BABYMETAL RELEASES NEW ALBUM "Metal Forth". (ALBUM REVIEW)

The Pop Punk Dad
6 minutes ago
3 min read

Japanese metal sensation BABYMETAL just dropped their latest album METAL FORTH via Capitol Records, which features a plethora of special guest collaborations throughout the album with everyone from Poppy, Spiritbox, Tom Morello, Polyphia, Slaughter to Prevail and more!

BABYMETAL has been taking the metal world by storm since their debut in 2010. The band gained quick popularity in japan and by 2013 had become an unstoppable force opening for the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn, and Lady Gaga. It's hard to believe that BABYMETAL has been around for nearly two decades already, with METAL FORTH actually being the band's fifth album.

The 10-track record takes fans for a ride with each song's collaboration feeling exactly like that, a collaboration rather than a feature.

Track 1's "from me to u" features none other than another cross-over metal sensation POPPY. The track is a beautiful mesh of both of the band's unique styles with Poppy's screams and distinct voice and BABYMETAL's heavy metal beats. Track 2's RATATATA features Electric Callboy. The track itself feels way more like a nightclub pop tune with scattered screaming throughout than a metal song. It feels like a song I can see on Dance Dance Revolution in the future.

Track 3's SONG 3 I already sorta went over in my SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL REVIEW, and this track still remains my favorite song on both Slaughter's new album, Grizzly, and this one. Also to note, I feel like this is the first time a track has been on both band's full-length albums and not just featured on one band's album or the other. Track 4's KON! KON! features BLOODYWOOD, a band that I'm relatively new to myself, that has this sick, unique blend of metal, rap, nu metal , and folk music with their New Delhi vibes added to the track.

Track 5's KxAxWxAxlxl is the first track on the album to only feature BABYMETAL. The whole track has a nu-metal vibe that brilliantly transitions from the previous track KON! KON!. It has a hip-hop vibe to it as well with breakdown elements. There's a lot going on in just 2 minutes and 35 seconds. Track 6's Sunset Kiss is back on the collaborations and features Polyphia, one of the sickest progressive rock bands I've ever heard. The blend of Polyphia's prog and math metal rock with BABYMETAL's style sounds like the outro to an anime series.

Track 7's MY QUEEN features Spirtbox, an unmistakable collaboration without even hearing who was featured. Spiritbox's Courtney LaPlante's screams are absolutely unique and this track is one of the most standout tunes of the entire album. Track 8's Algorism feels like a throwback to the self-titled BABYMETAL album circa 2015 days. The entire vibe and sound of this track screams nostalgia for the BABYMETAL fans.

Track 9's METAL!! is one of the strangest songs I've ever heard, but that makes sense since it features none other than Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. The track has the same vibes as the aforementioned KON! KON! track with Tom's one-of-a-kind guitar sound blaring throughout the entire track. Rounding out the album is Track 10's White Flame, the longest track on the album at 4 minutes 55 seconds. The entire tune feels like the ending credits to a movie, giving thanks and nods to every artist who was featured on the album with blasting metal beats and guitar leads that loop in and out of the track, eventually ending the entire song, like the build-up to the ending of a fantasy video game.

BABYMETAL's METAL FORTH album has already won me over and is sitting in my top 10 albums of the year. It's one my daughter's favorite bands and favorite records as well. Each collaborative feature on the record feels like the reveal of a new character in a movie, and each song tells their backstory. It's an awesome album, there's nothing else to say but awesome.

You can check out BABYMETAL's single SONG 3 featuring SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL and more below!

BABYMETAL - SONG 3 FT. SLAUGHTER. TO PREVAIL

METALFORTH Tracklist:

1. from me to u (feat. Poppy)

2. RATATATA (BABYMETAL x Electric Callboy)

3. Song 3 (BABYMETAL x Slaughter to Prevail)

4. Kon! Kon! (feat. Bloodywood)

5. KxAxWxAxIxI

6. Sunset Kiss (feat. Polyphia)

7. My Queen (feat. Spiritbox)

8. Algorism

9. METALI!! (feat. Tom Morello)