Refused

It was 1998, and hardcore had reached a point of stagnation.

Collapsing under the pressure of its self imposed restraints and an association with the looming meathead mosh fodder that was nu-metal, the genre had been pushed into a corner and lost the edge that was at the core of its appeal.

This was the year that Refused released the prophetically titled The Shape Of Punk To Come; an absolute game changer that challenged the notion of what a hardcore record could be. Yet, just as quickly as the Swedish enigmas had established themselves pioneers of the genre, they imploded in a bitter and corrosive attack on the scene they fought so hard to reinvigorate.

Fast forward 14 years, and the vile anarchists of yesteryear have reunited for one year only, and on Friday night Melbourne was treated to a once in a lifetime opportunity to commemorate one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time.

As the Palace swelled to capacity, the room was cautious in its excitement. Droning distortion filled the venue and a pure white light slowly brightened to reveal letters cut out in the black curtain veiling the stage – REFUSED.

Teasing the anxious audience, the lights were dimmed at least 20 minutes before the band actually took to stage. Yet the anticipation was expertly orchestrated and as the curtain dropped to the title track of their 1998 masterpiece, the venue erupted.

At this point there was a collective ecstasy, that despite their hiatus, Refused were on top of their game. Frontman Dennis Lyxzén graciously leapt and bounded about with the enthusiasm of someone half his age, a feat he maintained throughout their 90 minute set without any sign of fatigue in body or voice.

In response to the crowd’s enthusiasm, Lyxzén announced that the previous night’s concert had been the loudest of the entire year-long tour, challenging the crowd to prove their worth in comparison. As Refused kicked into the rhythmic chug of ‘Rather Be Dead’, the mass responded bellowing ‘rather be alive’ in one of the loudest call and responses ever witnessed.

In between songs Lyxzén’s casual and off the cuff banter was rather witty, despite the revolutionary bent of his lyrics. He took time to recognise his “obsession” ith Australian music, and its influence over his evolution as a musician, citing Radio Birdman and Nick Cave as specific inspirations.Melbourne was treated to a once in a lifetime opportunity to commemorate one of the most influential punk rock bands of all time.

Unlike many frontmen, Lyxzén’s banter felt sincere and his high-energy performance absolutely captivated. Genuinely excited by the energy of the room, he entered the crowd for ‘Refused Are Fucking Dead’ – ironically titled as the Palace clamoured to get as close as possible to the performer. Running up the stairs, he joined those with an overhead view on the balcony, bringing the movement of the mosh pit to the far reaches of the venue.

As the set ended, the final notes of ‘Worms of the Sense/Faculties of the Skulls’ rang out, leaving all positively hungry for more. Despite being on for close to an hour at this point, the whirlwind of a performance felt far from over.

The foundations shook as the mosh pit stamped their feet on the wooden floorboards and jumped up and down desperately begging for more.

Humbly, Refused returned for an encore, and as soon as the first note of ‘New Noise’ was played the crowd went ballistic. The slow burn tension of the song’s introduction revelled the mosh pit as drinks were thrown through the air and the bustling pit cleared space for an unbelievable release of energy.

“Can I scream!?” – the crowd most certainly did to the song’s opening lyric, and the response was deafening.

Ending with the orchestrated chaos of ‘Tannhäuser / Derivè’, the band took a moment mid-song to pause, turn up the lights and thank Melbourne for accepting Refused as one of their own, before delivering a rousing speech, urging the crowd to “stay curious, stay wild, and always – ALWAYS – stay fucking hungry.”

Crashing into the bombastic final 30 seconds of the song, the lights strobed to the final chance to throw down, illuminating the mayhem the band had created.

As the lights went up for the final time the band stood arm in arm, bowing to the appreciative crowd. A far cry from the acidic relationships of their final days together, this night was a tribute to a band that influenced so many over the years.

Breaking up only months after their definitive release, Refused have finally received the fruits of their labour, returning to finally celebrate their quintessential record, and embrace the legacy that it has spawned.