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Freedom
Studio album by Refused
Released	29 June 2015 (2015-06-29)
Recorded	October 2014 – February 2015
Studio	Seedy Underbelly, Los Angeles Decibel Studios/mxm Studios, Stockholm
Genre	Post-hardcore punk rock alternative rock
Length	43:04
Label	Epitaph
Producer	Nick Launay, Shellback, Michael Ilbert
Refused chronology
The Shape of Punk to Come (1998) Freedom (2015) War Music (2019)
Singles from Freedom
"Elektra" Released: 27 April 2015 "Françafrique" Released: 26 May 2015 "Dawkins Christ" Released: 11 June 2015

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).

Background

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 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. 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". 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. This was followed by the release of "Françafrique" on 26 May, and "Dawkins Christ" by BBC Radio One as the "Hottest Record in the World" on 11 June 2015.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

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

Track listing

All tracks are written by Refused except where noted

Personnel

Charts

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. "Offiziellecharts.de – Refused – Freedom" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
12. "Swedishcharts.com – Refused – Freedom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
13. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
14. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
15. "Refused Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
16. "Refused Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
17. "Refused Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
18. "Refused Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
19. "Refused Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2024.

Sources

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

• 2015 albums
• Refused albums
• Epitaph Records albums
• Albums produced by Nick Launay
• Albums produced by Shellback (record producer)