Alien Weaponry - Te Rā (2025)

Showing that their impressive momentum after “Tangaroa” was no fluke, New Zealanders Alien Weaponry return with the blistering “Te Rā”. As one of the loudest and more direct Groove Metal bands in the scene, these guys perfectly blend additional elements in the Djent and Progressive Metal realms to create eleven tracks of high-octane music. Full of attitude and authenticity, the band’s overall vibe is a masterful mixture of haka and crushing Metal riffs.

Opening with the blistering “Crown”, the band immediately hooks the listener with a superbly catchy riff that carries the track from start to finish. The vocals and drumming perfectly complement the band’s high-octane opening move and set the mood for the rest of this intense release. With “Mau Moko”, “1000 Friends”, and “Hanging by a Thread”, this outfit cranks out masterful guitar melodies alongside crafty tempo changes to create a very unique and engaging style, that could be described as a mixture of Jinjer with Into Eternity.

The songs in Māori like “Tama-nui-te-rā”, “Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea”, or “Pontauri” have a very unique vibe to them and it is one of the things that make Alien Weaponry stand out in the scene. However, it is not only this that makes the band awesome, as they can write some mean riffs and deliver some crushing tracks like “Myself to Blame” and “Blackened Sky” without the need of any gimmicks. These guys are talented and relentless and their music clearly shows that.

Overall, “Te Rā” is a superbly engaging release that is full of catchiness, sick riffs, and the unique vibe that Alien Weaponry creates by leaning into their ancestry. Filled with excellent songs and epic vocal arrangements, this release builds up on the band’s earlier success and propels them to a whole new level. If you want a heavy, powerful, and diversely groovy release, look no further and get a copy of this release.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: March 28th, 2025

Genre: Grove/Djent/Progressive Metal

Country: New Zealand