The Hives have always been one of those bands that never quite got the full credit they deserved. Back in high school I absolutely devoured Veni Vidi Vicious—it was loud, brash, and somehow sharper than most of what came out of that early 2000s garage rock revival. The Hives were one of the main reasons that moment in times existed in the first place and while a lot of bands from that era fizzled out or lost their bite, The Hives have stayed true to what they do best.
And what they do best is fast, fuzzy, and confident rock ’n’ roll. They’ve always had that swagger, and The Hives Forever Forever The Hives feels like a big, self-aware reminder that they’ve still got it in spades. Even after all these years the band sounds as wild and tight as they did during their younger years, delivering that punchy mix of punk and garage rock that no one else quite does like them.
It’s kind of a magical record for me in that it reminded me why I fell in love with them all those years ago. The riffs are gnarly, the drums are punchy as hell, and Pelle Almqvist’s vocal chords sound like they’ve been cryogenically preserved since 2006 until this moment in time. Put another way, the band is completely dialed. Almost like they’ve rediscovered the spark that made them so electric back in the day. It’s not reinventing the wheel (would we even want them to?) but it’s a damn good spin of it and proof that The Hives remain one of the coolest and most dependable garage rock bands to ever do it.
I’ve listened to this about ten times in full since it’s been released. Much like the band it has aged like a fine wine. Outside of Veni Vidi Vicious this is easily my favorite album they’ve ever put out. Nostalgia may be a potent potion (and it’s certainly at play here) but this album kicks serious ass on it’s own merits.
Long live rock and roll. Long live garage rock. The Hives forever, forever The Hives.
Standout Songs: “Enough Is Enough”, “Hooray Hooray Hooray”, “Paint A Picture”, “Legalize Living”, “(Interlude)”, “The Hives Forever Forever The Hives”
