Refused Are Back: New Album Freedom Out This Summer, New Track "Elektra" Streaming Now

Photo by Dustin Rabin

Twice, it seemed that it was all over for Refused. The Swedish hardcore band originally broke up following the release of their excellent 1998 album The Shape of Punk to Come. Then, after their 2012 reunion tour, they announced that it was decisively over. 

But after all that, earlier this year, Refused announced a world tour. And now, they're putting out a new album. "Refused Are Fucking Alive", they have announced in a new press release.

The new album, Freedom, is out June 30 via Epitaph. Check out their new song "Elektra" via the visualizer below, along with the tracklist. This is the album cover:

The album was produced by Nick Launay (Arcade Fire, Kate Bush, Nick Cave). "Elektra" and "366" were produced and co-written by Shellback, the Swedish pop superproducer who has worked on countless massive hits by Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Pink, and others. Freedom will get a limited edition CD release featuring a 28-page hardbound book with a poster and gold foil stamping on the album cover.

"It’s not a reunion anymore," said frontman Dennis Lyxzén in a statement. "This is one of the most radical things we’ve ever done, both musically and lyrically." 

"Nobody wanted us to fuck with the image of the band who makes a great album and splits up," said drummer David Sandström. "Nobody wanted us to dilute it. That actually provoked us."

Refused are heading out on tour this year, as well, including dates with Faith No More. Find their schedule below.

Freedom:

01 Elektra
02 Old Friends / New War
03 Dawkins Christ
04 Françafrique
05 Thought Is Blood
06 War on the Palaces
07 Destroy the Man
08 366
09 Servants of Death
10 Useless Europeans 

Refused:

05-02 Meerhout, Belgium - Groezrock
05-22 Hünxe, Germany - Ruhrpott Rodeo Open Air Festival
05-24 Las Vegas, NV - Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival
05-25 Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory
05-26 Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre
05-28 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
05-29 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
05-30 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
05-31 Chicago, IL - Double Door
06-01 Boston, MA - The Sinclair
06-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
06-04 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
06-05 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
06-20 Montebello, Quebec - Amnesia Rockfest
06-27 Seinäjoki, Finland - Provinssi
07-02 Gdynia, Poland - Open'er Festival
07-11 Collalbo, Italy - Rock am Ring
07-16 Viveiro, Spain - Resurrection Fest
07-17 Tønsberg, Norway - Slottsfjell
07-18 Tromso, Norway - Bukta Tromso Open Air Festival
07-30 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade Music Park *
08-01 Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center *
08-02 Columbia, MA - Merriweather Post Pavilion *
08-04 Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavilion *
08-05 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden *
08-07 Toronto, Ontario - Ricoh Coliseum *
08-28 Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
08-29 Gräfenhainichen, Germany - Pure & Crafted Festival
08-30 Reading, England - Reading Festival

* with Faith No More

via Evan Minsker