The Band
The Hives are a Swedish band formed in 1993. They play garage rock mixed with fast-paced punk.
They’re super known for having great interaction with the audience at their live shows. Pelle, the singer, stage-dives or does crazy movements, along with the other members. It’s really fun to watch.
Band Members
- Pelle Almqvist – vocals
- Niklas Almqvist – guitar
- Vigilante Carlstroem – guitar
- The Johan and Only – bass guitar
- Chris Dangerous – drums
The Album
After a long hiatus, of 11 years, The Hives released their sixth studio album The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons on August 11th, 2023. During that drought time, they keep on touring, but no new music saw the light of day, until 2 days ago.
The band released some videos, a couple of months ago, to grow expectations in waiting for their new work, and the waiting was worth it.
Who is Randy Fitzsimmons?
All the band songs, except the covers, are written by this mysterious person, Randy Fitzsimmons. It’s an alter ego, a sixth member, a mentor, that also discovered and manages the band. Even though the name is registered by Niklas Almqvist, one of their guitar players.
Randy‘s death is held accountable for the return of the band to making music, almost like a return from the grave. Same theme with the first song of the album, Bogus Operandi, in which the band members are transformed into zombies. Also, the artwork on the album cover shows the band burying this Randy guy.
This album is their first work with their new bassist The Johan and Only, after the departure of Dr. Matt Destruction, that however does a cameo in the video Countdown to Shutdown.
The Songs
1. Bogus Operandi. The first song of the album is very powerful. Zombie video, referencing “Evil Dead” classic gore horror movies. Super catchy and energetic. I love this unpolished, raw sound (deliberated made, of course).
2. Trapdoor Solution. 1-minute punk song.
3. Countdown to Shutdown. Catchy as hell and love the bass line during the whole song.
4. Rigor Mortis Radio. Retro pop feel, clapping hands.
5. Stick Up. A dark look on life. Slow 60s song kind of vibe. Love the guitar solo.
6. Smoke & Mirrors and 7. Crash Into the Weekend, give me the impression of old 50s or 60s rock and roll songs. Like the first albums of bands like The Rolling Stones or The Yardbirds. Simple, but effective, appealing, and fun.
8. Two Kinds of Trouble. More power. Opposites.
9. The Way the Story Goes. Psychedelic old song vibe. Some win and some lose, in this game called life.
10. The Bomb. Short and intense.
11. What Did I Ever Do to You? A break-up song with an intense ending. It’s the dissonant experimental track between pure punk songs. And it’s the result of the band touring recently with Arctic Monkeys.
12. Step Out of the Way. Superfast, energetic punk song. Amazing way to finish the album.
Despite their long pause in creating new music, The Hives‘s new album brings back their old essence, raw and energetic, right-in-your-face, fast-paced punk rock, mixed with a retro feeling of old rock and roll. I just love this album and I hope that we won’t have to wait so many years, again, for their next work.
Tracklist
- Bogus Operandi
- Trapdoor Solution
- Countdown to Shutdown
- Rigor Mortis Radio
- Stick Up
- Smoke & Mirrors
- Crash Into the Weekend
- Two Kinds of Trouble
- The Way the Story Goes
- The Bomb
- What Did I Ever Do To You?
- Step Out of the Way