Alien Metal
Pitchfork · 2026-08-19
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard's new album, reviewed on August 19, 2026, showcases the prolific Australian group embracing electronic music in an audacious record. This work simultaneously functions as a cautionary tale concerning technological apocalypse. The album establishes its thematic direction immediately with the word “Palantir,” spoken by a distant, vacant voice. This directly references Alex Karp, CEO of the surveillance and defense company Palantir, and his 22-point vision for the future advocating that Western democracies deploy technological and military power, specifically AI, to maintain global dominance and "defend” "the West's" culture. The article characterizes Karp's stance as "teeth-gnashing techno-fascism," noting governments' increasing reliance on his company. The track “Kill for the Steel” further echoes this sentiment with Kenny-Smith’s vocoder singing, “We don’t wish death on anyone/But we will kill for the steel,” which the review interprets as a potential 23rd decree from Karp.
*The full article also explores the specific musical contributions of lead guitarist Walker, who historically gravitated towards dance music and toured as part of the dubstep duo Trumpdisco.*