Portland OR — MERWULF will release their latest track “Snowflake” on January 16th, the first single from their upcoming album “In the Golden Age”. At over five minutes long, this cut is the band’s most ambitious and structurally complex song to date, unfolding in three distinct movements that mirror its emotional weight.
“Snowflake” is built around shifting tempos and ritualistic percussion. The drums lean heavily on kick and toms, creating a tribal, almost tympanic pulse that drives much of the song. Bombastic church-organ keys loom overhead, giving the track a sense of scale and dread. In its final section, the song unexpectedly collapses into a half-time waltz, slowing the momentum into something uneasy and suspended.
The effect is immersive and physical. “Snowflake” feels less like a conventional protest song and more like being inside a conflict zone, where repetition, noise, and exhaustion blur together. Lyrically, the song confronts the quiet complicity of everyday life, the dissonance between comfort and catastrophe, and the moral cost of continuing to participate in systems that cause harm.
Rather than offering resolution, “Snowflake” sits with that discomfort. It reflects the tension between survival and responsibility, and the way ordinary routines can exist alongside extraordinary violence.
Self-produced by the band, “Snowflake” sets the tone for “In the Golden Age”, an album that leans into a louder, more expansive sound while balancing tension and restraint.
“Snowflake” will be available on all streaming platforms January 16.
MERWULF (rhymes with werewolf) is a minimalist post-punk and indie trio from Portland, Oregon, known for a sharp, rhythmic sound that feels both raw and deliberate. Listeners often describe the band as having a “very 70s New York” sensibility, while others draw comparisons to contemporary acts like Gustaf and Sweeping Promises. International radio outlets have also framed Merwulf within a Riot Grrrl lineage, a reflection of the band’s directness and force rather than a strict stylistic lane.
The band formed in late 2022 when songwriter Merri Garcia moved away from piano and synths and began writing on bass. At the time, she was balancing life as a mother and educator while navigating a world that felt increasingly unstable. Political tension, the long tail of the pandemic, and a constant background anxiety found their way into songs that are concise, restless, and emotionally present.
Joined by longtime friends and collaborators Misty and Larry R., Merwulf took shape as a trio focused on restraint and intention. With no electric guitar in the lineup, the band relies on heavily distorted bass, vintage-style keys, and forceful drumming to create a sound that is stripped down but surprisingly wide. Fans have described the result as “Halloween in summertime,” playful and uneasy at the same time.
Merwulf released their debut EP All Zen +2 in August 2023. Their first full-length album, On a Night Walk, followed on digital and cassette before receiving a vinyl release from Olympia, Washington label Moodkiller Records in February 2025. Their sophomore album, In the Golden Age, is scheduled for release in May 2026 and pushes further into a raw, focused sound shaped by lived experience and growing confidence.
Website: https://www.merwulf.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merwulf.band
Bandcamp: https://merwulf.bandcamp.com