Between bands like Alien Weaponry Confess and The Hu, it's great to see metal music from all over the world gaining recognition, not to mention refreshing to hear different cultures ingrained into the music too!
Enter Polynesian metal band Shepherds Reign, who hail from South Auckland and dropped a huge new track titled 'Le Manu' a couple of weeks ago; a heavy track sung in Samoan language with a powerful message about Samoa's measles outbreak in 2019 which claimed the lives of 70 people, most under the age of five.
The official video shows the five-piece ripping through the song in a rainforest, giving the whole thing a very tribal feel. Check it out:
The above video has been getting some steady traction on YouTube, indicating that we might be hearing a lot more from these guys soon. Shepherds Reign frontman Filiva'a James says of songwriting:
“I write the best when I’m emotionally down, so it’s always true what I sing about. Family suicide or just broken up with someone. That always kicks your arse, so to start writing about it is the best thing I can do… It’s not only me that can sing it. Anyone can listen to the song and be like, ‘I love this song, it’s on my buzz right now.’”
Shepherds Reign have previously released one self-titled album in 2018, but 'Le Manu' signals a big step up in both production and intensity for the band.
Listen to Shepherds Reign now.
