Snakeout began as a side project in 2019, but as the members' other bands faded, it became their main focus. The Michigan group’s blend of punk, hardcore, and melody now stands at the forefront, leading up to their debut full-length, Honey Thief, set for release this August.
Snakeout draws on the Ramones, '80s melodic hardcore, and newer acts like Drug Church and Angel Du$t, shaping a sound that fuses heavy riffs with sharp hooks and raw energy. That mix lets them fit just as easily on a hardcore lineup as in a crowded Midwestern basement.
Honey Thief pushes Snakeout’s sound further, but for vocalist Brett Dierolf, the real strength of the album comes from how it was created. "This LP was an extremely collaborative effort from start to finish," Dierolf tells No Echo. "Snakeout has always been a DIY band, but Honey Thief took that mindset to another level. Every member brought songs to the table, and we worked through them together until they became something bigger than what we started with."
The band’s DIY ethic runs through every part of Honey Thief. Guitarist Jeremy McClary recorded, mixed, and mastered the album at his home studio, Blastburn Sound. Guitarist Sam Rottschafer took on photography and directed the video for "Dead Eyes."
Rottschafer is an accomplished photographer in his own right, and his work has appeared on No Echo countless times throughout the years.
"We really do everything ourselves," Dierolf says. "Creating a record this way made the whole process even more rewarding. We're incredibly proud of what we made together, and we couldn't be happier with how it turned out."
Dierolf handled the album layout and merch design, and bassist Ramon Silguero prints all the shirts himself.
Across Honey Thief, Snakeout refuses to be boxed into a single lane. One song might lean into crushing mosh riffs, while the next opens with washed-out surf guitars, yet the album never feels disjointed. Instead, the shifts in style reinforce the band's wide-ranging influences, resulting in a record that remains cohesive while showcasing the different sides of Snakeout's songwriting.
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Honey Thief will be out on vinyl August 21 via Setterwind Records.
Snakeout on social media: Instagram
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