Originally released on Equal Vision in the glory days of 1997, "Everlasting" introduced Refused to the American audience that would eventually buy their legendary "Shape of Punk to Come" in large quantities. The sound of "Everlasting" melded the ethos and experimentation of Born Against and Nation of Ulysses with the heaviness and boldness of (then) contemporary East Coast hardcore to establish a sound that no other band dared or even could begin to think to make. There is an innocence to this record and era of Refused that I find very appealing and encourage others to become acquainted with. "Everlasting" represents a band in the midst of creating something groundbreaking and the ignorance of the band's significance in the annals of music history via harmless experimentation is as enjoyable as it is astonishing. Songs like "I Am Not Me" and "The Real" are some of the best hardcore music recorded in the 1990s and ushered in a new era for hardcore sonically, visually, and philosophically. While Victory Records and other marketable hardcore labels in the 90s avoided the political, Refused proudly and bravely stood for their convictions and never shied away from expressing what they felt their audience needed to hear and understand. It is because of this that the re-issue of this record is so important and its influence will live up to its title, everlasting.
8.5 /10
- Joe