BraveWords spoke with Alien Weaponry bassist, Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds, shortly after the band’s latest North American tour supporting Kerry King. We mentioned the brand new band’s new album, Te Rā, however kicked off the dialog with a glance again at touring with Slayer’s iconic guitarist.
“It was an effective way to kick off the yr,” Edmonds says of the tour itself. “I feel that’s what we had been most stoked about, getting the tour off the bat. Since COVID there’s been a lot shit within the combine, so we’ve basically been getting a six week tour every year, which has been a disgrace. So beginning the yr off with a six week tour figuring out that we’re going to have extra this yr was superior. We’ve lastly caught as much as the backlog COVID had created. It was additionally very particular for us as a result of it was with Kerry King. Not like some excursions the place it’s brokers and administration simply organizing opening acts and no matter, Kerry had particularly requested for us. That meant quite a bit to us. Even in these moments the place the gang wasn’t in any respect in what we had been doing, our minds had been like ‘It doesn’t actually matter as a result of we had been requested to be right here by the person himself.’”
“A number of the exhibits had been wonderful; shout out to New York and Albuquerque as a result of they had been off the rails. Los Angeles, too. It was additionally superior for us to be taught. We’re a younger band; I’m 25 and I’m the oldest. Kerry King has been touring longer than any of us have been alive, which is insane, and also you see it on the street. You see his experience and what he does. He’s the headline act and his soundcheck is quarter-hour. We’re the primary band, we play for half-an-hour, and our soundcheck is longer than our set as a result of we haven’t fine-tuned these issues that somebody like Kerry King has. He will get up there, performs one track, and he’s good.”
“A very good instance of that is the present we had in Seattle. We performed in Spokane the night time earlier than and the bus froze as a result of it was the useless of winter, so we had been presupposed to arrive in Seattle at 7:00am for load-in and we arrived at 3:30pm. That’s usually when Kerry will get on to do his soundcheck. We figured it was a No Soundcheck Day, however we’re used to that from taking part in festivals. Shockingly, at 5:30pm after we would usually have soundcheck, we acquired the decision. It seems Kerry stated ‘I don’t want a soundcheck, give it to the opposite bands.’ It’s moments like that that are so particular. They’d the entire stage finished and prepared in two hours in order that we may nonetheless get our stuff arrange. That’s one of many issues that’s actually superior about touring with somebody like that. The humility, which is superior to see from somebody that has an aura, so to say, and is a big particular person on this planet of heavy metallic. Kerry King is a really gracious, very humble man.”
Look ahead to the entire BraveWords interview, coming quickly.
On March 28, New Zealand fashionable groove metallic trio, Alien Weaponry, launched their heaviest, strongest and mature providing so far, Te Rā, by way of Napalm Information.
Alien Weaponry have solidified themselves as one of many biggest younger metallic bands of their technology with renewed musical tenacity and essential messaging. Since releasing their acclaimed debut Tū (2018), the band have been lauded for his or her kinetic presence and sound, in addition to their very important mix of culturally profound lyricism in each English and te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand.
With their third full-length album, Alien Weaponry develop on their hallmark messages of cultural, societal and environmental resilience whereas delivering their most massive-sounding, targeted musical output ever. Te Rā is a daring, unwavering cry for a future by which we will all participate within the legacy of peoples just like the Māori and others throughout us – individuals who, in the event that they aren’t seen, most actually should be heard! Taken as a complete, Te Rā grapples with what it’s wish to be caught within the pull of divergent cultures – not only for the descendants of colonized folks, however for all of us.
On Te Rā, listeners can hear the band doubling-down on the aggression within the verses earlier than making use of temperance, particularly within the case of “Taniwha”, a demise metal-leaning banger that includes the significantly uncooked aforementioned visitor vocal from Randy Blythe. Lyrically, there’s a noticeable tilt in the direction of despondency, hopelessness, and frustration on Te Rā. Whereas bassist Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds’ lyrics in Māori on songs like “Tama-nui-te-rā” and “Ponaturi” draw from the themes of historical past, battle lore and mysticism that made the primary two albums so wealthy, frontman/guitarist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong’s English-language lyrics illustrate the affect when tradition collides with disenfranchisement daily. “Crown” and “Hanging by a Thread” take us into the headspace the place wrestle pushes folks to the brink of desperation, whereas on “Blackened Sky” and “1000 Associates”, Lewis addresses common woes just like the looming risk of World Conflict III and the damaging results of social media. On album nearer “Te Kore”, Tūranga dives into primordial nothingness on the root of the Māori origin story, whereas on “Mau Moko”, he finds the center floor between these views. Because the lyrics honor the normal Māori follow of face tattooing, additionally they delve into the social prices of sustaining customs which might be at-odds with dominant cultural norms.
Te Rā is accessible within the following codecs:
– 1-LP Deluxe Gatefold Splatter Vinyl w/ 20” Booklet, Patch, Slipmat – Napalm mail order solely, restricted to 300
– 1-LP Gatefold Marbled Vinyl – Napalm mail order solely, restricted to 300
– 1-LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
– 1-CD Digisleeve
– Digital Album
Order right here.
Te Rā tracklisting:
“Crown”
“Mau Moko”
“1000 Associates”
“Hanging by a Thread”
“Tama-nui-te-rā”
“Myself to Blame”
“Taniwha” (feat. Randy Blythe)
“Blackened Sky”
“Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea”
“Ponaturi”
“Te Kore”
“Taniwha” (feat. Randy Blythe)
“1000 Associates” video:
“Mau Moko” video:
Alien Weaponry is:
Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong – Drums, Backing vocals
Lewis Raharuhi de Jong – Guitars, Lead vocals
Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds – Bass, Backing vocals
(Picture – Frances Carter)
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