Review: Babymetal – 'Babymetal'

Last summer I went to a kids festival in London with my last partner and year four-year-old son. We were a bit let down by the lack of substance at the event, and I even found myself shaking my head over pre-teen girls dancing to rather inappropriate chart music. We even talked about if there could be a way to make a metal band for children. It was only a few months' later that Babymetal was brought to my attention.

This j-metal three-piece made up of a trio of adorable girls who sing, scream and dance to a backing band who are tighter than Japans' laws on pornography. Starting in 2010 with their video for 'Doki Doki Morning', Babymetal quickly became a quirk passed around the alternative community around the world. Alot of them were bemused but couldn't stop listening to the cute roars of these bouncy teens.

Although this new album has been long awaited, Babymetal have done the rather odd thing of not creating anything new like most j-rock acts, but instead combined all their previous EP's as a one-disc compilation, with a limited edition version with a bonus DVD of their music videos for good measure. That being said this shouldn't detour any emerging Western fans, for in the correct order this becomes an epic tome of thirteen songs that are bound to get you pumped and ready for whatever the day throws at you. As well as that the songs are all so light on the vocals as well as heavy on the instruments that it seems to be quite child friendly. With elements of dubstep, rap and even reggae this band truly know how to keep things creative, following in the footsteps of acts such as Gackt, The Mad Capsule Markets and The Gazette.

Tracks that stand out include their first release 'Doki Doki Morning', 'Catch me if you can' and 'Megaisune'. But to be fair you could whack on any of these tracks and be very entertained. Will they stand the test of time? Well as long as they stay popular in Japan then I don't see why not, all I know is that I now have no need to start my own band, singing battle metal tracks about defending my tree house!

Posted in: Babymetal,music