‘Alien Metal’ review: King Gizzard take on techno

Attention, a brand new album has entered the Gizzverse! King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard dropped a new album, and this time, it’s all electro. After teasing the album for several weeks without a release date, the Australians dropped their 28th album on New Music Friday. Alien Metal isn’t the first time King Gizzard has dived into the genre, but it’s certainly the first time they have truly committed to the techno bit.

Now, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans. The band has been adding rave nights to their tours since 2024, encouraging fans to broaden their tastes and question genres they may not have considered before. With 28 albums in the tank, it’s only natural for the band to guide fans into newer sounds. Not that this is anything new for a band who does anything but stick to one type of music.

King Gizzard return to dance music

Coming in at just over 40 minutes with eight songs, Alien Metal is the result of a five hour jam sesh the band had. Now, I won’t pretend to know everything there is to know about electro. It’s a genre that I’ve only dipped my toes in through the years, but Alien Metal falls under the umbrella of electro that I can’t stop listening to. Combining dreamy synths with high BPMs and catchy vocals, Alien Metal is a dance album through and through that closes the summer with a neat little bow.

“Superheavy, Supercritical” and “Level 5” are the best songs off the album. “Superheavy, Supercritical” ties together limited, punchy vocals with a beat that makes you want to dance. It’s the type of song that makes you hit the repeat button more than a couple of times because you can’t stop listening to it. On the other hand, “Level 5” makes you feel like you’re tripping — whether or not that’s a good trip is up to the listener, but it’s one of those songs that gets stuck in your head because it channels hardcore techno with that heavy bass and repeated “we’re on level five” lyric.

Additionally, the “Level 5” music video channels Dead Ringers by David Cronenberg beautifully. The red surgery robes stood out against the blue coloring used in the video, creating a stark contrast that you couldn’t look away from. In a world where it’s getting harder and harder to tell AI apart from reality, knowing that the band didn’t use AI to create the album cover and instead committed to practical effects makes watching it that much more enjoyable. Kudos to the band and the team behind bringing the video to life.

Constant reinvention

It comes as no surprise that King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard continues to reinvent themselves in different genres. Alien Metal is another in their long discography that plays with the idea that a band has to fit into a certain box. It’s clear that the band is having fun with what they’re creating — that much is sure when listening to Alien Metal. Each new album they release expands what fans thought they were capable of sounding like. And hey, if you didn’t like Alien Metal, you’re in luck because King Gizzard is sure to put out another album soon.

Kayla Chu

Made up of feminism, sports, and cheap wine.
Questions, comments, inquries please be sent to kaylamchu@gmail.com