New Zealand modern groove metal trio Alien Weaponry recently announced their heaviest, most powerful, and most mature offering to date, Te Rā, will be out March 28, 2025, via Napalm Records.
In the hands of veteran producer/mixer, Josh Wilbur (Lamb Of God, Gojira, Megadeth) and featuring a guest vocal appearance from longtime Alien Weaponry champion Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, Te Rā’s gnashing blend of groove, nu, math, and thrash metal shines with anthemic choruses and refreshed technical skill.
Today, following the release of the album’s acclaimed first single, “Mau Moko”, the band returns again with a second single, “1000 Friends”. Warning of the looming societal division and hidden dangers created by social media dependency, the track premieres alongside a brand-new music video. Watch it below.
Frontman Lewis Raharuhi de Jong explains: “‘1000 Friends’ encapsulates the shifting way we socialize today and the impact it has on the human psyche. We can often feel disconnected from the outside world. The human mind wasn’t built to comprehend the world we are currently living in.”
Pre-order Te Rā here.
Alien Weaponry have solidified themselves as one of the greatest young metal bands of their generation with renewed musical tenacity and crucial messaging. Since releasing their acclaimed debut Tū (2018), the band have been lauded for their kinetic presence and sound, as well as their vital blend of culturally profound lyricism in both English and te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand.
With their third full-length album, Alien Weaponry expand on their hallmark messages of cultural, societal, and environmental resilience while delivering their most massive-sounding, focused musical output ever. Te Rā is a bold, unwavering cry for a future in which we can all take part in the legacy of people like the Māori and others all around us – people who, if they aren’t seen, most certainly need to be heard. Taken as a whole, Te Rā grapples with what it’s like to be caught in the pull of divergent cultures – not just for the descendants of colonized people, but for all of us.
