitar on "Up and Went"

Joseph Simmons – guitar

Christopher Beckham – guitar

Thomas Rankine – bass guitar

Zachary Swain – drums

Guest musicians

James Paul Wisner – additional guitar and synthesizer on "Up and Went"

Production

James Paul Wisner – recording engineer, mixer and producer at Wisner Productions

As Friends Rust – co-producer

Damien Moyal – co-producer, design and layout

Jason Page – design, layout and construction

Sarah Prieres – photography