Watch Alien Weaponry's Politically-Charged Video 'Whispers'

Rising stars of Aotearoa thrash metal Alien Weaponry have unleashed a politically-charged video for their single 'Whispers', following immediately on from picking up the Te Whetū Maiangi Award for Young Achievers at last week's 2018 Matariki Awards. Of Ngati Pikiao and Ngati Raukawa descent, the youthful Northland trio's electrifying song and accompanying video addresses the recent conflicts and protests around the Foreshore and Seabed Act (2004), and the Trans Pacific Partnership (2016). The clip takes specific aim at former National Party leader Don Brash (whose hugely controversial words with RNZ presenter Kill Hill lead into the song), and presents historical footage of the Hikoi against the Foreshore and Seabed Act, which put the foreshore and seabed around the coastline of New Zealand into government ownership.

Alien Weaponry are embarking this week on an extensive tour of Europe in support of their acclaimed debut album Tū, released via influential Austrian metal label Napalm Records. Alien Weaponry guitarist and singer Lewis de Jong discussed the views expressed by Brash in the intro to their song...

“It’s kind of scary how many people share his views... They don’t seem to understand that the current policies are there to help redress the imbalance that was caused after over a hundred years of colonization. During that time, millions of acres of Māori land was stolen, they were excluded from voting and children were punished for speaking Māori in schools, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. That sort of thing can’t be fixed with compensation alone – it takes time and goodwill from both sides.”

'Tū' is out now via Napalm Records.