Freedom (Refused album)

Freedom is the fourth studio album by Swedish hardcore punk band Refused, released via Epitaph Records on 29 June 2015. It is the first album released by the band since 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come, as well as the first album to feature bassist Magnus Flagge as a full-time member since Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent (1996) and first to not feature guitarist Jon F. Brännström since This Just Might Be... the Truth (1994).

Freedom
Studio album by
Refused
Released29 June 2015 (2015-06-29)
RecordedOctober 2014 – February 2015
StudioSeedy Underbelly, Los Angeles
Decibel Studios/mxm Studios, Stockholm
Genre
Length43:04
LabelEpitaph
ProducerNick Launay, Shellback, Michael Ilbert
Refused chronology
The Shape of Punk to Come
(1998)		 Freedom
(2015)		 War Music
(2019)
Singles from Freedom
  1. "Elektra"
    Released: 27 April 2015
  2. "Françafrique"
    Released: 26 May 2015

Background
Further information: Refused and Refused Reunion Tour

After the band's successful 2012 reunion tour, Refused entered a hiatus for the next two years, however, rumours of a return to touring resurfaced after Jon Brännström posted on the group's Facebook page that he was fired some time in 2013. The band announced later in November 2014 that they would perform in a string of festival dates[1] and tour dates in North America supporting Faith No More. Already two weeks before rumours began to surface of a new album, after ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead's Autrey Fulbright II posted a photo on Instagram claiming that Lyxzén had been in the studio recording vocals for the album.[2] The post in question was quickly deleted, however in April 2015 the group announced that they would be releasing a new album in June. The album was produced by Nick Launay, who was known for his work with bands such as Public Image Ltd, Killing Joke and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with two tracks co-written and produced by former Blinded Colony frontman and prolific pop producer Shellback, including lead single "Elektra".[3] Other co-writing credits include "Old Friends / New War" with lyrics inspired by Osip Mandelstam and "Destroy the Man" co-written with Anders Lind.

The band released the track "Elektra" on a "pay what you want" offer, along with pre-orders of the album for donations of over $25, in conjunction with charity Save the Children after the April 2015 Nepal earthquake and subsequent aftershocks.[4] This was followed by the release of "Françafrique" on 26 May,[5] and "Dawkins Christ" by BBC Radio One as the "Hottest Record in the World" on 11 June 2015.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]

The album was included at number 33 on Rock Sound's top 50 releases of 2015 list.[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Refused except where noted

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Elektra" Refused, Shellback3:11
2."Old Friends / New War"Refused, Osip Mandelstam 4:26
3."Dawkins Christ"  4:03
4."Françafrique"  4:38
5."Thought Is Blood"  4:17
6."War on the Palaces"  3:34
7."Destroy the Man" Refused, Anders Lind3:23
8."366" Refused, Shellback5:19
9."Servants of Death"  3:42
10."Useless Europeans"  6:31

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] 10
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 35
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] 37
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 2
US Billboard 200[13] 161
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[14] 18
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[15] 10
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[16] 23
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[17] 7

References
  1. "Refused Are Unfucking Dead, Again". propertyofzack.com. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  2. More Evidence That REFUSED Are Working On A New Album Metal Injection. 11 November 2014. Accessed 3 January 2015.
  3. "Refused Are Back: New Album Freedom Out This Summer, New Track "Elektra" Streaming Now". Pitchfork Media. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  4. Download new Refused song to Help Nepal Quake Victims Archived 24 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine Genero.us
  5. Listen to Refused's new track Françafrique The Guardian. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  6. ref
  7. Bird, ed. 2016, p. 24
  8. Album Credits Bandcamp
  9. "Australiancharts.com – Refused – Freedom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  10. "Refused: Freedom" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  11. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  12. "Swedishcharts.com – Refused – Freedom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  13. "Refused Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  14. "Refused Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard.
  15. "Refused Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  16. "Refused Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  17. "Refused Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.

Sources

  • Bird, Ryan, ed. (January 2016). "Top 50 Releases of the Year". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (208). ISSN 1465-0185.
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