New Zealand Teenage thrash metal band Alien Weaponry shock and surprise audiences on a number of levels. Their songwriting is complex, developed and highly political. Their live performance energy is startling, with just two fifteen-year olds commanding the front of stage as effectively as four and five-piece bands three times their age. But perhaps most surprising of all, given their blonde flailing locks and Viking appearance, many of their songs are in New Zealand’s native language, Te Reo Māori.
In fact, guitarist/lead singer Lewis de Jong (15) and his brother, drummer Henry (17), are of Ngati Pikiāo and Ngati Raukawa descent – they call themselves ‘Stealth Māori.’
Their latest single, Rū Ana te Whenua (The Trembling Earth), released 30 June 2017, refers to the mighty battle at Pukehinahina/Gate Pa in 1864 where their ancestor, Te Ahoaho, lost his life.
The band’s English material is equally controversial, with songs like Hypocrite, Rage, PC Bro and The Cult of Sanitised Warfare calling out everyone from teachers and friends at school to the media for variously glorifying and destroying the lives of television and sports stars.
Early musical influences included Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against the Machine and Metallica; and the brothers wrote their first song together when they were 8 and 10 years old. The band’s name was also decided then – inspired by the movie District 9.
Bass player Ethan Trembath (15) and guitarist Lewis met while honing their unicycling skills at the local circus school in Waipu, Northland, where the de Jong brothers moved to in 2012. He scored the job in Alien Weaponry because he could play the ukulele and (at age 10) he was the first one of their friends who could reach the end of the bass guitar.
As they amassed more material, they began touring locally, and had a breakthrough in 2014, when Paul ’The Axe Man’ Martin played their demo Cages on The Rock FM as part of his radio show ‘The Axe Attack’. He subsequently invited the trio to open for his own highly successful band, Devilskin, on their sell-out ‘We Rise’ tour.
A year later, Tom Larkin (drummer for NZ hard rock legends SHIHAD) saw some of their clips on YouTube, resulting in an opening slot with SHIHAD, and an ongoing relationship with Larkin, who is producing their first album.
“These kids are leagues beyond their years,” he says. “This is some seriously crushing metal.”
Now this highly talented young band are hitting Australian Shores.
Alien Weaponry Australian Dates
FRI 15 DEC – SYDNEY – BALD FACED STAG – 18+
SAT 16 DEC – SYDNEY – OXFORD ART FACTORY – ALL AGES!!!
SUN 17 DEC – MELBOURNE – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB – 18+
Tickets are on sale NOW via: http://www.hardlinemedia.net/
