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Album Review – Refusal / Venomous Human Concept (2025)

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This Finnish beast returns with its third full-length opus, delivering a raw and unrelenting blend of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements.

Formed in Helsinki, Finland, in early 2008, Death Metal/Grindcore outfit Refusal is set to unleash upon humanity their third full-length album, entitled Venomous Human Concept, the follow-up to their 2019 offering Epitome of Void. Delivering a raw and unrelenting blend of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements, striking a perfect balance between groove-driven intensity and razor-sharp precision, the band currently formed of Juhani Paasipohja on vocals, Tero Pirhonen and Kalle Kuosmanen on the guitars, Timo Pirhonen on bass, and Aleksi Roitto on drums is on fire throughout their entire new album, with the sharp mixing by Olli Nokkala at Studio Kolotila and the first-class mastering by Henri Sorvali at Trollhouse Audio turning it into a must-listen for fans of Napalm Death, Misery Index, Entombed, and Rotten Sound, among several others.

Tero and Kalle will cut your skin deep with their dirty, caustic riffs in Scholar of Perversion, while Juhani already barks and roars like a creature from darkness. The title-track Venomous Human Concept tells a story of rising up against the ruling class, and the ones who hold the wealth and power; musically speaking, it’s a demented hybrid of Death Metal and Grindcore led by the insane drums by Aleksi, followed by The Grip Tightens, sounding even more infuriated, or in other words, it’s a demonic display of Death Metal where Juhani vociferates rabidly nonstop. The band continues to spread hatred and violence in Insatiable God, with the scorching riffs by Tero and Kalle inspiring us all for some wild headbanging, and those Finnish death metallers show no mercy for our cranial skulls in War of Nothing, with Aleksi once again crushing his enemies behind his drums.

There’s no sign of the band slowing down or sounding mellower; quite the contrary, it’s total anarchy in Dehumanize, blasting our heads with their furious Death Metal onrush, whereas We Are the Undead is one of the most violent tracks of the entire album, overflowing aggression thanks to another venomous performance by Juhani with his demented roars and the always demolishing beats and fills by Aleksi. Their violent sounds continue to fill every single space in the air in Sleeping Leviathan, with the stringed axes by Tero, Kalle and Timo transpiring pure, unfiltered Death Metal magic. There’s still time to slam into the pit to the hybrid of Death Metal with Grindcore entitled Congregation of the Eyeless, again presenting an avalanche of piercing riffs and infernal growls, and the band then ends the album with the Doom Metal-infused Eternal Refrain, sounding dark and sinister until the very end, with the hammering drums by Aleksi feeling utterly chaotic.

After all is said and done, Venomous Human Concept, which is available for purchase from the band’s own BandCamp or from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore, will definitely help Refusal cement their name not only in the always incendiary local Finnish scene, but also all over the world where our good old Death Metal is properly appreciated, and you can also support those hellish metallers by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by streaming their discography on Spotify. In other words, get ready to be pulverized by Refusal to the sound of Venomous Human Concept because, as you might already know, Death Metal is their business, and business is good.

Best moments of the album: Venomous Human Concept, We Are the Undead and Sleeping Leviathan.

Worst moments of the album: Insatiable God.

Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records

Track listing
1. Scholar of Perversion 3:39
2. Venomous Human Concept 2:57
3. The Grip Tightens 3:13
4. Insatiable God 2:50
5. War of Nothing 4:38
6. Dehumanize 4:39
7. We Are the Undead 3:42
8. Sleeping Leviathan 1:24
9. Congregation of the Eyeless 3:36
10. Eternal Refrain 5:04

Band members
Juhani Paasipohja – vocals
Tero Pirhonen – guitars
Kalle Kuosmanen – guitars
Timo Pirhonen – bass, backing vocals
Aleksi Roitto – drums

Album Review – Refusal / Epitome of Void (2019)

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A straight-to-the-point album of Finnish Crust Old School Death Metal, as pulverizing, heavy and infernal as it can be.

Founded back in 2008 in the city of Helsinki, Finland by guitarist Tero Pirhonen and bassist Timo Pirhonen, before bringing in vocalist Niikka Lius, drummer Aleksi Roitto and more recently guitarist Kalle Kuosmanen to complete the band, the unrelenting squad that goes by the name of Refusal does not just play your regular Death Metal, but something they like to call “Finnish Crust Old School Death Metal”, smashing you like an insect with all their fury and heaviness without showing a single drop of mercy. After releasing several demos and their debut full-length album We Rot Within, in 2016, Refusal are back in action in 2019 with a brand new (and pulverizing) opus, beautifully titled Epitome of Void. Featuring a somber artwork by Finnish artist Sakke Vinko, Epitome of Void is highly recommended for fans of the music by iconic bands like Napalm Death, Nasum and Entombed, being absolutely perfect for slamming into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow.

The distorted guitars by Tero and Kalle ignite the pulverizing opening track Suffocate, reminding me of the devilish sound by Turkish beasts Diabolizer, or in other words, a brutal slamming Death Metal extravaganza led by Niika and his deep, visceral growls. If you survive their initial onrush of extreme music get ready for the insanely heavy Hectic, showcasing an enraged Niikka on vocals while Aleksi decimates his drums in a precise and groovy manner, accompanied by Timo’s roaring bass; whereas Disregard brings forward a less frantic but still acid and violent version of the band, urging us all to bang our heads manically to the infernal riffs by Tero and Kalle while Timo smashes his bass chords nonstop.

Disgust is just as brutal as Death Metal can be, with Refusal inviting us all to crush our skulls into the circle pit while Niikaa vomits the song’s lyrics in a very traditional way; followed by Slaves, the darkest of all songs in Epitome of Void, showcasing hints of classic, obscure Black Metal added to their unrelenting music. Moreover, Tero and Timo bring some welcome balance to the sonic havoc going on with their crisp solos. Then it’s time for more demented slamming to the infernal beats by Aleksi in Exploit, while Niikka keeps growling and vociferating manically for our total delight. Put differently, this is the undisputed epitome of Refusal’s classic Death Metal, highly recommended for all fans of the genre.

If you think your neck will have a break from all the insane headbanging proposed by Refusal you’re absolutely wrong, as the band ignites their most demonic mode in the rip-roaring Bound, with their guitars and drums being in full destructive force. Then their second to last deranged Death Metal attack comes in the form of Futile, where all band members sound even more infuriated than ever, pleasing anyone who admires old school Brutal Death Metal from the bottom of their (blackened) hearts, setting the stage for the the thunderous and vile closing tune Void, where the smashing sounds of drums and bass provide Niikka the perfect atmosphere for his sick guttural vocals. There’s no escape from Refusal, and their most unfriendly, obscure and intricate creation beautifully represents all their fury and rage, ending the album on a very high note.

Do you have what it takes to face the demolishing Death Metal by Refusal? If your answer is yes, simply slam into the pit by listening to Epitome of Void in full on Spotify, by following the band on Facebook and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. In a nutshell, Epitome of Void, which by the way is on sale from Refusal’s own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page, from iTunes, from Amazon or from Discogs, will not change or revolutionize the underground metal scene at all; quite the contrary, it’s pure old school Death Metal, without any artificial elements nor any type of shenanigans, thoroughly crafted by five Finnish guys who are beyond loyal to the foundations of the genre, deserving all our admiration and support for keeping the flames of true Death Metal alive and kicking.

Best moments of the album: Hectic, Disgust and Exploit.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2019 Great Dane Records

Track listing
1. Suffocate 2:20
2. Hectic 2:51
3. Disregard 3:13
4. Disgust 3:27
5. Slaves 4:33
6. Exploit 1:48
7. Bound 4:14
8. Futile 4:10
9. Void 5:19

Band members
Niikka Lius – vocals
Tero Pirhonen – guitars
Kalle Kuosmanen – guitars
Timo Pirhonen – bass, backing vocals
Aleksi Roitto – drums