TRAINWRECK

Tell us about ‘Trainwreck’

We are Trainwreck; a group of ordinary people, choosing Rock'N'Roll to escape reality.

How did you guys start the band?

Around a decade ago, we started as a garage band; a couple of friends jamming to some popular songs. After quite a few changes in the lineup, the band now sounds and appears exactly how we wanted it to.

How did it feel to perform in 'Bangalore Open Air'?

In one word, it was unreal. Going to a festival like this is every heavy metal fan's dream; and performing there was an absolutely unbelievable experience. Some of our best memories in that foreign land; in front of a foreign crowd are, the backstage, the green rooms, the hospitality, the star-struck moments and sharing the stage with international giants. Everything was more than what we had anticipated.

Who are your musical inspirations?

We tend to keep the modern sound alive with us. Some of the names that have influenced us over the years would be Gojira, Meshuggah, Slipknot, Testament, Tesseract, etc; but the two names that had inspired most of us to pick up instruments of our own would surely be Pantera and Lamb of God.

What kind of music do you guys listen to?

We pretty much listen to everything there is, from pop-punk, hip-hop, RNB to extreme metal music. Our vocalist is a glorified rapper; our drummer has several other projects where he shifts his persona with respect to various genres. He is also a content creator in a renowned radio station, where genres do not limit his abilities. The tours are mostly fun, because we get to listen to our various tastes in music and have a laugh while we are at it. 

Favorite tour memory?

Though BOA had been the most productive tour of the band till date, we would like to keep the Rangamati tour near and dear to our heart. We had no clue that the mountains had a soul so solid and loud! The people there were extremely friendly, the food was incredible and we had a great time visiting some of its natural waterfalls. Another amazing part of that tour was seeing some Trainwreck t-shirts in the crowd, 400 miles away from Dhaka. That was really something.

Best moment at the 'Bangalore Open Air Festival'?

There are so many good memories from that festival. But, if it has to be one particular moment that left us speechless, it would be the Trainwreck chants from the crowd when it was announced that we won. The fact that we won the Wacken Metal Battle Indian Subcontinent was unbelievable. And to out utter disbelief, we heard the crowd roar our name. We had never performed in front of this audience. We didn't know anything about the metal scenario in Bangalore, and there we were; tall and proud, in sync with the metal spirit with all the metalheads from all over the world.

How did it feel to represent Bangladesh on such a massive stage?

It meant the world to us. Sharing the stage with three other nations, and then conquering it with our flag tied to the guitar, we came prepared. Metal music in Bangladesh is still frowned upon. People label it as chaos, incoherent, madness and some other harsh adjectives. But we see the same people taking our name with gratification and content after the victory. So yes, it felt great to hoist our flag on that stage and being a part of something larger than life back in Bangladesh.

How did you all react when you found out that you will be performing at the 'Wacken Open Air' festival?

It was an emotional moment for all of us. Tears of joy and awe rushed through us. We saw the videos of Wacken Open Air festival and other massive festivals on YouTube, and now we will represent our nation, our flag in a platform that has never been reached by anyone else from our country before. Happiness is an understatement!

Do you have any message for our readers?

Keep supporting metal music. We are nothing without our fans, and we share a deep and strong bond with them. Another message we would like to convey to the new generation of music fans is, "Let's stop the piracy debate." CDs are obsolete at this point. Rather than watching your favourite artists live on social media platforms, buy a ticket and come to a concert. That will keep the artists in business and they will make sure you are entertained properly. Buy the local merch and support the local scene. Follow your dreams because everything is possible if you get your priorities straight. You can do anything you set your mind to.

By Ridwan Intisaar Mahbub