Hive – Most Vicious Animal CD

“Most Vicious Animal is a forward thinking record that clearly understands its place in the punk canon. Hive continually push themselves to new heights with their downtrodden lyrics and overarching sense of despair. A truly hard hitting and frequently thrilling listen, Hive revel in the inherent madness of their sound. Across twelve tracks, Most Vicious Animal remains high energy and consistent, repeatedly proving that they are among the best and brightest coming out of the ever fertile Midwest.”
– Two Guys Metal Reviews“What could be more brutally depressing than reality, right? Although I think Victims‘ latest is the most soul-crushingly sorrowful hit of reality in ages consider Hive‘s take on Scandinavian hardcore just as ruinous for the self. These days this stuff is reshaping what bands like Gehenna and Integrity created with their ‘dark hardcore’ sensibilities and often comes by way of occasionally high-melodic ideas for most bands but, in the case of this Minneapolis quartet all that comes is the coroner. ‘Most Vicious Animal’ might jangle a bit on the side a la early Martyrdöd but the bulk of this album is destructive, ripping crust punk noise. Crank a song like “Threaten” and you’ll start to see past the wall of thunder HIVE bring and see the full arc of the album start to form into something straightforward in the moment but somewhat adventurous as it plays out. Desolate and completely damning stuff.”
– Grizzly Butts

“From MN..Hive have much in common with Integrity and APT213 .. Yes they must be influences .Ah Blistering Crusty and Grinding Hardcore the best way possible. This Scandinavian force is what I would call leaning towards what is D Beat . With Hive we are getting way more Grinding Hardcore in the way the fury and power is coming from those vocals and musical blasts. If you love bands like His Hero is Gone, Rise from the Ashes, Damad, Dropdead, Nails, Immortal Bird and Noisem. There really isnt too much more to say. If you like your Hardcore Dirty, Nasty with a Catchy element to it all then this is the go to the album for all of us. ”
– The Doorway To

“While many punk bands revolve around ‘We can do it if we try!’ political ideals and group sing-a-longs, Hive plays depressive D-beat that seethes with misanthropy. The legacy of His Hero Is Gone, Cursed, and Discharge is alive and kicking”. -RIFT MAGAZINE

“The concentration is on a massive wall of D-beat, and a casual listen might leave you with this sole impression, but Hive are a desperate act breathing welcome life into a subgenre that is often phoned in.” -MAXIMUM ROCK AND ROLL

Formed in 2014 by guitarist and vocalist Morgan Carpenter and drummer Mike Paradise (Antiverse), Hive draws heavily from Scandinavian D-beat, Pacific Northwestern hardcore punk, and the legendary Minneapolis crust scene of their hometown. Drawing from their collective years in veteran hardcore bands such as Threadbare, Bosnia, Disembodied, and many more dating back to the early 1990’s, Hive has already left a dark cloud over the United States hardcore scene, particularly in the Midwest.

In 2015, the band self-recorded and released their first 6 song self titled EP on limited edition cassette and 12” vinyl. The first proper full length LP, Parasitic Twin, was released by Crown And Throne Ltd. in 2017. 2018 saw Hive collaborating on a split 7” with fellow Minneapolis hardcore band No Skin. Most recently, in January of 2019, Hive distilled the same angst and paranoia of their previous efforts while confiscating the claustrophobia and lawlessness of their live shows. The result is Most Vicious Animal, 12 songs of bulldozing hardcore that rarely gives listeners a chance to breathe. Recorded entirely in two days while tracking in the same room together, the band was able to achieve a more brash and aggressive album compared to their previous releases. The bold new album will be released on all formats by known accomplices Crown And Throne Ltd. (vinyl, limited edition cassette, digital) and Seeing Red Records (CD, digital) in August 2019.

Hive has carved out their own denomination through underground punk and is welcomed and shunned by their peers in equal measure. Their cabal is undoing and the only haven is death. Join their cult.