Refused
The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts
Epitaph
“Can I scream? Yeah! We lack the motion to move to the new beat! We dance to all the wrong songs. We enjoy all the wrong moves. We dance to all the wrong songs. We’re not leading!” So screams Refused’s lead singer Dennis Lyxzén on “New Noise.” But, they were leading. The world just needed to hear and to catch the fuck up!
There is a reason why seminal albums become “seminal.” There’s something about that particular group of musicians, at that specific time, that creates something so ahead of the curve, so influential, so revolutionary, that the genius cannot be ignored. Refused are such a band, and The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts is such an album. Originally released in 1998, Refused are releasing a career ending, re-mastered, three LP set with bonus material of demos and unreleased tracks from the recording sessions and the full album, as covered by artists of today (Various Artists: The Shape of Punk to Come Obliterated).
Hardcore punk was experiencing a renaissance in the mid-to-late ’90s through the interpolation of emo and screamo. Refused was founded in 1991 in Sweden, and their first full-length, This Just Might Be… the Truth, in 1994 and second, Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent, in 1996 set the table, but didn’t prepare anyone for the feast that The Shape of Punk to Come would serve. This album changed what could musically be expressed within the hardcore punk genre. It broke molds. From the use of jazz and electronica to the very retro and jazz-influenced album artwork, Refused knew they had created something vital. Important. They were so confident they named the album The Shape of Punk to Come, for fucks sake! Marxist and anti-everything, it was not all that surprising that, like the Sex Pistols, once Refused began to experience a sliver of success and fame outside of basement shows in the punk circuit, they imploded. This was predicted by the band, as well. Track nine is titled “Refused Are Fucking Dead.” The success had everything to do with the massive riff, vocal-cord shredding screams for vocals, and altogether stark and violent video for “New Noise” that increasingly was shown more and more on the nascent MTV2. It’s how I first heard about the band. It’s why I bought the album in 1998, and why it warped my musical tastes and sensibilities in ways I never expected. Never knew I needed. The same way that anyone that heard this album was affected. A new bar had been set. A new paradigm had been created. And just maybe, the idea about furries came from the beginning minute of the video?
This was one of the CDs I took with me when I backpacked my way across most of western Europe in 2002. This album will always be linked to walking from my hostel in Rome to the Vatican to go look at the art (they stole) and architecture (they paid for with stolen wealth). It was a perfect soundtrack to visit the seat of the Roman Catholic machine. That trip was soundtrack by Sigur Rós’s first album, U2 best-ofs, some weird burned-off compilations I had made. I don’t remember the other albums the way I remember those very fast walks in Rome. A local brew pub hosts a vinyl night, and when I brought in The Shape of Punk to Come, eyes grew wide and shiny for those “in the know,” and for those who were just hearing it for the first time, they kept nodding in my direction, eyes opened and smiles showing teeth. Clearly taken over by the power and ferocity of the music.
The Shape of Punk to Come Obliterated, the bonus album, is the reason to buy this set. There are some very inspired covers happening, by bands that make sense (Quicksand, Snapcase, IDLES, Fucked Up) and some that don’t (Cold Cave, IGORR, Touché Amoré), but they each bring their reverence to the track they tackle. It’s abundantly clear that this album has great meaning to each of the bands that contributes. The bones, the trademarks of each track are intact, guitar phrases, drum patterns, vocal deliveries. Why change something when it’s already perfect? An exception is Cold Cave’s take on “Refused Are Fucking Dead,” which gets an icy synth makeover that still somehow works. This go, the lyrics are clear and make the song equally as impactful just from their message.
Back to that “career ending” bit. Refused reformed in 2015 and released two more albums, 2015’s Freedom and 2019’s War Music. They did not reach the same peaks, and with lead singer Dennis Lyxzén recovering from a “massive heart attack” suffered back in June, Refused have announced a final band-ending tour with very limited dates. I never had the opportunity to see Refused because of “circumstances,” but I’ll be damned if I miss this one. From all accounts, the band is mesmerizing in their ferocity. Giving everything they have to each performance. The tour will see the band play The Shape of Punk to Come in album track order.
Refused Farewell North American Tour Dates (2025)
Supported by Quicksand:
March 21 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
March 23 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
March 25 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed
March 27 – San Francisco, CA – The Warfield
March 28 – Los Angeles, CA – Shrine Expo Hall
March 29 – Del Mar, CA – The Sound
March 30 – Phoenix, AZ – Marquee Theatre
April 1 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
April 2 – Salt Lake City, UT – Union Event Center
April 4 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
April 5 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
April 7 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
April 8 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
April 10 – Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts 25th anniversary edition and Various Artists: The Shape of Punk to Come Obliterated are out on Epitaph Records today, November 8, 2024. If you are unfamiliar, what are you waiting for? If you are a long-time fan, you must hear the covers album. It is truly inspired! ◼
