Refused

Refused started in Sweden in the early 1990s, with Dennis Lyxzén on vocals, David Sandström on guitar, Jonas Lidgren on bass, and Anders Ekström on drums. Their first album, "This Just Might Be... the Truth," came out in 1994, showing a hardcore sound that was already leaning into something more experimental. By 1996, "Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent" started to pull in listeners beyond the hardcore scene, mixing aggressive riffs with electronic touches and political lyrics.

In 1998, they released "The Shape of Punk to Come," an album that brought in jazz, metal, and hip-hop elements. The track "New Noise" from that record became a kind of anthem for them and the noise rock scene. Despite the attention, the band broke up later that same year, citing internal conflicts and creative differences.

They stayed apart for over a decade, but their music kept finding new ears. In 2012, Refused got back together for live shows, picking up where they left off without much fuss. Songs like "Françafrique" and "Elektra" from their catalog have stuck around, but it's "New Noise" that people still shout for at shows.