BENGALURU: Bengaluru-based experimental metal outfit Trash Talk is back with a new EP – BURDS, their second since 2018, only this time the theme literally revolves around birds. Vocalist Arshaq Malik points out that their approach was similar to that of a wildlife documentary. “It revolves around various birds... Take our song Pigeon for instance, it revolves around the bird which was earlier known as the rock dove and was brought into the cities as a source of meat. It further focuses on how the species escaped, settled down in cities and how it came to be known as the common pigeon we know today,” says Malik, adding that each song in the four-track album, which is set to release on April 11, narrates a story of a different bird, its journey and survival.
The band further emphasises on Kondor, a track which revolves around the scavenger species of Condors. “It’s a bird with the largest wingspan and was almost driven to extinction. The numbers bounced a couple decades ago when they repopulated in a closed captivity. Each song has a different mood, Kondor is slow and sludgy, it’s more doom metal,” says Malik, adding that ample amount of research went into writing the lyrics, which also holds the mood of the tracks.
Sonically, Trash Talk has focused on bringing elements of sludge metal with a blend of hip-hop, jazz fusion and a major step out of their respective comfort zones. “We are used to constantly shifting moods within a track but this time around, each song is fixed to a distinct sound and feel. We have added a bit of jazz fusion and hip-hop and sections where we have added instruments like the spanish guitar.” says Malik.
Formed at Vellore Institute of Technology in 2013 as a college band, Malik remains as the only founding member with a string of line-up changes after moving to Bengaluru. The current line-up features Ajay George Joseph on Guitars, Ashwin Natarajan on Bass, Deepak Dass on Drums and Malik on Vocals and Production.
While Malik asserts that maintaining a line-up was difficult since he moved to Bengaluru in 2016, the current set of members came together after a long time with most members having worked with each other at different occasions. Malik adds, “It’s a new set of people, the influences they bring in are fresh. We are all on the same page, spending a good chunk of time in the jam room. This line-up coming together was long due.”