The Hives: the sound is simple. The look is slick. The impact unexpected

The Swedes are all about conquest. First came the Vikings, Volvos, then Abba. Now it's the Hives, Sweden's latest punk-pop export. Decked out in matching sharp suits and sporting a stinging sense of humor, the quintet quickly became the buzz band du jour in the easily excitable British music press. With a reputation for outrageous live shows and an aggressive musical approach, the Hives are now breaking out all over the rest of the world. Their latest album, Veni Vidi Vicious (Sire/Burning Heart/Epitaph), first came out nearly two years ago, but was rereleased on the heels of the garage rock revival ushered in by the likes of the White Stripes, and has taken on a life of its own.

The Hives' rambunctious sound was cultivated in a rural region of Sweden where, with limited access to records, the band had to imagine what influential punk bands sounded like. "I just sort of ran around screaming most of my youth, anyway," explains lead singer Howlin' Pelle Almqvist. "It was more about screaming than singing. And, to a certain extent, it still is. It's sort of primal scream therapy--but in a band."

In a style redolent of Spinal Tap, the Hives also are known for demanding that their audiences love them. Ever the budding rock star, Almqvist begs to differ: "What?! I don't tell my audiences to love me--I just know they do."

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