AMG Review of This Just Might Be... the Truth

Vincent Jeffries
All Music Guide

Refused announce themselves with a massive hardcore sound on This Just Might Be...the Truth, the Swedish group's bombastic full-length debut. In typical early-career form, the guitar riffs on this 1995 release are huge and the confrontational, anti-establishment message is pronounced. Fans familiar with The Shape of Punk to Come may notice that Refused chose to shout rather than scream their political missives on This Just Might Be...the Truth. And while the music on this offering lacks the dynamic frenzy of later works, the sheer weight of tracks like the heavy opener, "Intro," and cuts like "5th Freedom" aren't lacking in conviction. Hardcore is rarely performed this precisely, and first recordings from artists of any genre do not often sound this confident and well executed. A solid effort from one of the '90s' most surprising punk outfits, This Just Might Be...the Truth established Refused as a formidable, if not the preeminent, hardcore band of the decade.