The Swedish hardcore band Refused seem to have foretold their own legendary status and return on their last album The Shape of Punk to Come. That came out in 1998.
Now, 17 years later, they return in glorious form with their first lead studio effort “Elektra” off their forthcoming album Freedom, which comes out on June 30th on Epitaph records. Freedom will have 10 tracks and was produced by Nick Launay (Arcade Fire, Nick Cave), and with input from Swedish producer Shellback (Britney Spears, Taylor Swift).
“Elektra” rushes out of the gates with a pummeling drum and guitar pattern, and Dennis Lyxzén screaming “Nothing has changed” over and over. It’s true, nothing has changed, Refused kill it like not a day has passed since The Shape of Punk to Come. The track continues in a groove and builds up over the course of a relatively short 3 minutes making for a satisfying dose of hardcore bliss.
This summer, Refused will be going out on tour, first hitting NYC on June 6 at the Bowery Ballroom and June 7 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Then, later in the summer, they’ll head around again for a tour with the similarly regrouped Faith No More who will be playing a huge show together at Madison Square Garden August 5th.
Freedom Tracklist:
01. Elektra
02. Old Friends / New War
03. Dawkins Christ
04. Françafrique
05. Thought Is Blood
06. War on the Palaces
07. Destroy the Man
08. 366
09. Servants of Death
10. Useless Europeans
Refused 2015 Tour Dates:
05/02 – Meerhout, BE @ Groezrock
05/22 – Hünxe, DE @ Ruhrpott Rodeo Open Air Festival
05/24 – Las Vegas, NV @ Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival
05/25 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
05/26 – West Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy Theatre
05/28 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
05/29 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
05/30 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
05/31 – Chicago, IL @ Double Door
06/01 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
06/03 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
06/04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
06/05 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
06/20 – Montebello, QC @ Amnesia Rockfest
06/27 – Seinäjoki, FI @ Provinssirock
07/11 – Renon Bz, IT @ Rock im Ring Festival
07/16 – Viveiro, ES @ Resurrection Fest
07/17 – Tønsberg, NO @ Slottsfjell
07/18 – Tonsberg, NO @ Bukta Tromso Open Air Festival
07/30 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Music Park *
07/21 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater *
08/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ Skyline Stage at the Mann Center *
08/02 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion *
08/04 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion *
08/05 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *
08/07 – Toronto, ON @ Ricoh Coliseum *
08/28 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
08/29 – Gräfenhainichen, DE @ Pure & Crafted Festival
08/30 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
* = w/ Faith No More
Article: Steven Klett
