We Were Wolves Are Ready To “Ruin Your Weekend”
Photo: Meagan Badger
It seems like all of the hoopla that the music industry keeps spinning about rock music being in a downswing isn’t as true as it first appeared. If you think about it, you can probably count more bands with loud rock guitars than any other genre, proving that it’s not going anywhere soon. One band that doesn’t have plans to slow down or disappear is Houston’s We Were Wolves. The pace at which this four piece moves is pretty quick in that they haven’t really slowed down since they moved to Houston from Beaumont just a couple of years ago. In 2024 they released their best album to that date, “Wolf House.” The band stepped up things by grabbing a pretty great producer for a nominal fee to record the band primarily live, and then dropping a high energy full length. Here we are two years later, and after touring with The Dwarves, Local H, and getting on higher profile shows, the band returns with an even stronger follow up. On June 16th, the band will drop the EP, “Ruin Your Weekend.” After tapping famed Austin producer Chris “Frenchie” Smith to produce and oversee the tracks, We Were Wolves not only proves that they aren’t going anywhere, they prove that they’re still getting better in just four songs.
The band doesn’t waste time in proving their rock prowess, when they open things up with the hook heavy and multiple guitar tracked “Home.” With a much tighter sound, the band glides between a thick and muddy rhythm guitar while the lead parts cut through like a hot knife to ice cold butter. The chorus of the song is definitely the highlight where the four hit a breakneck speed of fast riffs and an almost anthemic dual vocal track. Like any great rock band, there’s a nice seasoned guitar solo complete with crazy effects before things return to that catchy chorus. The drums and bass are really evident in the mix, and make it more of a group effort than the band’s previous works. This is followed with the title track, “Ruin Your Weekend.” The band slows things down a bit but keeps things just as memorable while the track itself is definitely a stand out one. The almost walk along pace that the song creates is only solidified with a nice fret run from new bassist Chris Badger. Drew Haught’s vocals are definitely tighter on this song where it feels like he really pushed the envelope on how he approached the recording. Just like the last album, the drums from Zach Elizondo hit exactly like you want them to in a rock song, while Vinc Prihoda squeals a guitar in and out of the track. The solo brings a fiery element to the song while the bassline thumps along like it’s wading through the thick muddy banks of the Rio Grande River.
The third song of the four, “She’s Alone,” finds the band in a whole new place that any fan of theirs may not be used to. Things start off with a dreamy guitar track and Drew singing in an almost soft voice. When the drums come in, you can already tell that this won’t be a ballad. Though it doesn’t get a little heavier for a while, the vocals come in like a solo until the band picks up the pace. A crazy tremolo guitar slides in for a bit before the band heads back to the quicker velocity in the chorus. Honestly, I heard the song in its early stages, and I wasn’t really sold on it. However, the final version definitely proves that the band was on the right track when they recorded it, as it adds a whole new element to their usually heavy sound. Things get closed off with the high octane energy and stride fans of the group are already used to with “One Eye.” Though the song is the shortest on the entire EP, it kind of felt like a song that you’d hear in a commercial for something that drives fast and eats gasoline. Kicking things off with an intensely thick bassline and drums that snap like popcorn in a microwave, the two are met with a distorted vocal track. That quickly disappears as the band hits a tempo that makes you bang your head and throw up “devil horns” in excitement. The guitars are quick, the riffs are memorable, and the occasional use of sing along backing vocals make you realize that not only is We Were Wolves onto something better than before; but they did so in the shortest amount of time possible.
I can honestly say that it’s always good to hear a rock album that sounds like what a rock album should sound like. Though the four songs make you want to hear more, they easily show off the fact that the band has not only gotten stronger, but that they’ve grown more as a band as well. You can grab your own copy of “Ruin Your Weekend” from iTunes on June 16th, or get one in person when the band returns to their hometown of Beaumont on June 20th. The all ages show with Houston’s Knights Of The Fire Kingdom, South East Texas’ Carreers, and Austin’s Knifight are also on the bill at the Logon Cafe.
