Refused- The Shape of Punk to Come
On this album, Refused was:
Dennis Lyxzen- Vocals
Kristofer Steen- Guitar, Bass, Drums
David Sandstrom- Drums, Guitar
Jon Brannstrom- Guitar, Samplers
Torbjorn Nasbom- Violin
Jakob Munck- Upright bass
Pelle Henricsson- Tambourine
Classical music has its masters. Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, Liszt; they all made beautiful music and they are all worthy of the title of master. Hardcore punk also has a master, and who else could it be but Refused? These masters of their genre influenced countless bands and helped define modern hardcore music. While listening, you might say, “This isn’t punk!” Oh but it is. Power chords and almost unintelligible singing, the stereotypical punk sound, didn’t appeal to Refused. They created something unique. Something great. Something…beautiful. This was the Shape of Punk to Come, their last album. Refused broke up after the album was released, “unable to reconcile their anarchist leanings with a career in music”. Whatever that means… but now for the review.
Hailing from Sweden, Refused was a band that really couldn’t be confined to one genre. Like many other hardcore bands, they had the heavily distorted guitars, the ear-splitting screamed vocals, and the far left, anarchist lyrics. But they also added upright bass, cello, violin, and synthesizers into the mix and created their distinct sound. These non-hardcore instruments make several appearances throughout the record. The guitar work is top notch, alternating between almost metal lines, hardcore riffs, and peaceful licks. The bass is great as well, filling in the gaps, laying down some outstanding lines, and also has solos in a few of the songs. The drums do their job quite well, and there is *gasp* a drum solo in one of the songs.
While there are definitely no bad tracks, I will only examine a few highlights. The Deadly Rhythm is a fiery song that starts off with what is a probably a prerecorded sample of American swing music. The sample is quickly crushed by heavy distorted guitar riffs and Dennis screaming lyrics aimed at industry, laws, and religion. The next song, Summerholidays Vs. Punkroutine starts off with a palm muted guitar lick. A very nice bassline is laid down and the guitar riff continues on top of that. There is a bass solo toward the end as well. The lyrics in this song seem to concern money and its importance to our society. I may be wrong however. A short synth interlude cuts between this and what I believe is one of the greatest songs ever. New Noise starts with a palm muted guitar, and slowly builds into a fiery screed that seems like it could start a revolution. Dennis especially shines in this song, his scream seeming to incite riots and start fires. I can only wonder what this song would be like in a live concert. Not letting go, the album goes through the Refused Party Program, to the drum solo and the seemingly anti-everything lyrics of Protest Song ’68. Probably the most beautiful hardcore song I’ve ever heard, Tannhauser/Derive begins with about a minute of violin, cello, and drums. It builds to a climax and cuts off suddenly, a barely audible guitar lick just breaking the silence. Then, the guitar and bass return with heavy hardcore riffs. Dennis joins the fray with his angry screams, asking “Where do we go from here?” Good question, Dennis, good question.
Any fan of hardcore should own this album. It is a classic. People who don’t enjoy hardcore would probably not like this. However,if you are just getting into Refused, this is definitely the best place to start. It shows Refused at their best, not like the heavy metal Songs To Fan the Flames of Discontent, or any of their various EPs. If you buy the CD though, read the liner notes. I found them very deep and insightful. Very much like a manifesto of sorts. I recommend this to anyone.
5/5
