Many year ago, I was attending a Black Label Society show, and my friend said, “Make sure you get there early and see the opening band, Alien Weaponry”. I heeded his advice and ensured I was there to see about this newer band, at the time. I was far from disappointed and became a huge fan that night. The importance they amplify on their Maori culture is one of my favorite parts of Alien Weaponry. When you add in how young they were when they started, how only three members are making this music, and just how good they are, how can you not be sold?
As soon as I had the notification of the date of the third album release, Te Ra, coming out March 28th, 2025, I jumped on the chance to chat with them again. I interviewed the brothers on the last release, Tangaroa. You can catch that here. Te Ra comes with a whole new evolution of Alien Weaponry. Lewis de Jong (singer) has matured and is showcasing some lower vocal ranges with some harsh vocals. I was blown away by this because it was so unexpected. Henry de Jong (drums), and Turanga Morgan-Edmonds (bass) have also amped the album by adding some more progressive sounds into the mix. This is Turanga’s first album, so he had much to do with the making of this album.
The album sounds like old Alien Weaponry but much more aggressive. They have also added the almighty Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), into the mix on track, “Taniwha”, and it is just as incredible as you can imagine this collaboration would be. I have come to find, “Blackened Sky” is the song that seems to get stuck in my head. Not only is it heavy, but it is catchy, and has an important message. A recipe for something amazing. The entire album is full of important messages, true to this band, along with the cultural history we have come to love from them. It is not one to be missed.
Tu and Henry were kind enough to sit down with Metal Nation and discuss this release, and other topics. (If you are viewing from your phone, scroll to the bottom of the page and click “View Desktop Version” to gain interview and video access).