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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Veni Vidi Vicious
Universal acclaim
Based on 13 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 27 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Warner Bros. / Burning Heart / Epitaph
Release Date: 30 April 2002
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Indie, Rock
Summary
One of the first Next Big Things of 2002, Sweden's The Hives follow last year's media darlings The Strokes and The White Stripes in bringing the rock back to alternative rock. The only catch is that the band has been around for over a decade, with this particular album actually dating back to 2000, when it gained a limited U.S. release on a tiny Epitaph imprint. However, the Swedes were able to benefit from the rush to capitalize on the neo-garage/punk-rock movement by scoring a major label deal in early 2002 and a rerelease of this, their second full-length. (They've got The Strokes beat on length, though, managing to release an even shorter album, at just 27 minutes.)
Also By This Artist: The Black And White Album Tyrannosaurus Hives
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Village Voice (Consumer Guide)
The Hives explode where a hundred other punk bands are proud to rock.
Read Full Review >E! Online
Veni Vidi Vicious literally explodes with frenetic guitar jangle and audacious hooks.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Plenty of fuzzed, struttin', propulsive guitar work on this disc to assault your ears.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
They came, they saw, they rocked viciously. [Jul. 2002, p.82]
Rolling Stone
Vicious is a combination of punk's snottiness, Detroit rock's raw power and the stylized blues freak-outs of bands like Pussy Galore.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
While brevity alone isn't automatically a virtue, the songs here contain enough ample surprises, and hidden rewards, that there's nothing lacking even as the Hives smartly employ the logic of "always leave them wanting more."
Read Full Review >Blender
Their propulsive intensity busts down garage doors, stumbling only with the wrongheaded ersatz cocktail ballad. [#8, p.117]
Salon.com
Those dependable fuzz tones never get tired, so long as they're accompanied by a propulsive backbeat, maximum adrenaline and a modicum of melody, and Sweden's Hives have all of that.
Read Full Review >CDNow
The Hives seem to have approached Vicious with one aim in mind: to rock – hard -- for 27 minutes straight. Even more impressively, they actually pull it off.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
On Veni Vidi Vicious, the band plays like rascals on their way to jail, with the prospect of conjugal visits depending on the music's extroverted energy.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
They almost vindicate the near-deafening hoopla that preceded this major-label debut. [10 May 2002, p.80]
Pitchfork
Instead of coming from noise and chaos, they're rooted in pastiche and show business-- especially on their one midtempo song, the 50s pop knockoff "Find Another Girl." Your parents might dig this album as much as you do.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
The Hives' brand of neo-garage leans heavy on punk and lacks nuance, but the unification of speed, volume, and shake generates a scalding steam.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.1 (out of 10) based on 27 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Alberto m gave it a10:
Simple: Best garage album of the decade.
Alex J gave it a10:
The Hives are possibly the greatest band playing right now. I can't say that they are better than old school greats such as The Ramones and The Sex Pistols, but I can say that they are at least equal. The pure energy of this record is amazing. Howlin' Pelle Almqvist's screaming is just plain awesome. Incredible....
Asia Z gave it a 10:
Despite being incredibly short and not exactly versatile, Veni Vidi Vicious is a powerhouse of an album that will stay with listeners for years to come. "Die Alright" is possibly the best punk rock song to hit the airwaves in the past five years. One can only imagine what lies in this band's future. Bravo.
Isabel G gave it a 10:
I can't believe that a band this great exists!! Their music is so perfect! I can't wait until they release a new album! Love you!!
Rini P. gave it a 10:
very nice! it leaps out at you and screams "listen to me!!!"
Phill R. gave it a 10:
I can't belive how well they've captured the character, feel and spontaneous energy of the 70's punk rock era and brought to the millenium.
Tony B. gave it a 9:
Awesome! I heard the album ONCE and had to have it! Apperantly I'm not the only one as I had a hard time finding it at both Best Buy AND Circuit City.
