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| RefusedThe New Noise Theology2000 Honeybear 
 Review by: GreenVandal See others by this writer epitaph records (link) Only registered users can post comments 
 
Published on April 8th 2003 Before I even start this review, one thing must be said. You should already own this EP. It is widely available, cheap, and the 4 songs on here have more intelligence and raw energy then just about any other CD out there at the moment. If you do own this, then you already know how genius this sucker is...but for those who dont, allow me to enlighten you. Refused are the hardcore/punk legends of tommorow. What Operation Ivy, The Sex Pistols, and the Dead Kennedys are too most of us today, Refused will be to our kids tommorow. After a couple of average to good releases, this swedish band finally released its masterpiece, The Shape Of Punk To Come in the midst of there self destruction. That album was exactly what its title suggested. It showed what hardcore bands could do if they simply threw off the shackels of their genre and strived to write something new. That album has made this band legendary, but thankfully it was not there final release. The New Noise Theology EP picks up exactly where the last album left off. Well actually Id say it picks up where about song 9 left off because that CD's ending was perfect..but you know what I mean. The first song is this bands most popular, "New Noise". Everything about this song is great, from the infectious opening guitar line, to the empassioned screaming at the ending. "New Noise" is one of the best hardcore songs ever written, and embodies everything Refused stands for. Clocking in at well over 4 minutes long, it is a intense and vivid experience...and that is only the first song! From Dennis' disenchanted scream of "THE NEW BEAT!" we are shuttled into the song "Blind Date". This song has a great guitar line, a nice loud/soft dynamic and a very catchy vocal line. It is the shortest song on the EP, but more then makes up for that with its energy. Next up is "Poetry written in gasoline" which was a tough song to like for me. It is painfully long (6 or 7 minutes I believe) and not as well written as the two previously mentioned songs....at least thats what I thought at first. After about 5 listens, this songs brilliance suddenly consumed me. I cant explain it. But it is a great song, and I cant think of a better compliment for it then that there is no way to define it in words. Unfortunately the EP ends on a average note with the remix of "Refused are fucking dead" (my favorite refused song). How much you like this song depends on how much you like electronic music. I like it alot, but I know some people dont, so if your one of them, you probably wont like this song. And even for a electronic music fan, this remix isnt what it could have been, and is further hurt by the stellar quality of the songs before it. Overall, this EP is a must have for anyone who likes music. If you have any interest in hardcore or punk, this EP is a cheap and easy find way to experience the last songs of a dying band. The mix on here is great, its nice and heavy, crunchy, and just dirty enough to maintain its power without losing clarity. The bass, vocal and drum tracks are also very well defined and fully audible over the driving guitar riffs . My only problem with it being that "New Noise" has a cleaner sound to it then the rest of the songs, which makes it stick out a bit. The other songs mixes are just as good in my opinion, they are actually a bit rougher around the edges and I like that, but the difference in sound is a bit odd. And the remix at the end is a debatable flaw...it isnt up to the quality of the other 3 songs, but it is still pretty decent. But those are only minor blemishes on this otherwise excellent recording. I cannot recommend it enough. "We dance to all the wrong songs, we enjoy all the wrong moves!" Long live Refused! You will hopefully always be remembered.
PS-If you dig this band, make sure to check out The (international) Noise Conspiracy, Dennis' spiritual succesor to this band, and also TEXT who are made of the former members of this band. They are currently on Buddyhead Records
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I aim to please fucker. This reviewer is a fucking retarded tool. Go fuck yourself. awsome band, definitely inspirational in every way. Ill take that as you submitting to my superiority :) Just because something isnt shocking doesnt make it not revolutionary. They wrote hardcore songs that sounded completely different from every other hardcore song while at the same time still being hardcore. Thats whats makes them great. The Beatles were just a band that happened to play revolutionary pop music. It was damn incredible, but it was also in the vain of the pop rock phenomenom going on at the time. You dont have to be completely different or genre creating to be revolutionary, you have to push your genre(s) to the limit and sometimes even beyond and take them places you never thought it would go. Refused did that. i don't see what's so revolutionary, raw, or different about refused. i love the band but jeez, the praise you guys bestow on em is pretty ridiculous and needs to be called out. i commend them for their progressive attitude but in the end they were just a hardcore band with electronics. U2 has called themselves the best band playing today. I bet Oasis has said something similar (many times) but U2 has said it. the first time I heard refused, I was like, "what the hell is this!?" It was just so fucking raw and different. Unexplainable really. And I agree... they're gonna be what Operation Ivy was for us, but for the next generation. text is the worst excuse for music ever. Call me crazy, but I'd like to hear refused cover the b52's - rock lobster.... Well The Misfits are overrated. The rest is idiotic though. "that stinky poo head, Refused isnt overrated. The RAMONES are, THE CLASH is, MISFITS are not refused..." Yeah. You guys are right. I onl yheard that explosions schmexplosions song and I already hated them. I just thought id throw them in to make it look like i knew what i was talking about :) I love Refused, but Text is downright unlistenable. i can't keep my mouth shut. you gotta love the scene that spawned for this band. i say a "big" thanks to refused. that stinky poo head, Refused isnt overrated. The RAMONES are, THE CLASH is, MISFITS are not refused... I hate people who nit pick over retarded spelling errors. Dont you have something better to do with you time? refused was ill, but noise conspiracy sucks balls. its painful to listen to. denis is a fucking hypocrite. the shape of punk to come? the day punk on mtv works will be a sad day. when have U2 called themselves teh world's best band? i believe you're thinking of Oasis, which in their case, is just funny. After a couple of average to good releases, this swedish band finally released its masterpiece, The Shape Of Punk To Come in the midst of there self destruction. I see people talk about the nation of ulysses and Refused alot. Wow, you called out Wyzo. Uh-oh. I think any other band calling an album "The Shape of Punk to Come" would be ridiculously pretentious (see U2 calling themselves the world's best band - fuck them). However - I do think its warranted in this situation. Huh, I never knew what Denis was screaming at the end of New Noise. I always thought it sounded something like "The Guil-ty!", or "Thank you, me!". Makes more sense with "The New Beat!" though. Wyzo, you're off on that Nation of Ulysses thing you mentioned about where Refused got the title to their album from. It is for sure from Ornette Coleman's freaky conceptual free jazz album "The Shape of Jazz to Come". As I believe the Ulysses song is called "The Sound of Jazz to Come". Don't mean to step on your shit or anything. Wyzo: Oh, sorry bout that. I have never heard of the Lost Patrol, and i saw the ep at some stores for like 4.99....i guess it was on sale. But still, 8 bucks is still pretty cheap compared to the price of regular albums.....even if you are only gettin 4 songs, they are 4 very god songs. shape of comes from the nation of ulysses song shape of jazz to come, and isnt that suprising considering most of the liner note essay and so forth are borrowed from somewhere whether from bands or henry miller. i have the honey bear records version. why, cause i want the toaster when we have the punk point raffle. Fingers crossed. Ok I'll say it. THE REFUSED ARE THE MOST OVERRATED BAND EVER. I'm not saying the Refused suck, they're a good band. But some people act like they fucking invented the wheel or something. I'd wager most people who praise the refused don't even like them that much, it's just that saying the refused are the greatest band ever will earn some quick scenester points. Shape of Punk to Come was fuckin amazing. Denis Lyxzen is an awesome vocalist especially considering his range from screaming stuff like Refused to more melodic stuff like T(I)NC. I have one problem with this review: you say this EP is cheap. It is usually sold for $7.99 or $8.99. That ain't cheap, that's a jack. They've stated in interviews that the name was inspired by "the shape of jazz to come." i dunno. that ornette coleman album really shook a lot of thngs up. it would be a lot more relevent to what the refused were trying to do. Actually, there was a 50's movie called "The Shape of Things to Come" about the future. I believe that's where they got it from the ultimate rock and roll band i love the new noise video with all the bunnies. reminds me of them CRUNCH commercials. all the b-sides are good. the video is fun. get "the shape of punk to come" first of course. not to mention that you can watch the video for New Noise by popping the cd in your computer... You mean everyone doesnt own this already? For shame. The Refused are so far ahead of any other band of their time, the present and the future. They deserve their own genre. I tell people all the time, "Buy any and everything that The Refused has put out, it has changed the way I look and view music." you really can't compare refused to any other band out there...great review...this band is the embodiment of punk rock/hard-core...they were way ahead of their time, if you only buy one CD this should be it...or steal it, download it...whatever Refused are one of the best bands ever to exist. i liked refused because of the nod they gave to ornette coleman by deriving the title of The Shape of Punk to Come from Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come. One of the best politcal bands ever. |
