Refused are continuing the overdue 25th anniversary celebration of their seminal 1998 record with ‘The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated’: a 12-song tribute album featuring covers from prominent names in hardcore, available to stream on November 8th via Epitaph Records. After approaching 12 bands with the request to “rearrange or deconstruct” each song, today they share a dark and expansive take on the operatic 10-minute saga ‘Tannhäuser / Derive’, reimagined by fellow Swedes, Cult of Luna.
Cult Of Luna guitarist and vocalist Johannes Persson comments, “I hate covers and I usually am very reluctant to spend any time listening to one band playing another band’s songs. However, I’m very excited by the opportunity to dive into another artist’s writing and see how I can contribute my own creative style. For me that’s the only way to justify making a cover, it needs to have the musical mark of the original artist. You need to take what is someone else’s and make it yours by adding, not merely copying.
We felt very honored when Refused asked us to cover one of their songs. Not only are they a band that we grew up listening and looking up to but they also were the pinnacle of Umeå hardcore. The scene that was the birthplace of our band. After the recording of “The shape of punk to come” I remember Dennis boasting about this 6 min epic song, their “Tannhäuser”. That’s the reason why I picked the song. If you want “epic” Dennis, we’ll give you epic!!! And thanks for the trust.”
Due to overwhelming demand, Refused are launching a second pressing of the limited-edition ‘TSOPTC’ vinyl re-issue on an exclusive opaque purple variant, expected to ship in March 2025. Limited to just 2000 copies worldwide, you can pre-order exclusively through the band’s webstore: PRE-ORDER HERE
As Refused prepare to take their final bow, their North American farewell tour has quickly sold out in NYC, Toronto, Seattle, and Portland with low ticket warnings throughout multiple other cities.
The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated Tracklisting
1. Gel – Worms Of The Senses / Faculties Of The Skull
2. Quicksand – The Liberation Frequency
3. Brutus – The Deadly Rhythm
4. Snapcase – Summer Holidays Vs. Punkroutine
5. Idles – New Noise (remix)
6. Ho99o9 – New Noise
7. Fucked Up – Refused Party Program
8. Zulu – Protest Song ’68
9. Cold Cave – Refused Are Fucking Dead
10. IGORR – The Shape Of Punk To Come
11. Cult Of Luna – Tannhäuser / Derive
12. Touche Amore – The Apollo Programme Was A Hoax
Artists On The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated
Walter Schreifels of Quicksand: “I’m honored that Quicksand was asked to be on this compilation. Liberation Frequency and The Shape Of Punk To Come are monuments to heavy music with a message and aesthetic that transcend the genre.”
Anaiah Lei of Zulu: “I’ve always been a Refused fan and even had the chance to tour with them back in 2012 with my old band. This record was definitely top 10 in my list of favorite hardcore albums and it was an honor to get to play a song off it. Especially this one because I’m like, y’all made this in the mid 90s? Way ahead of its time!”
Snapcase: “We were super excited when Refused asked us to take part in this project and it was a quick decision to choose Summerholidays vs Punkroutine. It’s collectively one of our favorite songs on the record and presented us with a unique challenge to get outside our comfort zone while mixing in elements of our own musical identity. Thanks for including us!”
Sami of Gel: “Refused was one of the first shows I went to and the first time I was up front. It was a charismatic performance and rowdy crowd and it definitely contributed to my love of heavier music and the live shows that demonstrate the energy of the music authentically.
