How To Wield The Power Of Metal And The Intensity Of Punk

"Yeah we were really disappointed when the festival we were going to play [Soundwave] fell apart. Australia's been good to us and we wanted to make sure that we got back down there to play for you guys — and now we're coming."

So how did the pairing with Sick Of It All come about? "It was just suggested to us and we said yes," laughs Lyxzen. "But on a personal note I've always loved Sick Of It All. This is the band who I travelled ten hours on a train to see in 1991. They're one of those bands I grew up with — a band that got me into hardcore and really a template for us when we started this band. That first record they released it blew my mind."

"I've always loved Sick Of It All. This is the band who I travelled ten hours on a train to see in 1991."

Although Refused fall more into the avant-garde end of the hardcore spectrum Lyxzen goes on to stress the importance of the New York hardcore sound. "I was a metalhead before I got into punk. NYHC — Agnostic Front, the Crumbsuckers and Sick Of It All — it had the power of the metal I was into with the intensity of punk. I was sold and so many others were as well."

Since releasing their 'comeback' record last year the band has been touring constantly, including shows in Paris just after the November terrorist attacks. "We felt it was important to play — to show we can't be silenced and that we can't be afraid," he says. "It was an intense experience — very emotional — particularly when we stopped playing to talk about what had happened."

So how have the new songs been received? Have the faithful taken to them or do fans still demand a set based around the classic Shape Of Punk To Come LP?

"The new material has generally gone down well," says Lyxzen, although he admits it's been a case of trial and error. "Every record you put out there are a few songs that simply don't work live — and we found that with Old Friends. Instead heavier stuff like Elektra and Dawkins Christ have killed live.

"Shape... material is still the backbone of the set but half the material we play comes from other records - it's a good balance.

Lyxzen also confirms for The Music that the band is in the very early stages of jamming new material. "We're working on new music as we speak. It's very early on so I'm not going to say too much but I think doing Freedom was a great learning process for the band. Playing songs from the album live has really inspired us to start writing. We're seeing what's working live and applying that to our songwriting process.

"It may be a long while until we have a new record — but there will be a new record."

As in Australia, Lyxzen's home country of Sweden is in the midst of a national debate about asylum seekers. It's a debate that Lyxzen fears is robbing Sweden of its customary tolerance. "It's really sad," he reveals. "At first Sweden was very liberal and accepting of refugees as our peers — people who need help. Then all of a sudden the right wing populists got really loud and the government reacted to it. As soon as you legitimise fear of immigrants you are in trouble — Sweden even closed its borders. People are escaping war and torture, and my country won't even help them. It's horrible."