Bringing in both young blood and a new edge is Alien Weaponry.
Since well before they released their debut album Tū on 1 June 2018, fans, bloggers, the music industry and the media worldwide have raved about Alien Weaponry’s unique blend of thrash metal and their native language, Te Reo Māori.
The three-piece thrash metal band from Waipu, New Zealand, was formed in 2010 by brothers Lewis and Henry de Jong, who were 8 and 10 years old at the time. The band consists of Lewis de Jong (guitar and vocals), Henry de Jong (drums), and Ethan Trembath (bass guitar).
Watch the latest music video for ‘Blinded’ below!
Alien Weaponry is most noted for its fusion of Te Reo Māori (the native language of New Zealand) with thrash metal – delivering emotionally and politically charged stories of conflict and grief with a warrior-like attitude. The de Jong brothers are of Ngati Pikiāo and Ngati Raukawa (Māori tribal) descent; and began their schooling at a kura kaupapa Māori (full immersion Māori language school). Drummer Henry de Jong says, “Our musical style and messages have a lot of similarities with haka, which is often brutal, angry and about stories of great courage or loss.”
Check out the single ‘Ahi Kā’ below!
After the success of their debut album, Alien Weaponry opened for Prophets of Rage at their only New Zealand show in March; and became the first New Zealand act and the youngest band ever to play at Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany later that year. They also attracted record crowds at MetalDays, Summer Breeze and Bloodstock Open Air; and sold out headline shows in Leiden, Melbourne and Gallup (New Mexico). They toured North America in November/December 2018, opening for Ministry for all dates on their Amerikkkant tour.
In March 2019, Alien Weaponry sold out venues in Australia and New Zealand, and opened the main stage at Download Sydney, attracting a record crowd. They returned to North America in May for a 16-date tour which included 3 festivals and 12 headline shows, several of which sold out. In August, they completed a 2 ½ month tour of Europe and the UK, filling the field when they opened main stages at festivals including HellFest, Resurrection Fest, Alcatraz and Download. 6,000 fans turned out at Copenhell festival in Denmark to welcome the band with what is possibly the largest haka (war dance) ever performed. The Europe tour also included support slots with Anthrax; and the trio opened for Slayer on their last ever European show in Stuttgart.
Let’s see what Lewis De Jong has to say about Vocalzone!
“On tour, you play lots of shows in a short space of time and sometimes your voice doesn’t keep up – especially if you get ‘van flu’. Vocal zones help get rid of the mucus and soothe my throat.”
Title Image Acreddited to Piotr Kwasnik
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