Refused
Refused (also known as the Refused)[2][3][4] is a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå and formed in 1991. Refused is composed of vocalist Dennis Lyxzén, guitarist Kristofer Steen, drummer David Sandström, and bassist Magnus Flagge. Guitarist Jon Brännström was a member from 1994, through reunions, until he was fired in late-2014. Their lyrics are often of a non-conformist and politically far-left nature[5][6] and were for a time associated with the straight edge subculture.
This article is about the Swedish band. For the album by The Residents, see Refused (album). For other meanings of the word, see refusal.
Refused
Umeå, Sweden
- 1991–1998
- 2012
- 2014–present
- Spinefarm
- Search and Destroy
- Burning Heart
- Epitaph
- Victory
- We Bite
- Startrec
- Umeå Hardcore[1]
- Dennis Lyxzén
- David Sandström
- Magnus Flagge
- Mattias Bärjed
- Jonas Lidgren
- Pär Hansson
- Henrik Jansson
- Jon Brännström
- Magnus Höggren
- Ulf Nybérg
- Kristofer Steen
The band released their debut album This Just Might Be... the Truth in 1994. They followed this up with Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent (1996) and five EPs. In 1998, the band released The Shape of Punk to Come, which expanded their sound with jazz and electronic influences, but was initially poorly received commercially and critically. The group shortly after disbanded during their subsequent tour. Despite limited contemporary success, Refused were influential on the development of rock music in subsequent decades.[7][8]
In 2012, the band reformed and commenced a reunion tour, and later released further albums Freedom (2015)[9] and War Music (2019).
Musical style, lyrics and influences[edit]
Refused started as a "fresh-faced positive hardcore band" and their music became increasingly progressive and radical, as did their lyrics.[18] The record This Just Might Be... the Truth was characterized for its "massive hardcore sound",[54] mostly influenced by various bands from the New York hardcore scene (such as Earth Crisis). On their follow-up, Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent, the band had a heavier, more intricate style, which is generally attributed to their Slayer inspiration, and Lyxzén adopted screaming vocals rather than shouting.[54][55] With the third album, The Shape of Punk to Come, "came the leap into the unknown" as the band mixed their previous style with unorthodox chord progressions, sampling, "ambient textures, jazz breakdowns", electronica and monologues, and other deviations from the hardcore punk music.[18][56][57]
Refused's lyrics focus on far-left politics, drawing on anarchism, socialism, among other ideologies.[15] By the time of their first album, the band already had a strong anti-establishment profile.[54] The group's members were all vegan straight edge until their last show in 1998 and a couple of their songs dealt with these topics.[58] Today, some of them no longer follow these lifestyles.[59] In their live performances, vocalist Lyxzén usually delivers political speeches between songs.[13] Before the Umeå hardcore phenomenon went into full bloom, the band was seen as part of the scene centered around youth-oriented venue Galaxen, along with the punk-rock scene as well as metal bands such as Meshuggah.
Among the biggest influences of Refused were ManLiftingBanner, Born Against, Slayer, and Ian Svenonius's projects (The Make-Up, The Nation of Ulysses and Cupid Car Club).[60][61][62] Other bands that have influenced them are Fugazi,[63] Inside Out,[62] and Snapcase.[64]
Legacy[edit]
Refused profoundly affected the development of rock music at the turn of the twenty-first century, despite the fact that very few people supported them when they were active.[8] According to Vice, they "stood at the nexus of modern punk, incorporating all of its subgenres into one scattered but neat package", putting "the risk back into punk and hardcore by making it unexpected again."[14] David Anthony of The A.V. Club described The Shape of Punk to Come as "an undisputed classic that served as a rallying cry for bands longing to incorporate sounds from outside the walls of aggressive music."[7] Author Gabriel Kuhn states that Refused "became the flagship of a remarkably strong vegan straight edge movement that engulfed Sweden throughout the 1990s" with "witty manifestos" and "performances" that "challenged many of the scene's standards".[65]
Among the artists who cite Refused as an influence are Linkin Park,[66][67] Duff McKagan of Velvet Revolver and Guns N' Roses,[68][69] Sum 41,[70] Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus of Blink-182,[71][72] AFI,[73] Papa Roach,[74][75] Tim McIlrath of Rise Against,[76] Underoath,[2] Enter Shikari,[77] the Used,[78][79] Every Time I Die,[80][81] Norma Jean,[82] Showbread,[83] La Dispute,[84] Nick Hipa of As I Lay Dying,[3] Derek E. Miller of Poison the Well and Sleigh Bells,[85] Geoff Rickly of Thursday, United Nations and No Devotion,[85] Marcos Curiel of P.O.D. and Daylight Division,[85] Jeremy Bolm of Hesitation Wounds and Touché Amoré,[85] Zachary Garren of Dance Gavin Dance and Strawberry Girls,[85] Chris Teti of the World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die,[85] the New Transit Direction,[85] the Bloody Beetroots,[85] Justin Beck of Glassjaw and Sons of Abraham,[85] Robin Staps of the Ocean,[86] the Bled,[87] Thomas Williams of Stray from the Path,[88] Brandon Kellum of American Standards,[89] and Jonathan Boulet.[90] The song "H. Ledger" from letlive.'s album Fake History is a "homage" to Refused because the band felt that they "didn't receive proper recognition until they were no longer active."[91][92] British musician Frank Turner stated that The Shape of Punk to Come "shaped my musical path as a musician for a long time" and his group, Million Dead, took their name from a line in the Refused's song "The Apollo Programme was a Hoax".[93][94] Pop punk band Paramore were inspired by the song "Liberation Frequency" and quoted a line of it on their 2007 song "Born for This".[95]
Other artists have been quoted expressing admiration for their work are Anthrax,[4] Steve Aoki,[96] and Ben Weinman of the Dillinger Escape Plan.[97]