ALBUM REVIEW: THE HIVES FOREVER FOREVER THE HIVES BY THE HIVES

Reviewed by Cecilia Pattison-Levi

The 28 second fanfare of warming up violins, brass instruments and orchestration brings in the first song by The Hives: ‘Enough Is Enough’ with its blast of urban angst in a rollicking swirl of rock guitars and drums about not dealing with anymore “bullshit” about “unbelievable” conformity. It’s a driving song that wants to kick in heads as they ask on this album “Do you like rock music? Well, you do now.”

This album The Hives Forever Forever The Hives has infinite swagger. The 13 songs have a “zero-tolerance policy” for weakness as these forceful melodic punk-rock songs deliver The Hives’ world view of rage-fuelled bangers. If ‘Enough Is Enough’ wants to kick in your door, then ‘Hooray Hooray Hooray’ wants to get you onto the dance floor as you head bang along and tap those toes as it tells you “not to be on the losing side”. While ‘Bad Call’ has a fantastic melody and a classic hook and it is possibly one of the best songs they have written with its punchy sound and its underlying controlled aggression about “having it all”. It is an album highlight!

And, then ‘Paint A Picture’ takes a detour into heavier lyrical terrain about the pitfalls of addiction. The band deliver sentiments like: “I felt bad, I took a pill, dilate my iris and destroy my will” and “don’t follow them, maybe they’re lost too” as they show their music is more than thumping choruses. It is another album highlight.

It’s in a similar vein with the up-tempo songs ‘O.C.D.O.D.’  and ‘Legalize Living’ where the guitars use distortion, and sirens blare underneath the shouted vocals. It’s vintage The Hives. Then, another short interlude takes a breath. Before more raucous and joyous rock’n’roll hits the listener with ‘Roll Out The Red Carpet’ and the fantastic drum kicks bring in ‘Born A Rebel’ with its religious imagery about not listening to Mosses on the mountain. Life is more than following the rules for the rules and tools. It’s fun and you can tell the band are grinning with their tongues firmly in their cheeks again as they want “enhancements to the Ten Commandments”.

The following song ‘They Can’t Hear The Music’ is a punk explosion of guitars and it’s “one more time – this time with feeling” as dancing your worries away to the music is the best medicine. The best song on the album is the distorted guitar riff that brings in the thumping ‘Path Of Most Resistance’ that criticises the state of modern living that traps people with a little bit of freedom. It tells people to get out of their comfort zone and legalize living. The album closes with the stadium ready title track, ‘The Hives Forever Forever The Hives’ and it is a tailor-made concert end. It is completely catchy and so much fun. I saw The Hives play live a few months ago and I don’t know why this wasn’t played. It is so good!

The Hives are the rulers of the roost. The songs on this album crow out that they are at the top of their game. There is not a bad song on The Hives Forever Forever The Hives as the band celebrate the high of being alive “and not living in a gilded cage” as they live life to the full. The Hives are a dynamic rock ‘n’ roll band and long may they reign over us. Roll out that red carpet indeed!