Hour of the Wolf / Lewd Acts

Hour of the Wolf and Lewd Acts provide two very different takes on hardcore, but both are speedy and concise, making for a tight split EP.

Hour of the Wolf use their three songs to continue their brand of Misfits-inspired, rock'n'roll-tinged hardcore punk that follows in the footsteps of their 2007 EP, Waste Makes Waste. "Overload" will have you hollering along ("Another night, is over!"), while "War Machine" delivers craggy, aggressive verses and a melodic but still agitated chorus. They have a good, rambunctious attitude about them, and it helps to make for an effective Side A.

Sometimes I want to say Lewd Acts are like another metallic hardcore unit, Shipwreck (a.d.), and there are moments on here that definitely warrant the comparison (precisely a minute into "Broken Kids," where their mid-tempo swagger bears resemblance, and plenty of "Glass Act"). But unlike that band, Lewd Acts are a little more chaotic, not quite as heavy, and twice open with an accelerated tempo and then get dynamic on us with a slowed down bout of tension ("Broken Kids," "Jealous Sea"), a tactic that seems to work best with "Broken Kids."

This is a solid introduction to two lower-key acts in the modern hardcore spectrum who continue to develop their respective styles before dropping a full-length on us.

STREAM
Hour of the Wolf - Overload
Lewd Acts - Broken Kids