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THE HIVES
‘The Hives Forever
Forever The Hives’
Album Review

(31st August 2025)

Review by Paige Clifford

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The iconic Swedish rock band The Hives cemented their return to the scene with a bang on Friday with the release of their seventh studio album, The Hives Forever Forever The Hives. With this, their second release after a decade of silence, fans are sure to be satisfied with the maturity and clarity of their sound in this energetic album.

Sonically, the project is very cohesive, a confident affirmation of their punk rock sound. There is an honesty and sincerity to the lyrics that you can really appreciate – as if their decades-long career has left The Hives, happily, with zero fucks to give. At thirteen tracks in length, this offering hits the mark for both the seasoned Hives listener and those newer to their talents like myself.

The band currently consists of vocalist Howlin’ Pelle, bassist The Johan And Only, guitarists Nicholaus Arson and Vigilante Carlstroem, and Chris Dangerous on drums. Are they not the greatest collection of band-member-monikers you have ever heard?!

It’s safe to say that your headphones aren’t going to cut it for this one. You need to crank the volume on your sound system and scream along for a full and faithful experience of The Hives.

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The album opener, fittingly titled “(introduction)”, drops the listener headfirst into orchestral chaos and auditory confusion, before recentering us fully with their signature garage rock sound. The musical melee blooms satisfyingly into the motif of a grungy Beethoven’s Fifth. Short and succinct, coming in at only twenty-eight seconds, this track sets the tone for the album but leaves us wanting more.

We are then launched into the album’s first full-length track, “Enough Is Enough”, with a foot-stomping beat and angst-ridden lyrics. Candid and real, it leaves you nodding your head and thinking, “Yeah, enough is enough”. The chorus is lyrically simple, just an eight-fold repetition of the title, and yet I still felt like getting up and screaming the words out loud. It’s almost like the breadth of The Hives’ collective experiences channels a universally relatable expression of anger. I loved the dramatic touch of Pelle’s breathing over the rising guitar crescendo into the final chorus.

Track three, “Hooray Hooray Hooray”, is a sarcastic denunciation of the world’s ‘spoiled brats’ who’ve never done a hard day’s work. The lively movement of the guitar carries the song and highlights the gritty vocals, which makes the transition into “Bad Call” at track four an ideal lead-in. The call and response between the lead and backing vocals makes this number a load of fun. Instrumentally less dense than the rest of the album, “Bad Call” leans right into its vocals: musical contrast with thematic consistency.

It’s almost as if the guitarists are having a conversation across the verses in “Paint A Picture”.  This is one of my favourites – the switch-up in tempo at the chorus, all the way through to the final sustained vocal cries, makes you actually feel the message of ‘rising above’, unlimited by the thoughts of others.

“O.C.D.O.D.” pulls us immediately into a faster and more chaotic atmosphere, reflecting its title. Pelle’s gravelly vocals are almost scream-like in their desperation, the drums and guitar paralleling his every word. I wish this piece was longer, but creatively, I have to admit that it works brilliantly just as it is.

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Track seven, “Legalize Living”, has a distinctly fun vibe. The police sirens and the chanting, “hoo-ha” vocals transport us into an overregulated world, while the piano simultaneously elicits a kind of creepy, Halloween-esque mood. The Hives’ commentary on society shutting down an individual’s right to exist on their own terms absolutely strikes a nerve.

“(Interlude)” as a track feels slightly out of place, sandwiched between two such high-energy songs, but the experimentation with a military drumbeat is intriguing. The fade out at the end feels like its winding down and left me wanting to hype back up.

Bassist The Johan And Only is a unifying force in “Roll Out The Red Carpet”. The bass is solid but understated, not overly loud in the mix but does its job pulling the song together perfectly. Lyrically, a listener might catch an allusion to a romantic relationship in this one, in which case it would be the only song on the album to strike this chord. Considering love is such an all-pervasive theme in the world of music, this album steers away from the common narrative, yet it still feels complete.

Track ten, “Born A Rebel”, changes direction with what sounds like eighties-inspired guitar riffs and chord progressions. It’s an overt commentary on religion, leaving less to interpretation than most of the album’s other tracks. “Born A Rebel” sums up the themes of the album in one single, striking song. And, come on, everybody loves a rebel.

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“They Can’t Hear The Music” is vocally unique amongst the thirteen tracks, leaving me wondering whether Pelle has handed the microphone to someone else, or if it’s just his versatility smashing to the fore. The Hives seem to enjoy experimenting, especially with emphasis and tempo, but never in a way that feels out of place.

The band include a clever play on a well-known expression in “Path of Most Resistance”, flipping it on its head to make the comment that life is only worth living if you put in the effort to make it worthwhile. “I take the path of most resistance / Baby I ain’t fuckin’ about” – and they really aren’t in this one.

How many albums can you think of that wait to close out the show with the title track? “The Hives Forever Forever The Hives” is musically diverse from the rest of the album, and an uplifting track that feels like a celebration of the band. The high register of the guitars contrasts beautifully with Pelle’s low vocals, evoking a sense of nostalgia, at least for me. One thing is for certain – The Hives love a call and response, and there’s no doubt you can picture this as a concert finale, audience chanting “Forever the Hives!” at full volume in response to the band’s energetic cry. The song itself ends abruptly yet is a perfect finish to the album.

The Hives Forever Forever The Hives validates you in your troubles and provides a perfect space for release. You ricochet between anger, solidarity, outrage, and triumph. The album is thirty-three minutes of resistance, where we as listeners are empowered to reject the norm and reconsider our place in the world

Check out the live coverage of THE HIVES show @ Metropolis, Fremantle, Perth, 17th July 2025 below:

Photos by Adrian Thomson (@_awii_) – HERE

Live review by Melanie Griffiths – HERE

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THE HIVES FOREVER FOREVER THE HIVES – OUT NOW 
Listen/Buy HERE

The new album, consisting of thirteen pieces of music was crafted with commitment, abandon and skill in Sweden in cohorts with the esteemed producers Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Mike D of Beastie Boys, will read as follows:

(introduction)
Enough Is Enough
Hooray Hooray Hooray
Bad Call
Paint A Picture
O.C.D.O.D
Legalize Living
(interlude)
Roll Out The Red Carpet
Born A Rebel
They Can’t Hear The Music
Path Of Most Resistance
The Hives Forever Forever The Hives

Catalogue Number: PIASR1579

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Follow THE HIVES
Website – Instagram – Facebook
Spotify – X – You Tube

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Press Release 9th July 2025 (below) HERE

THE HIVES
release new single/video
‘LEGALIZE LIVING’
from new album
‘THE HIVES FOREVER
FOREVER THE HIVES’
on August 29

Touring Australia this month!

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AMNPLIFY – DB