7 votes

BABYMETAL - Metal Kingdom (2023)

13 comments

  1. [12]
    Bullmaestro
    Link
    Babymetal, over the course of ten years, went from being an incredibly strange fusion of j-pop and metal which shouldn't but somehow does work, into becoming a legitimate metal group that even...

    Babymetal, over the course of ten years, went from being an incredibly strange fusion of j-pop and metal which shouldn't but somehow does work, into becoming a legitimate metal group that even metalheads gatekeeping the genre can appreciate.

    If you told me ten years ago that the same group who did songs like Doki Doki Morning and Line would later go on to produce tracks that could make legitimately kick-ass shounen anime opening themes like Distortion and Kingslayer, I probably would have laughed at you. This is how far they've come as a group, and you can tell by their more recent stuff that they legitimately like metal and aren't just there to collect a paycheck.

    I don't get why people dismiss more of their recent stuff as weeb trash, just because it's in Japanese. Rammstein sing almost exclusively German songs and English-speaking metal fans have largely embraced them, so it's defintiely not the language barrier...

    4 votes
    1. Trobador
      Link Parent
      I don't mean to be dismeaning, but I don't think it's because it's Japanese. I think there's a good amount of people who avoid BABYMETAL because they're an idol group. Either because they find...

      I don't mean to be dismeaning, but I don't think it's because it's Japanese. I think there's a good amount of people who avoid BABYMETAL because they're an idol group. Either because they find that 'cringe' or 'girly' or whatever else people tend to see idols as, or in my case, because they don't want to support the hellish mess that's the idol industry...

      Respect to the idols and the musicians and I'm aware it's near impossible to consume media without supporting something fucked these days, but I'd rather avoid it nonetheless.

      (this is old but someone already necro'd the thread)

      4 votes
    2. PhantomBand
      Link Parent
      In general Japanese media just seems to be really controversial for whatever reason. Like, there's a ton of people out there nowadays who love anime, but there's also always been tons of people...

      I don't get why people dismiss more of their recent stuff as weeb trash, just because it's in Japanese. Rammstein sing almost exclusively German songs and English-speaking metal fans have largely embraced them, so it's defintiely not the language barrier...

      In general Japanese media just seems to be really controversial for whatever reason. Like, there's a ton of people out there nowadays who love anime, but there's also always been tons of people who have this really seething, burning hatred towards anything even remotely resembling it. Same seems to be the case for Japanese music and other stuff. For some reason it just incites really strong reactions, both good and bad.

      2 votes
    3. [9]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Well said, but another thing worth mentioning is how absolutely awesome their concerts look, too. Costumes, sets, lighting, pyrotechnics, dancing, etc. It all looks incredible, and I really hope...

      Well said, but another thing worth mentioning is how absolutely awesome their concerts look, too. Costumes, sets, lighting, pyrotechnics, dancing, etc. It all looks incredible, and I really hope they eventually tour NA for this new album release, and come to Toronto so I can have a chance to see them live for myself.

      1 vote
      1. [5]
        Greg
        Link Parent
        Well this was a good thread to see on my Sunday morning - looks like they're touring Europe in April/May!

        Well this was a good thread to see on my Sunday morning - looks like they're touring Europe in April/May!

        1 vote
        1. [4]
          cfabbro
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          If you end up going, let us know how it was!

          If you end up going, let us know how it was!

          1 vote
          1. Greg
            Link Parent
            Will do! For now, it’s in the hands of the ticket resale gods and whether anything sensibly close to face value comes up near me.

            Will do! For now, it’s in the hands of the ticket resale gods and whether anything sensibly close to face value comes up near me.

            1 vote
          2. [2]
            0d_billie
            Link Parent
            They're coming to my city supporting Sabaton, and with Lordi opening the show. It's going to be utterly absurd, and I cannot wait.

            They're coming to my city supporting Sabaton, and with Lordi opening the show. It's going to be utterly absurd, and I cannot wait.

            1 vote
            1. cfabbro
              (edited )
              Link Parent
              Oh, nice. I bet Lordi puts on a hell of a live performance too. I am super jealous!

              Oh, nice. I bet Lordi puts on a hell of a live performance too. I am super jealous!

              1 vote
      2. [3]
        madbro
        Link Parent
        Were you at the show tonight?

        Were you at the show tonight?

        1 vote
        1. [2]
          cfabbro
          Link Parent
          Unfortunately not. I was aware of it, and wanted to go, but my aunt arrived from BC tonight, and I have my sister's gender reveal party to go to early tomorrow though. So even if I had had a...

          Unfortunately not. I was aware of it, and wanted to go, but my aunt arrived from BC tonight, and I have my sister's gender reveal party to go to early tomorrow though. So even if I had had a ticket I might not have been able to go anyways. C'est la vie. :(

          My only consolation is that their NA tour venues are much much smaller in scale than their Japanese concerts, so I don't feel like it would have been quite the same insane experience I've seen in their videos. But that's probably just me trying to make myself feel better about not going.

          My buddy is going to their show next month in Phoenix though, and I'm sure he will brag about how incredible it was to make me jealous, since he knows how much I like them. I was the one that introduced him to their damn music a few years ago, and he's gonna get to see them before I do. What a jerk! :P

          2 votes
          1. madbro
            Link Parent
            I was at the show last night, it was an incredible experience! I hope you have more opportunities in the future :)

            I was at the show last night, it was an incredible experience! I hope you have more opportunities in the future :)

            1 vote
  2. PhantomBand
    Link
    I really feel like Babymetal has been pulling a Burial recently. Like, initially they have this really typical, recognizable sound that draws you in to them, and then after a while they start to...

    I really feel like Babymetal has been pulling a Burial recently. Like, initially they have this really typical, recognizable sound that draws you in to them, and then after a while they start to move away from what initially made them so good and then become incredibly "ok" and utterly... dull.