Alien Weaponry have been touring with Avatar since the kickoff of their In The Airwaves tour, supporting alongside Spiritworld. During a brief interlude between the two piano-led songs on Avatar’s set, singer Johannes Eckerström described Alien Weaponry as “the finest New Zealanders since Frodo Baggins,” eliciting cheers and knowing laughter from the crowd as they got the reference. Having seen this band in action, he may just be right.
Comprised of Lewis Raharuhi de Jong, Henry Te Reiwhati de Jong, and Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds, Alien Weaponry launched into the metal scene with their debut album Tū in 2018 and performed at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival that same year. Since then, they’ve performed with Gojira, Guns N’ Roses, and Slayer, just to name a few, released two more critically acclaimed albums, and grown a fanbase that consistently sings along with the band’s te re Māori lyrics.
I had the pleasure of catching Alien Weaponry at three of Avatar’s stops this tour, and they made a powerful impact from the start. Each set began with the trio performing a ceremonial haka which demands the crowd’s attention before kicking off a set that makes headbanging feel just as natural and instinctual as breathing. The pit opened and became a rolling wave that carried many a crowdsurfer through the air.
T from Baltimore, who hadn’t had any exposure to their music before seeing them live, had this to say:
“I was unprepared. That was the first metal set I’ve been to that started with a haka, and it was epic. They had an old school thrash vibe to their set that did it for me; they play like they’re in front of a crowd of 10k. I love a band who leans into their heritage and weaves it into their music. My only complaint was they didn’t have more time.”
Their new fan showed the love at their merch table too-
“I grabbed a shirt and then ordered two more patches on black Friday from their site.”
I can confidently say Alien Weaponry has gained many new fans at every stop on this tour. There are still a few more chances to catch them on the US leg, which wraps up on Dec 7th. The In The Airwaves tour will pick back up in February with the European tour, starting from Stockholm and ending in Hamburg.
You can find all upcoming tour dates and more info on Alien Weaponry’s website.