Review of the Album Called "Babymetal" by the Japanese Heavy Metal Band Babymetal

"Babymetal" is a three member heavy metal band from Japan that I happened to discover back in 2013 and 2014 or so. They are described as a Japanese idol pop and heavy metal hybrid mix kind of band. The members of this band are:

• Suzuka Nakamoto known by her stage name of Su-metal and she does the lead vocals.
• Yui Mizuno known by her stage name of Yui-metal and she plays the guitar and provides backing vocals.
• Moa Kikuchi known by her stage name of Moametal and she also plays guitar while providing backing vocals.

These girls began their start as a band back in 2010. This article will not go into the details of the band’s history and popularity. What the article will cover is just a comprehensive review of their debut album by the same name. I know that some of you may assume that this album and group is going to be some cheesy pop metal kind of music. Although the songs are mostly sung in Japanese, the hooks in the songs should provide a lifetime of enjoyment. Attempts will be made to describe the music of the album so that people that know nothing about this style of Japanese idol metal will be able to comprehend what is being said here.

For many heavy metal fans, reading about Babymetal and listening to the music will be a new kind of musical experience. I was really in awe when I heard their famous song called "Headbanger!" Let me say that my knowledge of Japanese is basic at best so I had to look up the translations of the song lyrics in order to describe the lyrical themes of the songs. The song Headbanger is the ultimate song for fans to head-bang to, have a party with their friends, and just have one heck of musical experience!

The song is a description of a teenager that has not forgotten what happened on the night of their 15^th birthday. They have bought their train tickets at a discounted price. They go to a concert and they are ready to party and have a great time! The song is one of the heaviest in the group’s career and it is going to have you thinking to yourself things like “oh my goodness!” You will more than likely wonder how these girls that started as teenagers are able to head bang and rock to such heavy music. Well in the age of modern heavy metal, anything is possible. How does the album start out?

The album starts out with the feeling that there is a choir singing. And then, some heavy industrial style riffing starts this song and there is a repeating growl that dominates this song. I also hear some Arch Enemy influence in this first song. Upon listening to the song Death, I now notice a sort of In Flames musical feel in there as well. The next song called "Female Fox" is an entertaining pop and heavy metal song that is about what it means to be a woman. The idea of a true woman is always changing. Japan is now on the world map in terms combining pop, thrash, and power metal and making it work very effectively. They have taken advice from somewhere and the combination of cute idols and heavy metal works especially in this album. "Gimme Chocolate" is a heavy song about someone that loves to eat chocolate so much that they absolutely feel that they need to eat that even though their weight gain is making them worry a bit. In the video, the three girls are making various dance movements as the words “gimme chocolate” are uttered out as if some robot is speaking.

The power metal style song called Crimson Moon Dawn is about a person that is determined to make sure that their love survives even after one thousand consecutive nights. The song is of power metal style instead of thrash metal. Cherish your love for life! This writer has personally enjoyed the writing journey that he has gone through and I hope that I can familiarize the world with the interesting music of the group Babymetal!

The next song called "Doki Doki Morning" or Heartbeat Morning is a humorous song about a group of girls attempting to look as cute as possible so that they could have a chance to party and have fun after school. We must not rush in life to party and just have to take life as it comes. The next song called Begging Operation is about begging for money so this one lyrically is self-explanatory.

The song "4 Yon" sounds a bit like the song called Downright Dominate by the band Annihilator. Just pay attention to the first few notes and you should hear the resemblance. However, the song slows down being like pop music before getting heavier again and then the cycle repeats. The song called Cheerful Midnight has some electronic sounds. Catch Me If You Can is a song about someone that is playing hide and seek and she is proving very difficult to find because she has her secret hiding place. She may just escape capture and find us before we find her. The strongest songs in this group’s first album are Female Fox, Headbanger, Gimme Chocolate, 4 Yon, and Heartbeat Morning after a comprehensive listen of this very good heavy metal album.