Refused
announce themselves with a massive
hardcore
sound on
This Just Might Be...the Truth
, the Swedish group's bombastic full-length debut. In typical early-career form, the guitar riffs on this 1995 release are huge and the confrontational, anti-establishment message is pronounced. Fans familiar with
The Shape of Punk to Come
may notice that
chose to shout rather than scream their political missives on
. And while the music on this offering lacks the dynamic frenzy of later works, the sheer weight of tracks like the heavy opener,
"Intro,"
and cuts like
"5th Freedom"
aren't lacking in conviction.
Hardcore
is rarely performed this precisely, and first recordings from artists of any genre do not often sound this confident and well executed. A solid effort from one of the '90s' most surprising
punk
outfits,
established
as a formidable, if not the preeminent,
band of the decade. ~ Vincent Jeffries