Since performing in 2016, the Milwaukee trio Snag has established themselves as one of the most distinctive voices in the DIY underground. Blending dynamic songwriting with emotional hardcore and heartfelt lyricism, the band has built a devoted following among listeners who are looking for substance beyond chaos.
Their third full length album, All The Cages Holding Us Will One Day Turn To Dust, shows both a new chapter and their first release through Deathwish Inc. Throughout the record, Snag expands their heavy emo sound with richer melodies and continues to be emotionally intense.
While their previous releases explored larger themes such as anxiety and social collapse, much of All The Cages… turns inward. From personal experiences with chronic illness and mental health struggles, the album examines the various “cages” that shape human lives.
The album’s opening track, “Unarrest Me” focuses on the physical cage of incarceration. The guitarist and vocalist Samm Szymborski describes the song to be “a POV of a wrongful arrest—the confusion, the panic, and the sheer inhuman reaction from the arrester. Musically, it tells an eerie story of its own, setting off on a journey before ending abruptly at its peak.”
The bassist and vocalist Peter Murphy says that the accompanying music video explores “collective liberation through mutual aid,” using strong imagery such as blindfolds, flashlights, and frantic movement to demonstrate the idea that every free person has the ability to help free another.
Activism has been central to Snag’s identity for a long time. Their debut LP included packets of seeds and a book of matches, which encouraged the listeners to create habits for pollinators. Continuing their tradition, All The Cages… includes individually labeled envelopes in partnership with Wire of Hope, a Florida based organization, inviting fans to connect with their incarcerated individuals through using pen pal.
“The logic that allows corporations to destroy the planet for profit is rooted in the same thinking that allows humans to be systematically caged for profit. Most people who hear this album are far closer to incarceration than they are to becoming one of the billionaires seeking more control. We wanted to make that connection explicit and hopefully encourage friendship and human connection in the process.” – Murphy
Rather than adding genre expectations, Snag has consistently pushed beyond emo boundaries and traditional hardcore. Influenced by Kidcrash, Plague Year, and Majority Rule, the group continues to explore new songwriting approaches, instrumentation, and unconventional arrangements.
“We made a decision a long time ago to simply create the music we enjoy and not worry about fitting into genre conventions. That freedom allowed us to experiment with different instrumentation and styles, leading to some unusual moments on this album.” – Murphy
Almost a decade into the band’s existence, Snag still remains driven by the strong passion that inspired their formation. For the members, this project serves as both a source of hope and a creative outlet.
Nick Wysocki the drummer says “When we started the band, we were in some of the most depressive periods of our lives. The band gave us an outlet, camaraderie, and hope. That hasn’t stopped.”
Pre-order All the Cages… here and look for more news soon.
All The Cages Holding Us Will One Day Turn To Dust track list:
Unarrest Me
Debilitated
Pray for Peace
Suburn
Juneberry
Whisper
Shelf Life
Paris, WI
Foam Cup, Pt 3
Cages
Cages (Reprise)