“Refused are fucking alive” read the press release accompanying the band’s first new music in 17 years. On June 30th, Refused will release their first album since 1998’s The Shape of Punk to Come. The album’s lead single is “Elektra.”
For those clamoring for new Refused, “Elektra” will certainly whet their appetite but its hard to not feel like this is the shape of punk that was. The early 2000s were filled with bands that mimicked Refused and “Elektra” feels like it could have been easily recorded by one of those bands.