Decompositions Vol. II

By Hour Of The Wolf

Released Sept. 24, 2012


Tracklist

1. Taking Out The Trash
2. Black Blood
3. Set The Trash On Fire
4. Animals Hot In Heat
5. Blue Recluse
6. Feeling Cheated
7. Heavy Living
8. Overload
9. War Machine
10. Nothing Hits As Hard As The Abyss
11. I Need To Know
12. William Wayne
13. That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate
14. Chainsaw Love + Hidden Track
15. Faith In Fiction [Bonus Disc w/ Vinyl Version]
16. Age Of Nothing [Bonus Disc w/ Vinyl Version]
17. Heart Failure [Bonus Disc w/ Vinyl Version]  
18. Obsolete [Bonus Disc w/ Vinyl Version]
19. Bloodstains [Bonus Disc w/ Vinyl Version]
20. Cowards And Critics [Bonus Disc w/ Vinyl Version]

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Decompositions Vol. II reviews

Spawned a Monster

Wow! This is a great release of material from this AZ punk band. Hour of the Wolf remind me of Refused, the Misfits, Avail, and Motorhead. They take the rock n roll aspect of bands like the Hives/later-day Refused, mix in the evil of the Misfits and the melodic hardcore of Hot Water Music. The slightly faster songs are reminiscent of Motorhead. 

Justin Donnelly / J.J.D.'s Reviews And Interviews Blog

Following on from their ‘Decompositions Vol. 1’ compilation effort from last year, Prescott (Arizona, U.S.) based punk/rock outfit Hour Of The Wolf and Think Fast! Records have finally completed work on the long awaited second compilation effort - which is appropriately enough entitled ‘Decompositions Vol. II’.


As expected, this fifteen track release compiles the remaining bits and pieces of Hour Of The Wolf’s vast collection of recorded efforts on E.Ps, split releases and various one off recordings, with the first seven tracks on the album lifted from the band’s long out of print ‘Waste Makes Waste’ E.P. from 2007. It’s clear from the tracks that make up ‘Waste Makes Waste’ that the five piece act (Who comprise of vocalist Lance Merwin, guitarist/vocalist Addison Math, guitarist Hank, bassist Pat Callaway and drummer Dustin ‘Sweat’ Phillip Hanna) had stepped up their game since their previous effort (2006’s ‘Power Of The Wolf’ E.P.), with the band sounding sharper, more aggressive and overall that much more refined in terms of their song writing. But while some of the rougher edges had been smoothed out a little, the band’s trademark rock ‘n’ roll influenced hardcore sound is still very much intact, with tracks such as the raucous ‘Black Blood’, the melodic and anthem-like duo of ‘Set The Trash On Fire’ and ‘Blue Recluse’ and the heavy hitting destructive drive of ‘Heavy Living’ clear evidence of Hour Of The Wolf’s perfect mix of maturity and pure chaotic rock ‘n’ roll hardcore.


Interestingly enough, the two hidden bonus tracks on the ‘Waste Makes Waste’ E.P. are included here as tracks in their own right. The first is the rather short ‘William Wayne’ (Which is essentially a brief speech from actor John Wayne, who at the time is a little intoxicated to say the least), which is little more than filler at best. The second is the band’s cover of Mission Of Burma’s ‘That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate’ (From 1982’s ‘Vs.’), which is true to the original, but given a makeover with a distinctly Hour Of The Wolf edge.


The second half of this album compiles the three tracks that originally appeared on the band’s split effort alongside Lewd Acts back in 2008 (Both the catchy ‘Overload’ and the intense ‘War Machine’ are firm favourites!), before finishing up with a previously unreleased cover of Tom Petty And The Heatbreakers’ ‘I Need To Know’, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it ‘Chainsaw Love’ (Which is reportedly an obscure remake of a long forgotten Brian Edward Gianelli/Bueno/All Autonomy track) and the humorous uncredited hidden track that goes by the title ‘Snake Man’.


Prior to getting ‘Decompositions Vol. 1’, I had no idea of who Hour Of The Wolf was. But after a couple of spins, I could honestly call myself a fan. Needless to say, ‘Decompositions Vol. II’ more than lives up to my expectations and I’ll be sure to keep a closer eye on the band’s movement for this moment on.

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Decompositions Vol. II

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Recording information

Release Date

Sept. 24, 2012

Catalog #

TFR053

Recorded at

Flying Blanket

Produced by

Bob Hoag

Mastered at

The Blasting Room
Fort Collins, CO

Artwork by

Lance and Henry

Vinyl info

1st press:
- 150 Black w/ Yellow Splatter
- 350 Yellow w/ White Splatter