Trashbag Bring The Chaos With Bullet To My Brain 2
When it comes to having fun and not taking themselves too seriously, Dublin duo Trashbag are right up there. Made up of Zap Dickson (bass, vocals, harmonica) and Pijus Furmaniukas (drums, vocals), the pair make an almighty racket that sounds like it should take at least four people to pull off.
Not ones to stick to a particular sound, Trashbag happily throw punk, funk, prog and metal into the mix, often within the same song. It's this willingness to try pretty much anything that makes them such an interesting band, with the two musicians seemingly having as much fun playing the music as we do listening to it.
From Years Of Playing Together To Trashbag
Having spent years crossing paths in various bands and projects, whether playing alongside each other or standing in for one another, Zap and Pijus eventually decided to strip things back and start something of their own. With years of playing together behind them, the chemistry was already there, and the songs quickly started coming.
Already making a name for themselves on Dublin's live circuit, Trashbag introduced themselves to a wider audience with their debut single, My White Van
. The track picked up plenty of praise from music publications and found its way onto playlists, giving the duo a solid starting point. Now they're back with Bullet To My Brain 2
.
Big Riffs, Pounding Drums And Plenty Of Twists
Bullet To My Brain 2
wastes little time getting stuck in, opening with a crunchy, distorted riff before a thick bassline comes crashing through. The drums lock tightly into the bass rhythm, giving the track a driving groove that immediately gets the head nodding. It's loud, punchy and exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from Trashbag.
Both members get their chance behind the microphone, with Pijus taking the lead on the verses before Zap comes charging in for the chorus. The contrast between the two voices works brilliantly, adding another layer of character to a track that's already bursting with personality. Neither holds back, and that's half the fun.
While the main riff keeps popping up throughout, Trashbag are far from content to simply hammer it out for the entire song. Instead, they twist and turn their way through different ideas, throwing in sudden stops, changes of pace and a spoken-word section before the riff comes thundering back in.
There's a real sense that the pair are just following wherever the music takes them, rather than worrying too much about sticking to a formula. It could easily turn into a mess in the wrong hands, but Trashbag manage to keep everything together while making the whole thing sound gloriously unhinged.
A Robbery, A Bullet And A Very Lucky Escape
The music might be chaotic, but the story behind Bullet To My Brain 2
is just as bizarre. The song follows a character who gets accidentally shot in the head during a shop robbery, only to survive the ordeal and carry on living a perfectly happy life. As you do.
It's a ridiculous premise, but one that fits Trashbag down to the ground. There's a dark sense of humour running through the whole thing, and rather than trying to make some grand statement, the duo seem more interested in telling an entertaining story and having a bit of craic along the way.
A Warehouse In Cavan And Fourteen Drum Mics
One of the first things that stands out about the recording is just how enormous the drums sound. To get that result, Trashbag took the DIY route and headed to a warehouse in Cavan, making the most of the space rather than relying on a conventional recording studio.
Not content with a straightforward setup, the pair dug through their microphone collection and ended up using fourteen mics on the drums alone. Some were placed close to the kit, while others were scattered around the warehouse, capturing the natural sound of the room and giving the drums their huge, crashing presence.
From there, recording moved to Dublin, where the vocals and multiple layers of bass were laid down. With a whole collection of pedals thrown into the mix, Zap was able to build up the thick, distorted sound that helps make Trashbag feel so much bigger than a two-piece band has any right to.
Artwork Straight Out Of A Twisted Comic Strip
The band's sense of humour doesn't stop with the music either. Once again, they've teamed up with their friend Echo for the single's artwork, continuing the visual style established with My White Van
while giving the new track its own wonderfully strange identity.
The result looks like something pulled from a particularly twisted version of The Beano or The Dandy. The artwork depicts the robbery at the centre of the song, complete with an unfortunate penguin taking a bullet to the head. It's colourful, ridiculous and a perfect match for the music.
Final Verdict | Trashbag Bullet To My Brain 2
With Bullet To My Brain 2
, Trashbag have delivered another brilliantly bonkers slice of music that refuses to sit comfortably in any one genre. The riffs are filthy, the drums are massive and the constant twists keep things interesting. Most importantly, it sounds like two musicians having an absolute blast.
There's something refreshing about a band that doesn't seem overly concerned with following the rules or fitting into a particular scene. Trashbag have their own way of doing things, and it's clearly working. If this is what two lads can produce in a warehouse with a pile of microphones and pedals, long may the madness continue.
The single, Bullet To My Brain, is available through all streaming platforms.
Photo Credit: Echo
