Alien Weaponry – Te Rā
Alien Weaponry – Te Rā
Napalm Records
Release Date: 28/03/2025
Review By Laura Barnes
9/10
It has been a long four years since Māori Groove Metal scene-shakers Alien Weaponry unleashed their sophomore album, “Tangaroa”. In those four years, the world has been shaken by rampant injustice and terrifying technological advancements. Trump has returned for his second presidency, crueler and crazier than ever. Teenagers get radicalised online into harming their classmates and neighbours, for no discernable reason whatsoever. On a more positive level, Metal, Rock, and other alternative genres of music have seen a rise in music being made in Indigenous languages. From the grim Black Metal of Nechochwen to the ket-fuelled stylings of Kneecap, languages that have been suppressed and vilified by colonial powers have found a second life in genres that hold up the values of defiance and creativity. To say that Alien Weaponry played a part in this movement would be an understatement. Metal has always existed at the fringes of Pop Culture, but Alien Weaponry’s cultural impact was significant enough to bridge that gap. 2021 saw the band profiled by The Guardian newspaper and 2023 saw the much cooler achievement of their song ‘Kai Tangata’ becoming the theme song of professional Māori wrestler Hanare. Between global despair and musical innovation, it seems that Alien Weaponry decided to make their musical return just when we needed them most.
This return comes in the form of ‘Te Rā’, an album boasted as the band’s “heaviest, most powerful and mature offering to date”. As I listen to this album, it is the word ‘maturity’ that stands out the most. As Alien Weaponry weave effortlessly between Groove Metal, Hardcore and Thrash, it is clear that the band are completely in control of the hybrid Metal beast that they create. I use the word ‘beast’ deliberately, because Alien Weaponry’s sound is mighty. Tracks like ‘Tama-nui-te-rā’ and ‘Taniwha’ (which features a brief but sick Randy Blythe cameo) really hammer this point home, delivering breakdowns so calculated and blistering you’ll want to dive head-first into an ice bath afterward. As vocalist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong bellows into the microphone, it is easy to imagine crowds everywhere drenched in sweat, knuckles white, ready to jump into the pit and throw shapes never before seen by mathematicians.
That isn’t to say that “Te Rā” is solely about throwing shapes, however. Beneath powerful basslines and crushing riffs there dwells a quiet melancholy. This melancholy is represented well on the lead single from “Te Rā”, ‘Mau Moko’. This track explores the reclamation of traditional Māori tattoos (often worn on the face) following the cultural genocide attempted by the British colonial powers. Cleverly switching between melody and brutality, the song reflects the complex emotions that can be associated with tā moko; pride and grief exist side by side on this track.
This melancholy is also felt throughout some of the more melodic tracks on this album, such as ‘1000 Friends’ and ‘Myself To Blame’. With a dollop of angst and choruses you can belt out, these songs are slightly reminiscent of the more radio-friendly side of 00s Metalcore. While there are many songs that tackle the inevitable behemoth that is Social Media (Disturbed’s ‘Another Time’ is one… less-than-stellar example), ‘1000 Friends’ goes beyond the typical ‘INTERNET BAD’ moral panic, instead touching on the sinister motivations behind the companies than run all our favourite websites. As Alien Weaponry put it, social media ultimately keeps you ‘unaware as the real world dies’. Meanwhile, ‘Myself To Blame’ takes a gloomy turn as it delves headfirst into the harsh reality of regret and self-hate. This track, along with goosebump-inducing album closer ‘Te Kore’ sees Alien Weaponry at their most atmospheric.
I have been in a bit of a music slump recently, so perhaps my biggest endorsement of this album is the fact that it made me sit up and listen. In a world that seems to grow more and more frightening everyday, “Te Rā” is a cathartic listening experience. With a thick wall of sound behind them, Alien Weaponry look head on at the darkness that life has to offer and refuse to despair. Instead, they pick up their instruments and choose to create something great.
‘Mau Moko’ Official Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Crown
02. Mau Moko
03. 1000 Friends
04. Hanging By A Thread
05. Tama-nui-te-rā
06. Myself To Blame
07. Taniwha (ft. Randy Blythe)
08. Blackened Sky
09. Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea
10. Ponaturi
11. Te Kore
LINKS:
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