A sensitive study of the decay of the deformation-aligned # = 14, 4-/is isomer in 174 Hf has revealed a multitude of A>forbidden branches to the ground-state rotational band and other low-A^ bands, in competition with the known decays to high-A' bands. The isomeric transitions have consistently low hindrance factors. These anomalous findings in an axially symmetric deformed nucleus severely test our understanding of the AT-selection rule. The isomeric decay to an 7 = 12 rotation-aligned state, and its mixing with the /"12 yrast state, provide a partial explanation.