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Veni Vidi Vicious Image
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 44 Ratings

  • 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 backOne 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.) Expand

Top Track

Hate to Say I Told You So
Do what I want 'cause I can and if I don't, because I wanna Be ignored by the stiff and the bored, because I'm gonna Spit and retrieve 'cause I give... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. The Hives explode where a hundred other punk bands are proud to rock.
  2. Veni Vidi Vicious literally explodes with frenetic guitar jangle and audacious hooks.
  3. Plenty of fuzzed, struttin', propulsive guitar work on this disc to assault your ears.
  4. 80
    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.
  5. Blender
    80
    Their propulsive intensity busts down garage doors, stumbling only with the wrongheaded ersatz cocktail ballad. [#8, p.117]
  6. Alternative Press
    80
    They came, they saw, they rocked viciously. [Jul. 2002, p.82]
  7. 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.

See all 13 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Albertom
    Aug 16, 2005
    10
    Simple: Best garage album of the decade.
  2. AsiaZ
    Jun 13, 2004
    10
    Despite being incredibly short and not exactly versatile, Veni Vidi Vicious is a powerhouse of an album that will stay with listeners for 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. Expand
  3. AlexJ
    Mar 9, 2005
    10
    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 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.... Expand
  4. BrianW.
    May 12, 2002
    9
    Simply great. These songs will follow you around for weeks, beating you over head into submission. biggest downside is some lame ass song Simply great. These songs will follow you around for weeks, beating you over head into submission. biggest downside is some lame ass song titles, but the hype is well deserved! Expand
  5. TonyB.
    Sep 4, 2002
    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 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. Expand
  6. TeresaC.
    Aug 8, 2002
    8
    The Hives have the kind of sheer raw energy that almost seemed to have vanished completely during the `90s. Keep at it!
  7. EricS
    Nov 22, 2007
    7
    Unlike most of the over-hyped retro bands of the early 00s, the Hives actually recapture the essence of the punk-rock pioneers (the Stooges Unlike most of the over-hyped retro bands of the early 00s, the Hives actually recapture the essence of the punk-rock pioneers (the Stooges come to mind). The Hives are a stunning example of how energy and vitality can lend new life to an old style. They may not be inventing anything, but they sure as hell sound like they think they are. The Hives also have a terrific melodic sense. I hope at some point they shed the trappings of their garage-punk sound and produce a pop record. Oh, and Vicious is by far their best work so far. Expand

See all 13 User Reviews