Review: Seein’ Red ‘Refuse Resist’

I cannot exactly say when I first heard of long-running Dutch hardcore legends Seein’ Red. It was definitely during my years in the late ’90s living and working in Seattle as I tattooed many a young, crusty, hardcore fan as well as idealistic straight edge kids. I had most certainly heard their name, yet knew nothing about them, including the fact that they were from The Netherlands.

So, when The Shaman himself was eager to get their latest album, Refuse Resist, covered, I was at least familiar with their name, so I dove in with both feet. Now, admittedly I don’t know much about European hardcore, or punk really, outside of the UK, however, I can go on and on about early ’80s to early ’90s US hardcore and punk rock, particularly on the west coast, but I’m woefully lacking in my mainland Europe hardcore knowledge.

Seein’ Red, comprised of members of Lärm, whom I had also never heard of, but are evidently also considered legends of the ’80s European hardcore scene, as well as being once admired by some within the UK New Age Traveller movement, have been releasing music for decades. Their first release dropped WAY back in 1989, (the year I graduated high school, but who’s counting?) and judging from their Bandcamp page, they’ve been prolific as well as mostly consistent ever since, with sometimes as much as five years in between releases, but it sure says something about the band’s longevity.

Refuse Resist, their first full-length since 2022’s Past Present Intense, and the latest in a career that spans over fifty releases between albums, singles, seven inches. It is also the perfect hardcore album at the perfect time, as the world sees the return of the dreaded orange man, while right-wing ideology springs up across Europe and the rest of the world. 

Refuse Resist, (sorry when I hear those words together, I instantly think of the call-to-arms classic from Sepultura!) plays like a literal soundtrack to ANTIFA confronting right wing assholes. This record is a non-stop, leftist, punch in the face from the moment the thirty-seven second opener Rebels bursts into the listener’s consciousness, to the aural ass-kicking of closer Once And For All.

Refuse Resist is a relentless album for uncertain times…

However, there’s all sorts of varying punk rock riffage as songs like hardcore thumpers Stayin’ Underground, Gegen Dreck and Routine serve as an almost breather from the insane, face-crushing hardcore pummel of Too Many and Animals Killed. There’s a super vicious, hardcore bridge in Orange Soap, while General Strike is the type of hardcore song that makes you want to run through a wall.

Elsewhere, other favorites for this reviewer were the blast-beat sheer brutality of Bloed Op Danslover, the sonic annihilation of Red Attack, the grimy punk of Live Free, the awesomely titled, hardcore hammering of Tired Of Religion and the saxophone skronks accentuating the musical, leftist battering of Links AF.

Refuse Resist is twenty-seven uncompromising, fascist hating, leftist, face-melting hardcore punk songs served up by a trio of men that have been doing this for going on four decades. That in of itself, as mentioned, is completely amazing and must be celebrated, as any relationship lasting that long should be commended.

As well, the album is about as unflinching as leftist hardcore punk gets. These guys kinda reminded me of Chicago legends Los Crudos, not necessarily sonically, but perhaps in overall energy and delivery. Refuse Resist is a relentless album for uncertain times. This is lo-fi hardcore punk done right, and I’m certainly gonna have to dig into these guys more. Not for the faint of heart.

Label: Armageddon Label | Autoreverse Records & Tapes | Way Back When Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify

Scribed by: Martin Williams