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Snarls<\/strong>, a four-piece from Columbus, Ohio, has been on my radar since opening for Movements<\/strong> in 2022, in the most random and exciting arrangement of openers I have ever seen (other acts included Angel Du$t<\/strong> and One Step Closer<\/strong>, for reference.) Ever since I heard their signature 2020 track “Walk in the Woods”<\/strong> 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<\/strong> mixed with a sprinkle of grittiness.\u00a0<\/p>\n Snarls\u2019 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\u2019s Rainbows,” <\/strong>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 \u2013 greatly influenced by their newest addition, drummer Mike Taddeo<\/strong>, who has a background in heavier music.\u00a0The band proves this sentiment themselves, explaining: <\/em><\/p>\n We\u2019ve been working incredibly hard on narrowing down what Snarls really is, as well as what we want to sound and feel like. We don\u2019t like boxes, but we definitely are aiming to lean in a heavier direction.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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).”<\/strong><\/p>\n “I\u2019m the chemical control \/ I\u2019ll see you in your sleep \/ Pray you come to me \/ Fear is done \/ The way I need to love is to die.”<\/em> 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n The sound immediately reminds me of the early days of Turnover<\/strong> and Citizen<\/strong>, 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n This track in particular\u2019s 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<\/strong> were a bit more forward in this opener, though this snag seems to immediately get solved throughout the next few tracks.\u00a0<\/p>\n “No Lock, No Prayer”<\/strong> 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.\u00a0“I\u2019m tempted to say no to you \/ While you\u2019re wasted drinking beer \/ Saying things like ‘Don\u2019t think twice \/ Don\u2019t care wher\u0435 we go tonight’ \/ Even if we start to fight \/ Or \u0435ven if you make me cry \/ I\u2019m not going anywhere.”<\/em><\/p>\n 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\u2019re the world, then I\u2019m the star,”<\/em> there are two realizations at once. In tarot, the \u201cworld\u201d 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.”<\/em><\/p>\n