Band:	Alien Weaponry
Album:	Tū
Style:	Groove thrash metal
Release date:	June 01, 2018
Guest review by:	Guib

01. Whaikōrero
02. Rū Ana Te Whenua
03. Holding My Breath
04. Raupatu
05. Kai Tangata
06. Rage - It Takes Over Again
07. Whispers
08. PC Bro
09. Urutaa
10. Nobody Here
11. Te Ara

I rarely review, firstly because I don't think I'm particularly good at it and secondly because I'm rarely moved enough to do so. Though, this young band who just released their debut last year has managed to move me enough to do exactly that today. Picture this, what if Sepultura, Pantera, and Gojira joined into some strange love triangle and ended up giving birth to a new band. What the hell would that be? Well friends, it would likely take the form of Alien Weaponry. Embrace the sound that they've created on their debut, Tū, which means "to stand" or "to establish" in Te Reo, the language of the native Maori people from New Zealand. Taking a stand and establishing their sound, that's exactly what this band has accomplished and they entered the metal arena through doors that seemed to be waiting wide open for them all along.

One of a few bold decisions that the band has decided to make is to incorporate both English and Te Reo lyrics in their music and layering their vocals accordingly. Sometimes shouting in a tribal manner and answering each other, other times harmonising wonderfully constructed choruses like in ''Kai Tangata". They've managed to bring a refreshing tone to a genre people keep calling ''boring'' or ''uninspired'' and how glad am I for it.

Besides the moving vocals, they are painting a vivid portrait of their heritage, touching Maori mythology, war, and social issues, as well as cultural issues linked to colonisation and they are doing it with a showing passion. Tracks like "Raupatu", a thick and fast-paced groove-thrash killer, describes the period starting in 1863 when the British Crown signed a treaty which led to many Maori lands being ceased.

It is apparent to me that there's a link to make with old thrashers Sepultura in terms of themes and riffing. The trio brings to the table a thick bass sound, some copious breakdowns and a layered songwriting. For a band with no one over the age of 20, this is getting rather impressive. On top of that, they understand how to deliver emotional moments. For example, there's this calm bit in "Rū Ana Te Whenua" where Ethan goes in a trance singing some lines slowly, in the native language, which gives the song quite a bit of taste and allows the listener to breathe and get the vibe sinking. Other than their Te Reo-oriented songs, they also have great English tracks. A highlight would be "Holding My Breath", which is more traditional sounding yet effective and catchy. The band gives just enough melodies to keep you on your toes but not too much so you can keep absorbing those riffs and keep a steady headbang throughout the whole journey.

Taken under Napalm Records' wing, they've recorded and released Tū on the 1st of June in 2018 and the album began at #5 on the New Zealand album charts. Needless to say, the production on the album is well done and thankfully not "overdone". Overall, these young metalheads have built an amazing little piece there and promise great potential for the future. I just can't wait to see what they'll do next.

To me, this is a must for any fan of metal no matter your preferred genre. Don't miss out on a great modern release folks.