It took 17 years to follow up the genre-shredding anti-establishment masterpiece that was ‘The Shape of Punk to Come’, but midway through 2015, Refused released ‘Freedom’ to the world in a blistering reminder of what dynamic and creative rock music should sound like.
Evidently weary of falling into the pigeonhole-pop rock that they lavished criticism on earlier in their career, ‘Freedom’ dances between timescales and genres alike, marrying together electro synthesisers with thrashing guitar melodies alongside chanted mantras and vocals filled with guttural rage. They’re back, they’re still angry, and, as on ‘Elektra’, “nothing’s changed”.
Except, of course, that it’s been nearly 20 years since they last extensively toured the UK and Europe. The band have seen fit to change that fact though, and so embark on a Europe-wide tour from the end of February, beginning in their homeland, Sweden, before hitting the UK in March.
Their lengthy absence allows the band the unique opportunity to catch up with their public in an environment more intimate than they are perhaps accustomed to, with smaller venues the standard affair on this new tour. The sight of these avant-punk pioneers tearing up a club venue near you may never come around again, but is sure to live long in the memory of all those in attendance.
Refused tour the UK in March 2016:
Mar 22 | Garage, Glasgow, UK
Mar 23 | Academy, Manchester, UK
Mar 24 | Stylus, Leeds, UK
Mar 25 | Concorde2, Brighton, UK
Mar 26 | Library, Birmingham, UK
Find tickets at officialrefused.com.
