22nd March 2026

5 Albums I Want To Be Buried With #26: Refuse The Future!

We had the pleasure of a conversation with Jason Calieri from Boston, Massachusetts Refuse The Future for this week’s incarnation of 5 albums I want to be buried with and the mastermind and multi instrumentalist has chosen some seriously interesting records. The conversation took place after the release of the band debut EP “Burned Beyond” which not only features Ken Schalk from Candiria on drums throughout but was also mixed and mastered by the legendary Jamie King (The Contortionist, Between The Buried And Me, Dead Man In Reno) so make sure you check that one out!

The premise is simple: “Back in ancient Egypt they believed that the items their Kings were buried with would travel with them into the afterlife and so part of the burial ritual would see the mummified bodies surrounded by chariots, gold and more. Fast forward to now. If there were five albums that you’d want buried in the coffin with you to take to the afterlife, what would you choose?”

1. Botch – “We Are The Romans”

“The legendary Botch. This album really blew my mind with the way it achieved heaviness without ever really leaning on typical chuggy power chords. Especially with one guitar. Dave Knudson is a genius – his playing was so innovative, so out of left field. His riffs combined with that rhythm section and those amazing vocals resulted in such an interesting and unique sound. Other bands have tried to copy it to varying degrees, but no one has succeeded. They’re one of one.”

2. Mew – “And the Glass Handed Kites”

“I think Mew, like Radiohead, is a great example of how far you can push things in experimental or proggy ways while still keeping the songs catchy and approachable. I think very few bands can pull that off, but Mew certainly does. And, to me, And the Glass Handed Kites is their high point – the perfect mix of riffs, melody, emotion. Listening to this album front to back is an incredible journey. It reminds me of OK Computer in some ways, but darker, heavier, and even deeper.”

3. Thirty Ought Six – “Hagseed”

“Thirty Ought Six are definitely more of an unknown band, which is crazy because I think this was one of the best albums of the 90s. Like Botch, there’s no other band that sounds like these guys. The bass playing, with the use of so many chords and open strings, is so unique, the drums are so technical yet catchy, and then the guitar sits on top creating these amazing soundscapes. They can go from delicate to devastating so quickly. But what really puts it over the top are the lyrics and the vocal delivery. Just so raw and emotional. Every word hits like a brick.”

4. The Smiths – “Louder Than Bombs”

“It was tough to choose just one Smiths album, so I cheated a bit and went with a compilation. When people think of “heavy music,” naturally they think of metal. But to me The Smiths are a heavy band – dark, emotional, weighty. Heavier than most modern metal bands, in many ways. And as a lyricist, Morrissey can’t be beat. Smart, sad, hilarious, crushing all at once.”

5. Depeche Mode – “Black Celebration”

“Like The Smiths, Depeche Mode is another non-metal band I view as being heavy. Not so much their early stuff, which is great in a different way, but Black Celebration is sonically dense and sounds so massive. Just crank up the songs Stripped or Black Celebration and let the synth bass crush you. The album Violator is worth mentioning, too. It was kind of a toss-up between the two, because the production on Violator and the way all the synths and percussion fit together are unmatched. Perfect albums.”