Maori culture meets sinister groove metal - A review of Alien Weaponry's Tangaroa

New Zealand's teenage metal trio Alien Weaponry offered a breath of fresh air to the genre when releasing its full length debut record Tū three years ago. The combination of simple yet energetic musicianship between rhythmic groove metal and liberating thrash metal combined with Maori lyrics and aesthetically appealing music videos was something that had never been attempted before and could be best compared to Brazilian veterans Sepultura and Soulfly. This year, Alien Weaponry is back with its sophomore output Tangaroa, featuring twelve regular songs as well as five radio edits of the the singes.

The band chose not to alter its winning formula. ''Hatupatu'' combines thunderous groove metal rhythms with indigenous chants leading to an energizing chorus. ''Kai Whatu'' is on the more progressive side with extended instrumental sections based upon simple riffs, dominant bass guitar sounds, steady drum patterns and desperate vocals that evoke a dystopian cinematic atmosphere. ''Ihenga'' is my personal favourite as it builds up a captivating atmosphere through the first three instrumental minutes before mantra-like ritual chants transport you into an exotic and majestic world in a time when traveling has become a rare luxury.

While the band's style still sounds unique, this sophomore output can't quite compete with the impressive debut album. The songwriting is at times repetitive. The instrumental sections feature notable lengths. The choruses are less catchy and take much more time to grow than the material on the infectious predecessor. Instant classics like ''Kai Tangata'' that managed to find a perfect balance between aggression and melody or the thunderous ''Rū Ana Te Whenua'' that intertwined fast-paced sections with psychedelic breaks can't be found on this output.

If you have never heard of Alien Weaponry, you might be intrigued by the band's unique concept. This sophomore output should please anyone who liked the groundbreaking debut but it represents a slight decline at the same time. The bottom line is that Tangaroa is worth a purchase for fans of the debut but overall rather a good average record than an excellent one.

Final rating: 70%