In the music world today, the term "punk" seems to be used very loosely. Thanks largely to the explosion of "alternative" culture in the '90s, ideas of rebellion and anti-establishment become a joke and now can be safely purchased for the reasonable price of $18.99 at the local Hot Topic. Yet if there were any band that embodied the spirit of progression, revolution and punk, it would be the Swedish hardcore act Refused.
In a genre dominated by cheap punk slogans and tough-guy hardcore acts with nothing to say, Refused stood out above the rest as a band that was not only way ahead of its time, but one that was destined for something more.
The aptly titled documentary "Refused Are Fucking Dead" chronicles the last days of the band. With footage from shows, including their last, the documentary gives us an extremely insightful view into a band that many thought of as an enigma. The band's perspective is the main focus of the documentary and allows us to get a true description of what the last days were like for this seminal punk act.
The last show was in a house in Harrisonburg, Va., of all places. The documentary features stories and feelings from each band member leading up to this moment, where everything finally stopped and Refused called it quits. The fact that the documentary was made by a former member of Refused, guitarist Kristofer Steen, lends credibility to the story. The documentary shows that Refused wasn't just a band that was angry at each other - they had become so much more than just a band that their implosion from going too far and too fast was inevitable.
The best part of the documentary is the fact that it deals solely with Refused's music and not the politics that came with the band. Refused was very famous for their Marxist anti-establishment beliefs, but as the documentary shows, nowhere in the band did this play any of a role in their demise or their progression as artists. They simply outgrew the generic styles of the hardcore scene and took on something much more. This is evident in their influential final album, "The Shape of Punk to Come."
While many believed they turned their backs on the scene, Refused did what they did to grow as artists and musicians. They were able to produce a final album that, to this day, is still way ahead of its time.
"Refused Are Fucking Dead" is a must-have for any Refused fan or for any fan of hardcore or punk in general. It provides closure for many who saw Refused as leaders of a new generation and subsequently had their hearts broken that finally caved in on itself. If there was anything left in punk rock, it died in the demise of Refused and, as the documentary shows, there will never be another band that can duplicate them in any way. Refused may be dead, but their spirit and influence will live on in the hearts of true fans everywhere for generations to come.
