Closing the year on a high note, Australian trio Snowfish has finally released their long-awaited LP, The Monster Upstairs, a symbolic work about resisting and fighting against any figure in power that wants to keep you down.
Snowfish – The Monster Upstairs
This triplet of brothers had a busy 2022. Releasing one track after the other, they managed to stay in the collective mind of the underground Rock scene thanks to their enticing sound and stellar performances. And what better way to end this year than with the release of their album The Monster Upstairs.
The first song of this LP, The World Is Burning Down, does feel indeed like a greeting to the end of the world, with steady drumming and hard-hitting riffs, setting the appropriate tone for this album.
In Burn From Within, the band channels their inner Muse, with the lead vocals having a very similar inflection to Matt Bellamy’s, almost mimicking him perfectly at times. On top of that, the sorrowful atmosphere builds into an insanely satisfying solo guitar.
The sombre undertones continue with the self-titled track The Monster Upstairs and Scream, keeping the heavy riffage and dark themes that prevail throughout this record.
The Showman introduces some refreshing elements to the overall production of the LP, with the synths having more time to shine and violins in the background. Also, the faster structure of this piece is a nice change compared with the slower pacing of the previous tunes, of course, without losing the enticing edginess.
The hardness is left aside for a little bit with the beautiful interlude, The Astronaut’s Song. For just a minute long, this majestic melody brings inner peace with a solemn acoustic performance.
With Maybe, Snowfish denotes the strong 90s influence in their sound, crafting a more ballad-oriented composition, seemingly telling a love story that in reality, has a dark twist behind it.
Chemicals and Trapped bring back the intensity, exalted by their catchy hooks, distorted guitars, and upfront themes.
The excitement continues with Middle Name, featuring piercing drums and thrilling strumming, this banger will leave you headbanging until your neck ends sore.
Ghosts come full circle and end this record just how it started, with over-the-top instrumentation and an emotionally draining performance.
“The Monster Upstairs is an adrenaline-inducing album”
With this release, Snowfish has demonstrated the quality of the Australian Alternative scene and in the process, cemented their name as an act worth keeping on your radar.
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Words Javier Rodriguez
