Aftershock Festival 2021 Performance Times Announced

Posted on October 1, 2021 by philspicks

Organizers of the annual Aftershock Festival have announced the schedule for this year’s installment of the annual event.

Now in its ninth year, the festival is actually a rescheduled event from 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused the event to be re-scheduled last year. As with its 2019 edition, this year’s installment of the Aftershock Festival is officially sold out. It is scheduled to take place this weekend from Thursday to Sunday at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA.

The festival grounds are located at 1600 Garden Highway. Sacramento, CA.

Attendees at this year’s festival will be required to follow strict COVID-19 guidelines. Those guidelines are noted here.

The 2021 edition of the Aftershock Festival is scheduled to open at 4:25 p.m. ET Thursday with a performance by Oxymorrons, on the Coors Light Stage. Fit For A King follows at 4:50 p.m. on the Jack Daniel’s Stage. Death Angel and Exodus will follow Oxymorrons at 5:25 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. respectively on the Coors Light Stage. Meanwhile back on the Jack Daniel’s Stage, Knocked Loose is scheduled to follow Fit For A King at 5:55 p.m.

From there, Anthrax, Testamentand Cypress Hill will keep the music going between the two stages. Cypress Hill’s performance on the Jack Daniel’s Stage at 8:50 p.m. will close out the evening’s activities.

Friday will see the festival expand to three stages, with music starting at 12:45 p.m. from Contracult Collective on the Coors Light Stage. Ayron Jones will take the stage first at 1:20 p.m. Friday on the Kolas Stage. Performances from acts, such as Crobot, Pop Evil, and Rancid and many others will keep things moving through the day. Metallica will headline Friday’s events beginning at 8:55 p.m.

Moving on to Saturday, American Teeth and The Black Moods will open the day’s schedule at 12:30 p.m. and 12:35 p.m. on the Coors Light Stage and Kolas Stage respectively. Also notable acts featured on the day are those, such as South of Eden, Another Day Dawns, and Atreyu, as well as Anti-Flag, Mudvayne, and Alien Weaponry. The original lineup of The Misfits rounds out the day at 9:10 p.m. on the Jack Daniel’s Stage.

Even as the weekend winds down Sunday, the music will not let up. Sunday’s schedule opens at 12:20 p.m. on the Jack Daniel’s Stage with a performance by Law. As the day continues, performances from the likes of From Ashes To New, Pennywise, Mastodon, and Rise Against are also scheduled. Metallica closes out the weekend’s festivities at 7:55 p.m. ET on the Kolas Stage.

Along with lots of music, this weekend’s festival will also feature just as much food, drink and entertainment. The full details on all of that are noted below.

Additional food & beverage, and other experiences onsite include:

· Caduceus Wine Garden, highlighting Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, owned by Arizona resident Maynard James Keenan, co-founder of international recording acts TOOL, A Perfect Circle, and PUSCIFER.

· Coors Light Coldstream serving with frosty draft technology, complete with actual ice crystals

· Deep Eddy Vodka -Deep Eddy’s Dive In Trailer is a place where people come together to enjoy good times that never seem to end. Where strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet. While at Aftershock stopby and see us at the Deep Eddy Dive In Tour and raise a glass to being back together!

· Dr. Greenthumb’s – Founded by the Godfather of insane brains, B-Real of Cypress Hill

· Fxck Cancer / Dyin 2 Live Dreams Program

· It’s Ronz World – custom guitars, rock shop and art

· Jack Daniel’s Mobile Distillery Tour Experience – Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Cheers your friends make your own history at Aftershock when you rock out at the Jack Daniel’s Main Stage with Metallica!

· KOLAS – Stop by the Loud Lounge to level up Aftershock vibes with t-shirt ripping, body art and more. KOLAS will also provide dynamic delivery outside the festival grounds. Stop by the KOLAS footprint all weekend long to learn more!

· Mortus Viventi – Live Tarot Card Readings

· The Blackened Bar – Aftershock is proud to continue the collaboration with Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey. The pop-up will feature Blackened, a super-premium American whiskey blend, crafted by the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and finished in the earth-shattering music of Metallica. This exciting collaboration marks the latest in a long line of amplified guest experiences only available through Danny Wimmer Presents music festivals.

· The Loud Lounge – Get heady and hang in the Loud Lounge with Kolas, Clown Cannabis, California’s Finest CBD, Heavy Grass, Dr. Greenthumb’s, Helpful Hemp and more.

· Take Me Home – not for profit, volunteer based foundation that has been saving the lives of homeless animals since 2001.

· weedmaps – Located inside the Loud Lounge. Fans can learn about cannabis delivery by downloading the weedmaps app all weekend long. Stop by the booth for fun giveaways and prizes and if you forgot your clear bag, weedmaps has your back.

Aftershock Festival is presented and produced by Danny Wimmer Presents. More information on the festival is available along with all of the festival’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.AftershockFestival.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AftershockFestival

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AftershockSac

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Alien Weaponry Debuts ‘Hatupatu’ Video

Posted on September 17, 2021 by philspicks

Alien Weaponry premiered the video for its latest single this week.

The band debuted the video for its new single, ‘Hatupatu‘ Friday. The single is the third from the band’s new album, Tangaroa. The album, which is available now through Napalm Records, ahas also produced the singles, ‘Tangaroa‘ and ‘Buried Underground.’

The video for ‘Hatupatu’ features the band — Lewis de Jong, Henry de Jong, and Ethan Trembath — performing its new single in a forest setting as a young Maori warrior faces off a beast. The story of that young warrior is tied directly to the song’s lyrical content.

Henry de Jong talked about that lyrical content in a prepared statement.

“The story of ‘Hatupatu’ is one Lewis and I grew up with – our father was the first person to tell us as children,” he said. “Having a family connection with it only made creating a song more intriguing for us. Traditionally, Māori legends were passed down through families by re-telling them, not by having them written down in books. It only makes sense for us to be re-telling this story as our tūpuna (ancestors) did for generations. We cannot wait to share with the rest of the world.”

The musical arrangement featured in ‘Hatupatu’ is a heavy, rich, guitar-driven composition. Its sound and stylistic approach is similar to that of much of the songs from the band’s debut album, Tu.

In other news, Alien Weaponry is scheduled to launch a new tour alongside Gojira and Knocked Loose beginning Oct. 8 in Boise, ID. The tour features performances in cities, such as Asheville, NC; Cleveland, OH and Tucson, AZ.

The tour’s schedule is noted below. Tickets are available here.

ALIEN WEAPONRY Tour Dates with Gojira & Knocked Loose:
^ = ALIEN WEAPONRY ONLY/HEADLINER

October 8 – Boise, ID @ Revolution Center
October 9 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock (festival)
October 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union
October 13 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
October 14 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
October 15 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
October 16 – Houston, TX @ Bronze Peacock @ House of Blues^
October 17 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre *SOLD OUT*
October 19 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live
October 20 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
October 22 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works *SOLD OUT*
October 23 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium *SOLD OUT*
October 25 – Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater
October 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus^
October 27 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
October 28 – Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory
October 29 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora *SOLD OUT*
October 30 – Albany, NY @ Albany Capital Center
November 1 – Richmond, VA @ The National
November 2 – Knoxville, TN @ Civic Auditorium
November 3 – Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal *SOLD OUT*
November 5 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
November 6 – St. Louis, MO @ The Factory at The District
November 7 – Ft. Wayne, IN @ The Clyde Theatre
November 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line^
November 10 – Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge^
November 12 – Cincinnati, OH @ Madison Live^
November 13 – Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl^
November 14 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome To Rockville (festival)
November 16 – Austin, TX @ 3 Ten @ ACL Live^
November 17 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill^
November 19 – Tucson, AZ @ Encore^
November 20 – Window Rock, AZ @ Navajo Nation^
November 21 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater^

More information on Alien Weaponry’s new single, video, album and tour is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://alienweaponry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlienWeaponry

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlienWeaponry

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

‘Tangaroa’ Shows Promise For Alien Weaponry’s Future

Posted on September 14, 2021 by philspicks

Up-and-coming metal outfit Alien Weaponry is scheduled to release its sophomore album, Tangaroa Friday. Set for release through Napalm Records, the 12-song record will come Friday more than three years after the release of its debut album, Tu. The band’s forthcoming album is, for the most part, everything that audiences have come to expect from the band following the release of Tu, as is evidenced in the album’s already released singles. At the same time, the album does show some growth from the band in its latest outing. One of those points of growth is exhibited late in the album’s approximately hour-long run time in the form of ‘Crooked Monsters.’ This song will be discussed shortly. The brooding ‘Unforgiving’ is another example of the growth that the band presents in its latest album. It will be discussed a little later. ‘Down The Rabbit Hole,’ which closes out the album, is yet another example of how the band has changed things up in its latest album. It will also be discussed later. All three songs noted here are important in their own right, as they show that audiences are not going to get completely the same thing as in the band’s debut album. When they are considered along with the album’s more familiar content, the whole makes Tangaroa a mostly positive sophomore outing for Alien Weaponry.

Tangaroa is a strong second offering from the up-and-coming hard rock/metal band, Alien Weaponry. The album’s strength comes through its familiar content, and through some content that exhibits a certain growth and development from the band. ‘Crooked Monsters,’ which comes late in the album’s run, is just one of the songs that serves to support the noted statements. ‘Crooked Monsters’ presents a deep, rich musical arrangement that is not just more of the Soulfly-esque content that made the band so popular in Tu. In the case of this song, it comes across as a two-movement opus of sorts. The nearly four-and-a-half-minute composition starts off in very brooding fashion with just the instruments doing the talking. The subtlety in the drums as the song builds through the song’s first two minutes or so works with the equally subdued, contemplative guitars to fully immerse audiences in the song. By the time front man Lewis De Jong comes in and adds in his vocal talents, the impact at that point hits even harder. The pairing of his vocal delivery style here along with the instrumentation lends itself to comparison more to works from Crowbar than from Soulfly or even Sepultura. It makes for an interesting moment. It is just one part of what makes this song notable. The song’s lyrical theme adds its own layer of interest to the presentation.

Much of the song’s lyrical content is difficult to decipher without lyrics to reference. However from what can be deciphered, there are mentions throughout of items, such as anger felt inside, the sky falling, and trying to fill the void, while the “mind keeps playing every single day” would seem to hint that the song is focused on the familiar topic of mental health. If indeed that is what the band is attempting to convey here, it has done so in a way that will definitely connect with listeners. What’s more, it will hopefully help listeners get through their own struggles, again, if that is indeed what is being addressed here. The pairing of that seeming message along with the song’s equally heavy (literally and figuratively) musical arrangement makes the song in whole even more engaging and entertaining and just one example of what makes Tangaroa stand apart from Tu. It is just one of the songs that helps the album succeed. ‘Unforgiving’ is another example of what makes Alien Weaponry’s new album stand out.

‘Unforgiving’ stands out in part because of its musical arrangement just as much as ‘Crooked Monsters.’ Clocking in at seven minutes, 11 seconds, it is the album’s longest song. The subtle guitar line alongside the sound of thunder and falling rain as the arrangement opens lends itself lightly to comparison to works from Tool. As the song progresses, it gradually builds, eventually reaching its peak more than four-and-a-half minutes in. That gradual building is a reflection of the growing emotion felt by the song’s subject who is himself dealing with some heavy thoughts and emotions, once again.

In the case of this song, the thoughts and emotions come across as those related to depression. This is inferred as De Jong sings that “The world keeps crashing down around me/Time and time again…When I look around to find that everything…is temporary…We are mortal beings…” There is, again, much that is difficult to decipher here without lyrics to reference. On a related note that is in fact partially because of the almost Kurt Cobain style of vocal delivery that De Jong uses as he sings. It is that nearly indecipherable, semi-mumbling approach with slurring along the way that made Cobain such a unique vocalist. Getting back on the matter at hand, the song’s lyrical content, at this point, hints relatively clearly at someone who is in a dark place. That is even with what little is decipherable without lyrics to reference. The vulnerability that De Jong and company show here, much as in ‘Crooked Monsters’ will connect with listeners in its own way. That coupled with the unique musical arrangement here adds to the song’s impact. The end result is that the song proves even more, the growth and change presented in Tangaroa. It is just one more of the album’s most notable songs. ‘Down The Rabbit Hole,’ which closes out the album, is yet another way in which Tangaroa proves mostly successful.

‘Down The Rabbit Hole’ presents one of many Soulfly-esque arrangements that flesh out the album. In the case of each song (including this one) the arrangement still boasts its own unique arrangement. The richness and heaviness exhibited throughout the arrangement makes it stand out. Listeners can hear just as much of an influence from Sepultura (from Max Cavalera’s days as its front man) as from his work with Soulfly. The thing is that even with those similarities in sound and style, the song still boasts its own work. In other words the similarity is there, but it is not just a rip-off of any of the noted bands’ works. As a matter of fact, at one point in the five-minute-plus song, it pulls back some and puts forward the slightest touch of what sounds and feels like a classic rock vibe. Yes, that was really noted. It is brief, but really makes things interesting in its own right. The semi-jam session that breaks out in the song’s closing bars is interesting in its own right, too, showing even more, the originality in the song’s presentation. All things considered, the arrangement in whole shows in its own way, the band’s growth. When that is considered along with the song’s lyrical theme, the interest increases.

Once again, much of the song’s lyrical content is difficult to decipher sans lyrics to reference. At the same time, just enough is understandable that listeners can infer that this song is a commentary about a relationship that has changed over time. That mention of “you made me what I am” alongside so much else seems to push the song’s lyrical interpretation in that direction. Additionally, the commentary that “You say you’ve changed/You say you’re sorry/But I can’t help but wonder/Looking back…Apologies/Only go so far/And yet I prosper” adds even more to that inference. It would help make the song’s title make more sense. Going down the rabbit hole here is going down the rabbit hole of what has happened in the relationship so to speak. Again, this is just this critic’s own interpretation and should not be taken as the only interpretation. Considering this inference and the song’s unique musical arrangement, the whole once again shows real change and willingness to try something different while also making sure the band doesn’t alienate its established audiences here. When the song is considered along with the other songs examined here and the rest of the album’s entries, the whole of that content makes clear, the album is worth hearing and a mostly successful new offering from Alien Weapony.

Alien Weaponry’s sophomore album, Tangaroa, is an interesting new offering from the up-and-coming hard rock band. That is proven through its musical and lyrical content alike. The album offers its established audiences plenty of familiar content in both avenues as well as some new content that shows the band’s willingness to take some risks. The two sides together make the album well worth hearing and a sign of the bands potential future. Tangaroa is scheduled for release Friday through Napalm Records.

More information on Tangaroa is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://alienweaponry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlienWeaponry

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlienWeaponry

Alien Weaponry Debuts ‘Buried Underground’ Video

Posted on August 5, 2021 by philspicks

Alien Weaponry debuted the video for its latest single this week.

The band premiered the video for its new single, ‘Buried Underground’ Thursday. The song is the second single from the band’s forthcoming album, Tangaroa, which is scheduled for release Sept. 17 through Napalm Records. The band premiered the video for the album’s lead single/title track June 16.

The video for ‘Buried Underground’ blends footage of Alien Weaponry on stage with its fans and footage of the band’s fans in and around their homes and towns “marching” to the song. All this takes place as the band’s heavy, new single plays over it all.

The song’s musical arrangement will appeal to the band’s established audiences just as much as to metal fans. The steady, plodding, crunch of the guitars, bass, and drums pairs with the vocals to make the whole a work that is one part hardcore and one part thrash. It is a unique composition that is impressive in its own right.

No information about the song’s lyrical theme was provided in the press release announcing the video’s premiere. Without lyrics to reference, much of the lyrics are difficult to decipher.

In other news, Alien Weaponry also announced a new tour in support of its new album. The tour is scheduled to launch Oct. 9 in Sacramento, CA and to run through Oct. 29 in Cleveland, OH. The nearly month-long tour features performances in cities, such as Asheville, NC; Oklahoma City, OK and Cleveland, OH.

The band’s tour schedule is noted below.

October 9 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock (festival)
October 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union
October 13 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
October 14 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
October 15 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
October 17 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre
October 19 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live
October 20 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
October 22 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
October 23 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
October 25 – Albany, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
October 27 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
October 28 – Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory
October 29 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora

The release of Tangaroa will come more than two years after the release of the band’s debut album, Tu, which was also released through Napalm Records.

Front man Lewis De Jong offered brief explanation about the album during a recent interview that the band held.

“The album is drawn from some new experiences we’ve had as well as some ancient Māori tales,” he said. “I think we have stepped things up from the last album.”

De Jong’s brother Henry expanded on those comments, noting that the songs featured in the band’s new album “are about some of our first tūpuna (ancestors) who were here in Āotearoa (New Zealand).”

Added De Jong, one of those figures is “Hatupatu, who is very famous in Māori history, as well as Īhenga, who named a number of places in Āotearoa during his travels.”

The album will be available on a variety of platforms noted below.

Tangaroa will be available in North America in the following formats:
-4 page CD Digipack
-4 page CD Digipack + Patch
-2LP Gatefold Black
-2LP Gatefold Turquoise
-2LP Gatefold Marble Light Blue/Cream (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 500)
-2LP Gatefold Marble Orange/Transparent Black (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 500)
-Wooden Box Edition: CD Digipack, pendant, patch, cover flag, canvas tote bag (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 500)
-Die-Hard Edition: 2LP Gatefold Marble Crystal Clear/Curacao, hand numbered with guitar pic set and back patch (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 400)
-Digital Album

The record’s track listing is also noted below.

Tangaroa tracklisting:
1. Titokowaru
2. Hatupatu
3. Ahi Kā
4. Tangaroa
5. Unforgiving
6. Blinded
7. Kai Whatu
8. Crooked Monsters
9. Buried Underground
10. Dad
11. Īhenga
12. Down The Rabbit Hole

More information on Alien Weaponry’s new album, single, video, and tour is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and tour dates at:

Website: https://alienweaponry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlienWeaponry

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlienWeaponry

Alien Weaponry Announces New Album’s Release Date, Specs; Premieres Album’s Lead Single, Video; Announces New Tour Dates

Posted on June 16, 2021 by philspicks

Alien Weaponry will release its sophomore album this fall.

The band made the announcement Wednesday through a news release distributed to the media. The document states the band will release its new album, Tangaroa Sept. 17 through Napalm Records. Its release will come more than two years after the release of the band’s debut album, Tu, which was also released through Napalm Records.

Front man Lewis De Jong offered brief explanation about the album during a recent interview that the band held.

“The album is drawn from some new experiences we’ve had as well as some ancient Māori tales,” he said. “I think we have stepped things up from the last album.”

Added De Jong, one of those figures is “Hatupatu, who is very famous in Māori history, as well as Īhenga, who named a number of places in Āotearoa during his travels.”

The album will be available on a variety of platforms noted below.

The record’s track listing is also noted below.

Tangaroatracklisting:
1. Titokowaru
2. Hatupatu
3. Ahi Kā
4. Tangaroa
5. Unforgiving
6. Blinded
7. Kai Whatu
8. Crooked Monsters
9. Buried Underground
10. Dad
11. Īhenga
12. Down The Rabbit Hole

In anticipation of the album’s release, the band debuted the record’s debut single — its title track — and the song’s companion video Wednesday. The song is an environmentally conscious work, according to the De Jong brothers.

Said Lewis about the song, “We decided to write this song about how the ocean is being suffocated by humans and their waste. The ocean is an important part of my life, and it’s important to protect it.”

Henry added, “‘Tangaroa’ is a heavy and angry message about how we are destroying the ocean with pollution and overfishing. The video ties in with this message, with us drowning in plastic conveying the struggle of ocean life.”

The musical arrangement that is featured in the song will appeal to Alien Weaponry’s established audience base. That is due to the heaviness and fury in its sound and stylistic approach. It is just as similar in that sound and stylistic approach to works from Sepultura and Soulfly as the songs featured in Tu.

The band’s tour schedule is noted below.

More information on Alien Weaponry’s new album, single, video, and tour is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and tour dates at:

Website: https://alienweaponry.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlienWeaponry

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlienWeaponry

Devin Townsend’s ‘Empath’ Gives The Best Feeling For Audiences In This Year’s New Hard Rock/Metal Field

Posted on December 25, 2019 by philspicks

Courtesy: InsideOut Music

This year is one of the strongest in recent memory for metal masses around the world. This year saw new releases — powerful new releases at that — from some of the most well-known and respected names in the metal community. Slipknot’s new album We Are Not Your Kind is just one of those important new releases that the metal masses received this year. Amon Amarth’s new album Berserker gave the masses just as much to appreciate, as did new albums from Dragonforce, Killswitch Engage and The Offering.

Between those records and so many others, it goes without saying that developing a list of the year’s top new hard rock and metal albums was anything but easy. That’s especially the case considering the release early this year, of Devin Townsend’s new album Empath, Hyvmine’s new LP Retaliation and up-and-comers Alien Weaponry’s debut album Tu. This critic took a long time trying to assemble this list. It was not a chore taken lightly. As with other lists from this critic, it features the Top 10 New Hard Rock/Metal albums as well as five honorable mention titles for a total of 15 titles. Without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks’ 2019 Top 10 New Hard Rock/Metal Albums.

PHIL’S PICKS 2019 TOP 10 NEW HARD ROCK/METAL ALBUMS

Devin Townsend — Empath
Slipknot — We Are Not Your Kind
Amon Amarth — Berserker
Overkill — The Wings of War
The Offering — Home
Bad Blood — Bad Blood
Whitechapel — The Valley
Hyvmine — Retaliation
Dragonforce — Extreme Power Metal
Of Mice & Men — EARTHANDSKY
Dream Theater — Distance Over Time
Killswitch Engage — Atonement
Awake At Last — The Change
Corroded — Bitter
Alien Weaponry — Tu

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

‘Tu’ Is A Strong First Musical Salvo From Alien Weaponry

Posted on November 3, 2019 by philspicks

Courtesy: Napalm Records

New Zealand has, in recent years, started making a name for itself in the music community. That was thanks to the breakout success of the hard rock band Like A Storm. Early this summer, yet another band from New Zealand started making a name for itself in the form of Alien Weaponry. The young, up-and-coming metal outfit released its debut album Tu June 1 through Napalm Records. In the months since its release the record has earned its own share of acclaim thanks to its musical arrangements and its lyrical content. Much the same can be said of the album’s lyrical content. Both items will be addressed here, along with the album’s overall sequencing. Each item is key in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make Tu a solid debut for Alien Weaponry that shows great promise for the band’s future.

Alien Weaponry’s debut album Tu is one of the biggest surprises of this year’s hard rock and metal community. It is a strong debut for the New Zealand-based band. That is due in part to the album’s musical arrangements. From start to end, the arrangements lend themselves so easily to the best works of Sepultura and Soulfly. The album opens with a familiar tribal sounding spoken word track in ‘Whaikorero’ that, again, presents that comparison to the band’s Brazilian counterparts. That spoken word intro gives way to a full on aural assault that even more lends itself to comparisons to the noted bands. The familiar thrash sound continues as the album progresses into ‘Holding My Breath,’ which is itself a very heavy song lyrically just as much as it is musically. The heaviness continues on into ‘Raupatu’ and ‘Kai Tangata,’ which is musically yet another very close work to those of Sepultura and Soulfly. The same applies to all of the works that make up the second half of the record. Right to the end, listeners get a sound from the band’s arrangements that while familiar is still unique to the band, giving audiences plenty just from this aspect to appreciate.. The familiar yet unique musical arrangements featured throughout this album are key in their own way to the album’s presentation, but are certainly not the album’s only selling point. Its lyrical content is just as noteworthy as its musical content.

The lyrical content featured throughout the course of Tu is important to discuss because, again much like Sepultura and Soulfly, is rife with sociopolitical commentary from start to end. The album opens, in fact, with the spoken word track ‘Whaikorero,’ which addresses the invasion of Queen Victoria’s military forces in the now infamous Invasion of the Waikato. That invasion was led by Lt.-Gen. Duncan Cameron and was the biggest conflict of the 19^th Century New Zealand Wars. It involved British Colonial military forces and members of the Kingatana Movement. The British Colonial forces defeated the Kingatan forces after nine months of combat, leaving them in poverty, but in 1995, Queen Elizabeth II signed the Waikato-Raupatu Claims Settlement Act of 1995 returning some land to members of the Waiakto-Tainui Tribe as well as financial compensation as a means to make a certain peace with those peoples. Odds are that most audiences were unaware of this conflict prior to learning about it from the members of Alien Weaponry. To that end, it stands out, along with the likes of ‘Ru Ana Te Whenua,’ ‘Raupatu’ and Whispers’ because of that outright commentary.

On an equally sociopolitical level, but not as intense as the other noted songs, audiences also get a commentary about the dangers of social media in ‘PC Bro.’ This song tackles the impact of social media on society today. Front man Lewis de Jong sings in the song’s lead verse, “Flickering screens against glassy dead eyes/Have now become the norm/They live their lives through others’ eyes/Willing more and more/That you lose to the pressure/The watching eyes of the masses/Kill common sense/The media rules you/They are bored with your life/You need to make it right/To satisfy the fixated idiots that see your every move.” He adds later in the song, “When will they see/That your life is a lie.” This is pretty much spot on. Given it is hardly the first time that any act has taken on the issue of social media and its negative impacts, but even with that in mind, it is still important to keep that reminder out there in hopes that people will eventually realize what social media has done and continues to do to the world.

The social and political commentary does not end with ‘PC Bro.’ The band takes on the very prominent issue of mental health with ‘Holding My Breath.’ De Jong sings in this song’s lead verse, “Before you judge me/Take a good hard look at yourself/You don’t know me/But you’re draining me of mental health/A lie based on popular opinion/I want to die ‘cause I can’t be forgiven/Locked in a room/Void of humanity/I’m in a black hole/suffering endlessly/Opening my eyes is worse than death/That’s why I keep on holding my breath.” This is someone who is battling terribly, the effect of emotional and mental abuse, clearly. This song is meant to bring to light, the very real and very serious concern of what people go through. They point out here to people who are suffering from those negative thoughts that they are not alone. It is a warning to everyone that people hold in those feelings so people need love. That is of course this critic’s take on this song. Hopefully it is somewhere in the proverbial ballpark. If it is, then keeping it in mind along with the other songs noted here and the brutal musical content presented throughout the album, the record’s musical and lyrical content collectively does a lot to make the album stand out. The musical and lyrical content is just a portion of what makes the record noteworthy. Its overall sequencing is just as important to address as its general content.

The sequencing of Tu is so important to address because that work plays just as much into keeping listeners engaged and entertained as the album’s content. It is clear in listening to the album from start to finish, the album’s energy never lets up. The heaviness even in the simplicity of the album’s spoken word opener gives way to the already noted full-on heaviness of ‘Ru Ana Te Whenua.’ ‘Holding My Breath’ offers listeners its own intense thrash metal sound, as does ‘Raupatu.’ The same can be said of ‘Kai Tangata,’ which immediately follows ‘Raupatu,’ and ‘Rage – It Takes Over Again.’ From that point on, the energy and fire lets up little, if any. In other words, those behind the glass and the boards made certain that listeners would have an album in Tu that ensured itself one of those rare albums worth taking in from start to end without stopping just as much through its sequencing as through its content. Keeping all of that in mind, the album in whole proves to be a solid start for Alien Weaponry, and a record that makes the band the heir apparent to the throne of Sepultura and Soulfly.

Alien Weaponry’s debut album Tu is its own powerful first musical strike from the up-and-coming hard rock band. It is a work that makes this band the heir apparent to the thrones of Soulfly and Sepultura with its musical and lyrical content. That is due in large part to its collective musical and lyrical content. When that is considered alongside the album’s sequencing, the whole of the elements makes Tu a record that puts the rest of the metal and hard rock community on notice that Alien Weaponry is locked, loaded and ready to go for years to come. The album is available now through Napalm Records. More information on Tu is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and tour dates at:

Website: http://alienweaponry.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlienWeaponry

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AlienWeaponry

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

philspicks

All the latest reviews and news in entertainment

Tag Archives: Alien Weaponry

Aftershock Festival 2021 Performance Times Announced

Alien Weaponry Debuts ‘Hatupatu’ Video

‘Tangaroa’ Shows Promise For Alien Weaponry’s Future

Alien Weaponry Debuts ‘Buried Underground’ Video

Alien Weaponry Announces New Album’s Release Date, Specs; Premieres Album’s Lead Single, Video; Announces New Tour Dates

Devin Townsend’s ‘Empath’ Gives The Best Feeling For Audiences In This Year’s New Hard Rock/Metal Field

‘Tu’ Is A Strong First Musical Salvo From Alien Weaponry