Band:	Various Artists
Album:	The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated
Style:	Post-Hardcore
Release date:	November 08, 2024
A review by:	X-Ray Rod

01. Gel - Worms Of The Senses / Faculties Of The Skull [Refused cover]
02. Quicksand - The Liberation Frequency [Refused cover]
03. Brutus (BEL) - The Deadly Rhythm [Refused cover]
04. Snapcase - Summer Holidays Vs. Punkroutine [Refused cover]
05. Refused - New Noise (IDLES Remix)
06. Ho99o9 - New Noise [Refused cover]
07. Fucked Up - The Refused Party Program [Refused cover]
08. Zulu - Protest Song '68 [Refused cover]
09. Cold Cave - Refused Are Fucking Dead [Refused cover]
10. Igorrr - The Shape Of Punk To Come [Refused cover]
11. Cult Of Luna - Tannhäuser / Derive [Refused cover]
12. Touché Amoré - The Apollo Programme Was A Hoax [Refused cover]

For my last review of a 2024 album, I decided to join in the fun together with some artists and celebrate the 25th anniversary of the hardcore punk masterpiece that is Refused’s The Shape Of Punk To Come.

It’s awkward to review a cover album that focuses on a band that isn’t featured in Metal Storm (we might change that, we are rebels). There are a handful of reasons why a metalhead should know Refused, not least that this Swedish punk band was pivotal for the modern sound of hardcore punk, post-hardcore and metalcore. According to Refused: Punk could not be anti-establishment if it kept spouting a revolutionary message through rehashed sounds that the mainstream media was already starting to reproduce. So, in 1998, the band decided to go full avantgarde, confrontational and transgressive, not afraid of adding techno, post-punk, ambient, jazz and spoken word into the mix. At first, the reception was poor from critics and fans alike; it was a style that alienated too many people. The band imploded and disbanded only a few months after the album’s release and an unsuccessful US tour, but time proved them right. Refused’s music aged like fine wine, and their following got huge. It’s no wonder why, especially when you have the courage to name your album “The Shape Of Punk To Come” and live up to the provocative name. It’s mindblowing how fresh this album sounds 25 years later, and how it has touched so many (of your favorite) -core bands.

The band had a successful reunion in 2012 and released two albums in 2015 and 2019. Refused was meant to return to the stage in March 2024, but the performance at a Swedish festival was cancelled due to singer Dennis Lyxzén suffering a massive heart attack. He managed to pull through, but mortality is a real bitch, so it’s understandable that Refused are now preparing a farewell tour. And it is with this frame of mind that many acts have united to cover every song of this legendary punk album (minus one interlude), and tried to give the songs their own spins. The result is as explosive and varied as the very album these bands are celebrating.

It is tempting to review each track individually. But I rather focus on the different ways the songs are covered. I prefer bands trying to change the original song rather than having them play a flawless but identical version. I’m happy to say that all songs here are different from the original material, but there is a spectrum to discuss here:

Those who changed very little or straight-up sampled:
My favorite in this category is Quicksand. Walter Schreifels is arguably a better singer than Dennis. His clean vocals are so jovial, and he really packs a punch during the aggressive sections. The band changed very little (if anything) from the original, but the result was so flawless and energetic that it gets a thumbs up. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about Zulu and Igorrr; both of them focused way too much on sampling parts of the original songs. Zulu added some really brutal grunts, and the heavier tone of the guitar gave the song an interesting tone, but I was not as convinced due to the contrasts being too extreme and choppy. Still, I’d say the artist that let me down the most was Igorrr. I really wanted to like his cover because there was a period where I was obsessed with his work, and I understand that as a DJ, it is natural to de-construct the original song, but I expected a more adventurous take on it, and with an actual singer. Instead we got a remix: Eh.

Those who changed and added but stayed in the ballpark:
While these bands didn’t go too wild with the covers, I loved how they altered the vibes of the songs with just a few tricks. GEL had the intimidating task of covering the explosive opening track, but they totally blew me away as soon as I heard Sami Kaiser’s vocals. It was like a punch in the face when she roared the classic lines “I got a bone to pick with capitalism... And a few to break!”. She, along with the rest of the band, truly captured the raw anger and disgust at the current state of affairs Refused always showcased. The jazzy and electronic touches of the original song were translated into noise rock meets hardcore and sludge metal. Giving the songs a noisy, ultra-aggressive, and faster tone was a strategy also used by Fucked Up and HO99O9. They were both successful, specially the latter with their more industrial edge. History-wise, the most important cover here is by Snapcase, who are a band as old as Refused, and the Swedish punks themselves considered Snapcase an influence, making this a case of 'game recognize game'. Snapcase’s classic hardcore gang vocals add that timeless touch and just like the others I mentioned, they added an electrifying noise rock tone to their cover.

Those who took the song and made it their own:
Regardless of what you think of these songs, they are the main highlight of this cover album. “The Deadly Rhythm” is one of the most explosive Refused songs. Shit, they even like to include a "Reign In Blood" mid-section while performing the song. But it also has a soothing jazz section. So how can Brutus (BEL) tackle the track? By simply blasting the shit out of it! Damn! The breakdowns are brilliantly mixed with a wall of tremolo riffs that transcend the original. Stefanie Mannaerts is also eager to achieve an aggressive tone with her celestial vocals and I’m all here for it. Then enter Cold Cave saying “No hardcore. No punk. Only darkwave.” It was the most unique cover in this album, and while I’m not too keen on the vocals, I greatly appreciated the effort. The elephant in the room is Cult Of Luna, of course. It’s obvious why they are here; they are from the same town as Refused and formed the same year Refused released The Shape Of Punk To Come, and it’s clear they took influences from it. They covered the one track that was basically tailored for them; the original “Tannhäuser/Derivè” is a powerful 8-minute epic with striking strings referencing Igor Stravinsky’s Rite Of Spring, and carries some crushing riffs along with moody, calmer sections. All this is perfect to push through Cult Of Luna’s post-metal filter with brilliant use of tribal drums and Johannes Persson’s mighty vocals to boot. Last but not least we have Touché Amoré. “The Apollo Programme Was a Hoax” is originally a very quiet, beautiful atmospheric track; it would have been too easy for Touché Amoré to stay in that lane, but instead they turned up the guitars and played loud, passionate, and melancholic walls of shoegaze-inspired riffs: a perfect way to end the album.

The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated is not only a brilliant love letter to one of the most brilliant, forward-thinking albums in punk’s history, but it also stands on its own as a great and varied record, and is a good way to discover new bands. Refused were always humble and happy to push newcomers forward as their opening bands when touring; I’m sure they are more than honored to have this album dedicated to them.

"How can we expect anyone to listen if we're using the same old voice?
We need new noise, new art for the real people!
We dance to all the wrong songs!
We enjoy all the wrong moves!
We dance to all the wrong songs!
WE’RE NOT LEADING!"