Alien Weaponry Return With Pounding ‘Tangaroa’ Title Track, New Album Announced

New Zealand’s Alien Weaponry are back with more of their unique brand of tribal groove metal and have just released a music video for “Tangaroa,” the title track off their forthcoming second album, which will be out Sept. 17.

The band made waves in 2018 with their debut album, Tū, which found the teenage trio embracing the native indigenous language, te reo Māori, which heightened the presence and awareness of the culture that has left such a significant impact on the island nation.

The six-minute track is takes on a conservationist theme, warning of the dangers and consequences of polluting the ocean. “Tangaroa” is loaded with stubborn rhythmic riffs that imbue a sense of paranoia, exacerbated by the music video in which the band’s members become entangled in trash that floats beneath the water’s surface.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Lewis de Jong commented, “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.”

“‘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,” added drummer Henry de Jong.

Watch the music video at the bottom of the page where you will also find the lyrics to “Tangaroa” (via AZ Lyrics) as well as the record’s artwork and track listing.

“The album is tied together with the message of ‘Tangaroa’ – the whole album is more a snapshot of the band’s brains during the writing process,” the drummer went on, also stating, “We have also written songs that are about some of our first tūpuna (ancestors) who were here in Āotearoa (New Zealand). 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 is named after the track ‘Tangaroa’, and we went with this theme on the artwork. The album is drawn from some new experiences we’ve had as well as some ancient Māori tales. I think we have stepped things up from the last album,” Lewis de Jong elaborated.

Meanwhile, bassist Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds simply said, “This album’s use of even more traditional Māori sounds and styles is a very exciting step forward for us.”

Pre-order Tangaroa at the Napalm Records webstore and catch the band on the road this summer opening for Gojira at these dates.

• PLAYLIST: Keep up with each week’s new songs by following Loudwire’s ‘Weekly Wire’ Spotify playlist, featuring 50 tracks with updates each Friday afternoon.

Alien Weaponry, “Tangaroa” Lyrics

We think we’re changing things but it’s too late
A dying creature we continue to suffocate
Producing toxic plastic at an unfathomable rate
This pollution we make, we cannot un-create!

Ka humuhumu Tangaroa tātou!
Ka humuhumu nga tamariki ō Tangaroa!
Ka whakapirau kei roto I nga puku maha
Ō nga tangata kūware
Kore mōhio te whakaaweawe aue!

Swimming in a sea of death
Extinction is what’s coming next
Undermining our own fate
We’re trying but we’re far too late
Look around you’ll get an eyeful
Stuck inside a vicious cycle
Oceans are becoming lifeless
You think you care, but you’re self righteous!

Ka humuhumu Tangaroa tātou!
Ka humuhumu nga tamariki ō Tangaroa!
Ka whakapirau kei roto I nga puku maha
Ō nga tangata kūware
Kore mōhio te whakaaweawe aue!

Ka pirau nga wairoro katoa
Nga wairoro katoa!
Pirau!
Nga wairoro katoa
Nga wairoro katoa
Pirau nga wairoro katoa
Nga wairoro katoa
Pirau nga wairoro katoa
He tohu aroākapa
Mo Tangaroa!

Ka humuhumu Tangaroa tātou!
Ka humuhumu nga tamariki ō Tangaroa!
Ka whakapirau kei roto I nga puku maha
Ō nga tangata kūware
Kore mōhio te whakaaweawe aue!
Aweawe, aue!

[English]

We think we’re changing things but it’s too late
A dying creature we continue to suffocate
Producing toxic plastic at an unfathomable rate
This pollution we make, we cannot un-create!

We amputate the limbs of Tangaroa (Māori god of the sea)
The children of Tangaroa are being ripped apart
Rotting in the many bellies
Of those who are ignorant
Those who have no understanding of the impact it has!

Swimming in a sea of death
Extinction is what’s coming next
Undermining our own fate
We’re trying but we’re far too late
Look around you’ll get an eyeful
Stuck inside a vicious cycle
Oceans are becoming lifeless
You think you care, but you’re self righteous!

We amputate the limbs of Tangaroa (Māori god of the sea)
The children of Tangaroa are being ripped apart
Rotting in the many bellies
Of those who are ignorant
Those who have no understanding of the impact it has!

Everyone’s mind is rotting
Everyone’s mind! Rotting!
Everyone’s mind!
Everyone’s mind!
Everyone’s rotting mind
Everyone’s mind!
Everyone’s rotting mind

This bad omen
For Tangaroa

We amputate the limbs of Tangaroa (Māori god of the sea)
The children of Tangaroa are being ripped apart
Rotting in the many bellies
Of those who are ignorant
Those who have no understanding of the impact it has!

The impact!

Alien Weaponry, “Tangora” Music Video

Alien Weaponry, Tangaroa Album Art + Track Listing

01. “Titokowaru”
02. “Hatupatu”
03. “Ahi KāT”
04. “Tangaroa”
05. “Unforgiving”
06. “Blinded”
07. “Kai Whatu”
08. “Crooked Monsters”
09. “Buried Underground”
10. “Dad”
11. “Īhenga”
12. “Down The Rabbit Hole”