Three years ago, Snarls stood in a living room several times a week, mapping out the lyrics and melodies that became 2024’s With Love,. For its follow-up, next month’s In Heaven There’s Rainbows, the Columbus, Ohio-bred quartet headed down to the basement.
In the two singles that they’ve released so far, their sound has hardened into a grungier, electric, and more intuitive formula. Yet playing in close quarters did more than encourage them to crank up the volume — it also offered a sanctuary for the band to ground themselves after a year of performing stadium shows, recording overseas, and reconfiguring their lineup. April’s “No Lock, No Prayer” is the first song that they wrote with their new drummer Mike Taddeo, whose genuine chemistry with the band is palpable after joining their headlining tour in 2024. Right out of the gate, it’s an intoxicating statement of intent — urgent, sharp, and supremely gratifying while showing off the most confident version of Snarls yet. Their latest, “One Wish,” arriving last week, is further proof of their grittier direction, albeit steeped in optimism. Over fuzzed-out guitars and a pounding rhythm section, they let out warm mantras like “If you light a match, you gotta let it burn.”
Read more: The All-American Rejects break down every song on Sandbox
The video, shot by Alex Scalzo-Brown, rolls through a gorgeous day at Slate Run Metro Park, just outside of Columbus. The band play in the middle of a field, cruise on the back of a truck bed, and mellow out in the sunshine in a way that mirrors their easy familiarity with one another, having met because their moms were friends in high school. “‘One Wish’ was written to remind you not only of that dream you had in your youth, but that you have to actively choose it,” they say. “All of us make sacrifices to be a part of this band in the world we live in. It is hard, but the vividness and saturation of our collective dream greatly outweigh the stressors of adulthood. We wanted to capture the child-like energy of chasing your heart’s desire by utilizing bright colors and sing-along scenes… We have the belief that we can do this thing simply because we are together. The power of friendship, y’all. Try it.”
Ahead of the EP’s release, the members reflected on its making, heavier tilt, and their local scene — together on a blanket in the park, passing a joint.
Sumner Howells
You’re based out of Columbus, where you met each other. Did you ever go through an angsty phase where you wanted to live somewhere else?
We all were definitely angsty, but never really wanted to leave Ohio. After we started touring, we were like, “Oh! We can still travel, but still have a solid home base.” #midwestisbest
What was the local music scene like when you were growing up vs. what it’s like now?
The Columbus music scene was pretty awesome in the time we were coming up in it. We looked up to a lot of local musicians we went to see every weekend. Now, it’s a new generation. The Columbus music scene remains as strong as ever, and it continues to grow. Listen to Van Dale and have your life changed. #rocklocal #uncrocker
How would you describe your friendship?
Fucking awesome. But for real, we are each other’s rock. A quote from Mike: “Y’all are the only people I could ask to go to Medieval Times with me on a random Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on tour. #noforksallowed
Speaking of Mike, how did you meet each other, and what about his energy and personality made him a good fit to become a full-time member?
Actually, we met on twitter.com. He came on our first headlining tour with us, and it was immediately a great vibe. After that, we decided to test the waters and ask him to write some songs with us. Well, the first song we wrote was “No Lock, No Prayer,” so it was really a no-brainer that he should be our drummer. #milkinhisbag (Mike’s @ on X)
What inspired the heavier direction of this EP, particularly on “No Lock, No Prayer”? That song feels like it could’ve been on MTV in the 2000s. Overall, though, these tracks just sound really intentional and good, like you’re matching the urgency and distortion against the weight of the emotion.
Honestly, we were inspired by turning up the volume on our amps. We have been wanting to play more exciting live shows. A question we often ask ourselves while writing a song is, “Do we feel sexy right now?” It’s the truth. We wanna be a sexy rock band onstage, and it’s really that simple. #sexyandiknowit
What do you remember about making or recording your new song, “One Wish,” that came out last week?
It was the most difficult song to pull together, but it was very worth all of the hard work when it finally landed. We went back and forth with different guitar progressions, riffs, form variations, and lyrical content. It didn’t feel quite right until we recorded it. Once we heard it in the studio setting, we became very confident in our work. #keepitpushin
Where did you film the video? Down to hear about any highlights, serendipitous mistakes, or challenging parts of the day that stand out to you.
We filmed the video in beautiful central Ohio at Slate Run Metro Park with Alex Scalzo-Brown, who also filmed the “No Lock, No Prayer” music video. We always have such a great time working with him, as we feel he really understands our artistic vision. Filming “One Wish” consisted of great spontaneity, but the end product came together very polished, cohesive, and colorful. And let us get this off our chest: The only thing about that day that wasn’t beautiful was the park ranger who tried to cramp our style by saying that we “weren’t allowed to sit in the bed of the truck.” #diditanyway Quick shoutout to Sean Horn for being prepared with knowledge of the law. You can sit in the bed of a truck in the state of Ohio as long as the bed is latched and you are going under 25 mph, if you ever want to do that, by the way.
Dream blunt rotation — but they can only be fictional characters.
Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, the cinnamon stick from Apple Jacks cereal, Ricky and Julian from Trailer Park Boys, Lois Griffin from Family Guy, and Patrick Star in fishnets. We have more answers, but we will stop here. #girlblunt
Sumner Howells
