Snarls, a four-piece from Columbus, Ohio, has been on my radar since opening for Movements in 2022, in the most random and exciting arrangement of openers I have ever seen (other acts included Angel Du$t and One Step Closer, for reference.) Ever since I heard their signature 2020 track “Walk in the Woods” live, it’s shuffled through my rotation for four years now, gracing me with the band’s unique blend of lush guitar tones and dream pop melodies, reminding me heavily of Wolf Alice mixed with a sprinkle of grittiness.
Snarls’ sound has evolved a great amount since “Walk in the Woods.” Over the course of their last few projects, Snarls has tested turning their alternative pop dreamscape into a darker wall of sound that takes heavy influence from shoegaze and post-hardcore. This encapsulates perfectly in their newest EP and first project since 2024, “In Heaven There’s Rainbows,” released June 26th. Even in a short 16-minute runtime, each song, with its distinct sonic tones, works its way into the greater narrative seamlessly. Snarls attempts at honing in on a sound that’s distinctly their own, while never losing the spark of “glitter” that originally defined their success. It is an intricately woven novelette of 5 tracks that introduces new textures – greatly influenced by their newest addition, drummer Mike Taddeo, who has a background in heavier music. The band proves this sentiment themselves, explaining:
We’ve been working incredibly hard on narrowing down what Snarls really is, as well as what we want to sound and feel like. We don’t like boxes, but we definitely are aiming to lean in a heavier direction.
This change in direction not only offers a breath of fresh air for the band to explore new areas of the alternative genre, but the heavy fuzz and distortion simply amplify what we have already known to be great from Snarls, and brings a level of cohesion that really works.
It is not only evident in the sonic landscape of the EP, but diving into the lyrics shows the band is unafraid to lean into the tenebrous whirlwind of human emotion, especially starting with the opening track, “Chemical Control (Spill Your Blood).”
“I’m the chemical control / I’ll see you in your sleep / Pray you come to me / Fear is done / The way I need to love is to die.” The opening track begins with an all-consuming devotion to a lover, willing to stop at nothing, including spilled blood and death, to be beloved. It’s less of a plea for romantic passion and more of a desperate, Hail-Mary attempt to gain control over an emotional connection that might be slipping from the hands of our narrator at this point in the relationship. The partnership here is evolving into a dependent, dangerous need for adoration.
The sound immediately reminds me of the early days of Turnover and Citizen, with beautiful reverb and echoes that immediately submerge the listener into an ambient atmosphere. Snarls has enhanced their intrepid layering of vocal melodies and synths, so your ears have something new to listen to at every new line.
This track in particular’s production sounds muddier than the rest, perhaps a testament to the manic storm cloud of emotion we are immediately thrust into. And although I love a vocoder, I wish vocalist Chlo White were a bit more forward in this opener, though this snag seems to immediately get solved throughout the next few tracks.
“No Lock, No Prayer” kicks the energy up a notch while expanding on the ideas of doomed romance from the last track. With swirling guitars and heavy drums, our narrator plays a push-and-pull game with a lover while whispering lines that sound like quiet spells. “I’m tempted to say no to you / While you’re wasted drinking beer / Saying things like ‘Don’t think twice / Don’t care wherе we go tonight’ / Even if we start to fight / Or еven if you make me cry / I’m not going anywhere.”
She knows the relationship is on a treacherous path, cycling through feelings of hate, fear, and desperation before finally accepting defeat. In one of my favorite lines from this track, “If you’re the world, then I’m the star,” there are two realizations at once. In tarot, the “world” represents the completion of cycles, fulfillment, and balance, while the “star” represents healing, renewal, and a newfound purpose to carry on. The relationship has run its course, and here she concludes the only way out is through. In the end, the final chanting represents her liberation, hoping they will find each other “in another life.”
“One Wish” returns to a more melodic and classic sound from Snarls, all while keeping the grittiness they introduced thus far. This tune turns desperation and estrangement into a sense of optimism and healing. While mulling over the deeper meaning for this song and the EP as a whole, I realized the answer was right in front of me, included in the subtle incorporation of the EP title “In Heaven There’s Rainbows” in the lyrics. Bassist Riley Hall puts it plainly:
It’s not rainbows all the time. If you want rainbows all the time, that’s in heaven.
Growth is not linear and takes countless trials and effort. It represents Snarls’ ultimate outlook on life as a band at this stage in their career while also trying to find a mosaic of color in the dim world of adulthood. Snarls embarks on an anthem about finding and following the dreams you imagined in your youth and sticking with it no matter how challenging the journey might be.
It’s a delightful departure point for the rest of the EP, acting as a turning point for our narrator. Plus, the music video is so cute!
The desire for change continues in “Eternal Flame,” as our author uncovers a powerful anthem on the trials and tribulations of becoming sober. It begins with a live tune-down of the guitar into a lower key, perfectly setting the scene for the mammoth of a song to come. This track helps to prove time and time again that Mick Martinez’s guitar is the true highlight of the EP, her skills serving as the heartline of the story. What starts as a haunting introduction evolves into an explosion of emotion, instrumental zest, and tragic undertones. It is clear why this one has turned into the band’s favorite of the live set.
“It hurts, it burns, like a high pitched sound / Reverberating through my blood now / The eternal flame begs to die out.” These lyrics might be some of the most heartfelt and raw to come from Snarls, but they prove them capable of exploring a darker corner of this art form. Although our lead suffers throughout powerful belts of emotional guitar melodies, she hangs on throughout it all.
It secures itself as the darkest track and emotional peak of the EP, with its powerful chords and unflinching honesty. Production-wise, this is undeniably Snarls at their best. Within the tracklist, it is situated perfectly between “One Wish,” which acts as an inciting optimism for change, and “What’s Inside of Me,“ a soul-searching conclusion that finally allows our narrator to break free from the battle against inner turmoil and toxic affairs.
“What’s Inside of Me” stands as the ballad of the EP, with a slower, more grounded approach. It mixes the dark tones of the former songs with a delicate, slightly hopeful strumming pattern and soft piano notes. Before the song ends, it builds up an epic finale of instrumentation that marches towards an attempt at self-discovery we have sought since the beginning. It leaves interpretation open for the listener as to which path our narrator will follow at this point, but the charming keys in the end hint at somewhere peaceful.
While Snarls takes their most daring and dark approach yet, they continue to serve as a beacon of light for the DIY scene. “In Heaven There’s Rainbows” is a beautiful, short, and concise depiction of personal and professional metamorphosis that takes risks but ultimately pays off greatly in the band’s favor. It represents the band’s own evolution, an EP born out of a fractured group that is finding its way back together again. You can feel the passion in every chord, and I predict if they continue in this direction, it will prove extremely fruitful for this up-and-coming group wherever they land next.
“In Heaven There’s Rainbows” is available on all platforms now.
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