Alien Weaponry Unveil New Album Te Rā Alongside New Single “Mau Moko”
New Zealand groove metal outfit Alien Weaponry are back with a new full-length release set to come out on March 28 via Napalm Records, titled Te Rā. It’s their third studio effort and their follow-up to 2021’s Tangaroa.
As metal’s prime representatives of the Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous population, Alien Weaponry look to continue advocating for “cultural, societal and environmental resilience” through their tunes in this upcoming release. First step on that path is the release of their new single “Mau Moko”, which features te reo Māori lyrics about honoring the traditional face tattoos that often contradict modern cultural norms.
Speaking of the track, bassist and lyricist Tūranga Porowindsi Morgan-Edmonds elaborated a bit.
“Māori have a rich history of marking traditions that were nearly lost during colonization. These traditions are currently in the process of a much needed cultural revival, and I was inspired by that. I wanted the lyrics to remind people that moko is, and always will be, a part of who we are. With the song’s video, we wanted to show the darker side of the history of moko and how the head trade played a part in the near extinction of the tradition. We fought through it and continue to fight for its revival still today!”
Te Rā will be released on March 28, but you can preorder your copy today. You can also catch the band on tour later starting later this month with Kerry King and Municipal Waste. The full list of dates and links to tickets can be found below.
Te Rā track listing:
1. Crown
2. Mau Moko
3. 1000 Friends
4. Hanging by a Thread
5. Tama-nui-te-rā
6. Myself to Blame
7. Taniwha (feat. Randy Blythe)
8. Blackened Sky
9. Te Riri o Tāwhirimātea
10. Ponaturi
11. Te Kore
Te Rā will be available in the following formats:
– 1-LP Deluxe Gatefold Splatter Vinyl w/ 20” Booklet, Patch, Slipmat – Napalm mail order only, limited to 300
– 1-LP Gatefold Marbled Vinyl – Napalm mail order only, limited to 300
– 1-LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
– 1-CD Digisleeve
– Digital Album
Kerry King Tour Dates
w/Municipal Waste and Alien Weaponry
01/15 The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA [Tickets]
01/17 Spokane Live Casino, Spokane, WA [Tickets]
01/18 Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WA [Tickets]
01/19 Roseland Theater, Portland, OR [Tickets]
01/20 Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC CANADA [Tickets]
01/22 The Palace Theatre, Calgary, AB CANADA [Tickets]
01/23 Midway Music Hall, Edmonton, AB CANADA [Tickets]
01/25 Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB CANADA [Tickets]
01/26 The Fillmore, Minneapolis, MN [Tickets]
01/28 The Rave, Milwaukee, WI [Tickets]
01/30 The Majestic Theater, Detroit, MI [Tickets]
01/31 House of Blues, Cleveland, OH [Tickets]
02/01 Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON CANADA [Tickets]
02/02 L’Olympia, Montreal, QC CANADA [Tickets]
02/04 Royale, Boston, MA [Tickets]
02/5 Theatre of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA [Tickets]
02/07 Irving Plaza, New York, NY [Tickets]
02/08 Baltimore Soundstage, Baltimore, MD [Tickets]
02/10 Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta, GA [Tickets]
02/11 Jannus Live, St. Petersburg, FL [Tickets]
02/13 House of Blues, Houston, TX [Tickets]
02/14 Emo’s, Austin, TX [Tickets]
02/15 The Studio at the Factory, Dallas, TX [Tickets]
02/17 Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO [Tickets]
02/18 Sunshine Theater, Albuquerque, NM [Tickets]
02/19 The Nile Theater, Phoenix, AZ [Tickets]
02/21 House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV [Tickets]
02/22 The Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA [Tickets]
