Album Reviews

People always claim that it’s better to burn out than fade away and that’s exactly what Refused did. They released a splinterbomb of an album in 1998 and called it a day only a couple of weeks later. Twelve years after its initial release, there’s now a re-released deluxe version and if you don’t already have a copy of the original in your collection, there is no longer an excuse not to go out and pick up “The Shape Of Punk To Come” now.

This release not only includes the album (duh!) but also a live disc (featuring more straightforward material from earlier releases alongside cuts like “New Noise” and “Refused Party Program”) and the 2006 documentary “Refused Are Fucking Dead”. But even without these extras, you should own this album if you’re even remotely interested in punkrock or hardcore. The Shape Of Punk To Come? God, looking at all those crappy emo bands that call the shots these days, I can only say ‘I wish’. Classic album!