Ko te Waiata te Ora (Music is Life)

Alien Weaponry the Thrash Metal band from Waipu New Zealand combines kick ass metal and the Maori language to create something so great it exceeds boundaries.

Empire Extreme got to sit down and talk to Singer/Guitarist Lewis De Long and Bassist Ethan Trembath about the culture of New Zealand and how life has been since the band has been making its mark In the music world.

EE: How’s the Tour been so far?

Ethan: Fantastic so far, we almost half way through it, the crowds have been better than what we expected and surprised to meet people who know who we are.

EE: This is your first US tour how’s that been?

Lewis: it’s been really good. We are really enjoying it. It’s something different.

EE: How’s the metal scene in New Zealand?

Lewis: There’s really not a big metal scene in the area, we have a little but not as much, me and Henry grew up listening to bands like Blind Spot.

Ethan: DevilSkin is really big in New Zealand. And the drummer from Shihad, Tom is our record producer.

EE: What type of music is big around your area?

Lewis: Reggae is a big one, R&B and Rap music. But reggae is the most predominant music in the area.

EE: You guys just released an album in June “Tu”, How’s the response been for that?

Ethan: Fantastic, we didn’t think we would get the play that we are in the states, Jose Mangin has been playing it on his station on Sirius XM. We got to meet him and he’s a great guy.

EE: I love that you guys include the culture of Maori in your music, I love the tribal feel to it mixed into the thrash metal music.

Ethan: appreciate that. Yeah we love the intermingling of the two.

EE: So is New Zealand similar to Australia that when you get off the plane, everything there can kill you? (Laughs)

Lewis: No, it’s a euphoria. We don’t have snakes and poisonous spiders or aggressive kangaroos.

Ethan: The most dangerous thing we have is maybe a domestic dog.

EE: So I seen your name comes from the District 9 movie

Ethan: Yea we loved that movie, and when we did our video for Ru Ana te Whenua the camera director was Simon Raby who worked on District 9 and the Lord of the Rings movies.

EE: If you could bring back one musician that has died, who would it be?

Lewis: Bob Marley.

Ethan: I was thinking the same thing. I would say maybe then Freddie Mercury.

About Author

Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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