Alien Weaponry : "Tangaroa"

 

This metal band from New Zealand. They tend to get labelled a thrash band, but have more in common with djent. Another way to say it is they are New Zealand's answer Gojira. Granted their heritage somehow also brings with it a touch of Sepultura. Their native tongue doesn't not lend itself well to metal singing. The vocals are sometimes sung in a group chant. They are shouted more than growled. There are some riffs that remind me more of Pantera.  Toward the end of the second song they dig up riffs that have enough groove to really head bang to. Much like folk metal can get mired down with trying to fly the flags of their ancestors, the same can happen with these guys, but it doesn't sound as cool as pretending to be a Viking.   

They gang vocals at time make this sound like 2021's answer to Biohazard. Things get darker on the third song, which is a better direction for them as I was beginning to worry what they were doing was going to get old by this song if they did not switch it up some. The title track displays more nu-metal tendencies than thrash. I like the English sung verses. Coming out of the chorus there is a riff that sounds like a direct rip off of Acid Bath, who are one of my favorite bands so impressed they know who they are in order to rip them off. "Unforgiving" is the most accessible song so far a more almost emo like ballad, there are some groovier proggy riffs that are still pretty melodic in it. While it does show some of the singers limitations, the song as a whole works and makes those less glaring.  "Blinded" finds them delving into even more radio ready hard rock. It is hooky and reminds me of a great deal of metal from the 90s so it works for me. "Kai Whatu" is one of the album's heavier songs , and these guys version of heavy tends to lead them down more of a 'Roots' era Sepultura direction. 

When these guys blend hooks and melody their songwriting compensates for some of their 90s metal leanings that would sound like some ones was trying to warm up the ghosts of an old era . "Buried Undergound" is one of those rare moments where they do not do this in the freshest manner. They go into regressive angst but still manage to fare pretty well on "Dad" .The nu-metal thing makes more sense considering their daddy issues. They have a faire understanding of how to barrow from the hard core break downs of the 90s. they manage to make it work with their more tribal moments on "ihenga".  "Down the Rabbit Hole" is hands down the album's best song and one of the year's best metal songs period. I will give this a 9.5, did not expect to like this one as much as I did , since this is more mainstream than where my tastes typically fall, but it is solid song writing.