Refused announce The Shape Of Punk To Come tribute, share Cult Of Luna’s take on Tannhäuser / Derive

Having recently announced that they are to split up again following a farewell tour next year, Swedish hardcore legends Refused have also revealed a belated 25th anniversary tribute album for their classic 1998 record, The Shape Of Punk To Come.

Titled The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated, it features the songs reimagined and reconstructed by 12 bands hand-picked by Refused themselves, including Quicksand, GEL, Snapcase, ZULU and IDLES.

To lead the announcement, they've released fellow Swedes Cult Of Luna's vast take on Tannhäuser / Derive.

“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,” says Cult Of Luna mainman Johannes Persson. “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 honoured 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 [Lyxzén, Refused singer] boasting about this six-minute, epic song. That’s the reason why I picked the song. If you want ‘epic’ Dennis, we’ll give you epic! And thanks for the trust.”

The other bands involved have similar praise for Refused, and flattery at being asked to contribute.

“I’m honoured that Quicksand was asked to be on this compilation,” says Walter Schreifels. “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 says that they’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 favourite hardcore albums and it was an honour 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!”

“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,” add Snapcase. “It’s collectively one of our favourite 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!”

For GEL’s Sami Kaiser, the band helped open the door to hardcore. “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.”

The Shape Of Punk To Come Obliterated is released on November 8 via Epitaph.

The tracklist is as follows:

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. Touché Amoré – The Apollo Programme Was A Hoax

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