Once Upon a Hell of a Time

{{Infobox album|

| name = Once Upon a Hell of a Time

| type = Album

| artist = Matt Mays

| cover = Mays2.jpg

| alt =

| released = October 20, 2017

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Rock

| length = 52:01

| label = Sonic

| producer =

| prev_title = Coyote

| prev_year = 2012

| next_title = Twice Upon a Hell of a Time

| next_year = 2018

}}

Once Upon a Hell of a Time is the sixth studio album by Matt Mays, released on October 20, 2017.[https://exclaim.ca/music/article/matt_mays-once_upon_a_hell_of_a_time "Matt Mays Once Upon a Hell of a Time…"]. Exclaim!, October 19, 2017. His first studio album since 2012, the album was inspired in part by the death of his bandmate Jay Smith in 2013 during the tour to support Coyote.[https://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/8686890-matt-mays-on-a-road-of-endless-possibilities/ "Matt Mays on a road of endless possibilities"]. Waterloo Region Record, June 21, 2018.

The album's cover art was designed by artist Ola Volo, who is herself the subject of a song on the album.[https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-arts/cityfolk-preview-matt-mays-returns-with-new-music "CityFolk Preview: Matt Mays returns with new music"]. Ottawa Citizen, September 13, 2017.

In 2018, Mays released Twice Upon a Hell of a Time, an album comprising acoustic renditions of the same songs.[http://beatroute.ca/2018/11/09/matt-mays-revisiting-hell-time/ "Matt Mays: Revisiting a hell of a time"]. BeatRoute, November 9, 2018.