Shepherds Reign - Single Review: Ua Masa’a
When it comes to different cultures and
music there is no doubt we are incredibly blessed in Aotearoa, and surely
anyone into metal, wherever they are in the world, are aware of Alien Weaponry
and the way they blend groove metal and their Maori roots. However, what may not
be known by those outside New Zealand is that there is another band down here
who are also making huge waves in their own country, Shepherds Reign. I have
already lost count of how many times I have seen these guys play, but it is
never enough, as they take metal to a whole new level (and not only have a
singer with the biggest hair I have ever seen, but he also plays keytar and pate!).
Hailing from South Auckland and Polynesian by birth and blood, Filiva’a James (vocals/keytar/pate), Gideon Voon (guitar), Oliver Leupolu (guitar/production), Shaymen Rameka (drums) and Joseph Oti-George (bass) are mixing their Samoan roots with music which makes for an incredible visual and aural experience. Musically Ua Masa’a is full of twists and turns, always with the brutal rhythm section one has come to expect where Shaymen and Joseph provide complexity and raw power to set the foundation for the twin guitar of Oliver and Gideon who can often be found on either side of the stage crunching the riffs or blending their threads together. Then there is Fili, the man monster who is always in total control, lifting himself above the music by sheer force of will, powerful and almost bestial in his approach.
Many people (including me) will not be able to understand the lyrics as they are in Samoan, which is common with these guys, but they tell a dramatic story, of how Filiva’a’s sister was murdered by her spouse and his family. Needless to say, this is raw and full of anger as Filiva’a voices the thoughts his sister would have felt prior to her death. “Ua masa’a le ipu vai” is translated to “The cup has spilt”, a symbolic look at the love once shared, lost like water in a broken cup. Shepherds Reign have been one of my favourite NZ metal bands for years now, and I look forward not only to the next time I see them play, but to the album which should hopefully be out later this year. If you have not come across these guys before now, then here is the place to start. Uncompromising metal being taken in quite different directions.
About Shepherds Reign
Hailing from South Auckland, New Zealand, and Polynesian by birth and blood, Filiva'a James (vocals/keytar), Gideon Voon (guitar), Oliver Leupolu (guitar/production), Shaymen Rameka (drums) and Joseph Oti-George (bass) are not messing around. Shepherds Reign is their life. Literally.
The band was co-founded by Filiva’a, Oliver and Shaymen. Filiva’a spent much of his childhood fighting on the streets of Mangere. He flipped that to become a correctional officer. Now he is chasing his dream of becoming a rock star. Says Fili, “As a baby, my parents and older siblings said I couldn’t sleep without music playing. Growing up with a big island family, everyone had their own taste in music. I grew to love them all. Bands like ABBA, UB40, Tiama'a, Jim Reeves, etc. My love for rock started when I first saw November Rain by Guns N' Roses at about 5 years old. Then I saw Slash with his guitar, and my mind was set”.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Shepherds Reign
Other Reviews By Kev Rowland
07 Jul 2023 // by Kev Rowland
So it was down to Tuning Fork for the first night of the second Crushfest festival. Tonight was going to be Wellington and Auckland bands, and then some of the same will be playing at the second night in Wellington next month.
Read More...
Rain - Single Review: Love and War
15 Jun 2023 // by Kev Rowland
It has been quite a while since I last heard from Wellington-based singer songwriter Cathy Elizabeth, and back then Rain was seen solely as a studio project with Cathy being accompanied by Thomas Te Taite, who provided all the instrumentation including digital drums. Now they are a full band who have been performing live, and it is the first time they have recorded as such, with Thomas now, just providing acoustic guitar (plus engineering and producing etc.
Read More...
Lost Vessels - Single Review: All This Time
01 Jun 2023 // by Kev Rowland
I must admit I was not that impressed when I first saw Lost Vessels play at Crushfest, something they later admitted to me was the worst gig of their career, but since then they have improved in leaps and bounds. This has been noticed by others on the Auckland circuit as they are getting more opportunities with better support slots, and I was not at all surprised when they won the Ding Dong Lounge Battle Of The Bands in November last year.
Read More...
Unwanted Subject - Single Review: Sons of Savages
28 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
I have caught Unwanted Subject in concert a few times over the last couple of years, and while they have been getting better each time I have seen them, I must admit that nothing prepared me for this, which right from the off is a monster. I have never heard them quite this is aggressive, nor as polished, and this multi-sectioned single sounds almost like a different band as they have pushed their metal roots to the max in this metalcore beast which sees them mixing and blending different genres to create something quite special.
Read More...
Gig Review: Stray Dogs @ AUX, Auckland - 26/05/2023
28 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
So it was back to Ding Dong Lounge on a Friday night for one of their infamous Emo nights, which tonight was a three-band bill with Stray Dogs having an extended set, supported by Altaea and then up first we had Blindr, a band new to me. Blindr are a quartet featuring Bill Caldwell (vocals, guitar), Blake Woodfield (lead guitar), Jack Power (bass), and Charlie McCracken (drums).
Read More...
Gig Review: Turkey The Bird @ The Ministry of Folk, Auckland - 27/05/2023
27 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Back up to Auckland Guide Centre in Mount Eden tonight for my second consecutive gig (Sol suggested it was a turkey sandwich as I am at Vader tomorrow) to see Taranaki’s finest, Turkey The Bird at The Ministry of Folk. Before that we of course had Hoop, who are Al Baxter (vocals, guitar, harmonica, banjo, mandolin), Nick Edgar (vocals, guitar, ukulele, flute, harmonica), Emily Allen (violin, viola), Glenn Coldham (bass) while tonight Gary Hunt was filling in for drummer Rusty Knox.
Read More...
This Silent Divide - Single Review: Beautiful Creature
25 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Here we have the latest single from Wellington-based melodic hard rock quartet This Silent Divide, entitled Beautiful Creature. I really enjoyed their Tall Stories EP, and they played a great gig at Dead Witch towards the end of last year, and this would have been recorded at about the same time.
Read More...
Gig Review: Emily Rice @ Your Local Coffee Roasters, Pukekohe - 24/05/2023
24 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Earlier this week I had a message from Emily Rice asking me if I lived in South Auckland. When I responded I did, she asked if I would be interested in coming along to an event she was putting on in a coffee shop in Pukekohe to celebrate the release of her new single, Warenoa.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- APT.
ROSÉ And Bruno Mars - DIE WITH A SMILE
Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars - BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Billie Eilish - TASTE
Sabrina Carpenter - I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
Gracie Abrams - ESPRESSO
Sabrina Carpenter - SAILOR SONG
Gigi Perez - LOSE CONTROL
Teddy Swims - A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
Shaboozey - GOOD LUCK, BABE!
Chappell Roan
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
