PROFILE : Discover ALIEN WEAPONRY !

No new metal band has shook up the worldwide metal landscape like ALIEN WEAPONRY in recent years, mixing elements of thrash and groove metal with lyrics in the original indigenous language, te reo Mori.

Alien Weaponry was founded in 2010 in Auckland by two brothers, drummer/singer Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong and guitarist/singer Lewis Raharuhi de Jong along with their friend Ethan Trenbath, who were around 10 or 8 years old at the time. Henry and Lewis´s childhood music influence was mainly Metallica and Anthrax. They also listened to a lot of Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink Floyd, Public Enemy that shaped the style they produce today. The thrash-metal band surprisingly has rap and electro influences to this day.

They´ve signed to Austrian label Napalm records, their first album Tū debuted at the top of the New Zealand music charts, and they´ve played Wacken Open Air, the biggest metal festival in the world.

Check out Alien Weaponry´s music video ¨Tangaroa¨ !

They write songs about things that they´re passionate about. Alien Weaponry sing in that language because they want to talk about the unique history of New Zealand. Their ancestors fought during the the Waikato War (1863-1864) to defend their land from the new settlers. Only 23% of the population speak Maori, and the fact that they integrate it to their music can bring more interest to it.

"It feels like you're doing a haka, honestly. It's that same riled up feeling you get when you're going absolutely crazy doing it," said Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong

Not only do they write about how they feel, Alien Weaponry also talk about New Zealand conflicts that´ve marked it´s history. However, the abord themes such as social anxiety and people who have a negative influence on social networks. They´re still researching and discovering new stories that are behind their work.

Check out the¨Kai Tangata¨ music video !

"We as Alien Weaponry want to get Māori out there to the world, in order to inspire New Zealanders to actually fight to keep the language," says Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong

The band support the environment and are trying to find a way to transcribe their actions that need to happen into heavy metal. They´re currently supporting the work of Sea Shepherd, an organization that helps protect the Marine Wildlife Worldwide.

SUPPORT THEIR WORK HERE

Check out our interview with Alien Weaponry HERE !

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