John Garratt

Snarls are back with a new EP, a forthcoming tour, and a new-ish drummer. Bringing a new drummer up to speed in an already-established rock band can be a daunting, if not disorienting, task. But the Columbus-based quartet have not been experiencing that particular growing pain lately with drummer Mike Taddeo, who joined the band in 2024. According to guitarist/vocalist Chlo White, guitarist Mick Martinez, and bassist Riley Hall, the onboarding process was all too easy.

Ask Syd Alexis to describe the sound of her band, and you’ll find her enthusiastically ready to do so. “Our brand is called ASYD Funk,” she explained. “We describe it as a hybrid of hard rock, psychedelic soul metal, and raw, merciless funk. That is our sound. We like to call it a musical Frankenstein.” Alexis delivers this description with all the confidence of a well-rehearsed sales pitch.

If you have difficulty coming up with the right words to describe the music of the Columbus-based rock band DANA, you are in good company. Even the band themselves aren’t sure how to label their sound. “When we’re on tour and we are coming into a local record store, and I’m trying to get them to carry the record, I might tailor it to the vibe of the store or the city,” said DANA’s lead singer and theremin player Madeline Jackson.