BABYMETAL

Dublin Red Devil

Introducing the new faces of Metal. The Japanese fusion of heavy metal and J pop" music.

The combination of a Heavy Metal Japanese rock band, fronted by 3 teenage girls.
Lead singer Suzuka Nakamoto (SuMetal)
Backing singers Yui Mizuno (YuiMetal) and
Moa Kikuchi (MoaMetal)

The band have been a massive success in Japan and with the demand from a growing international fan base. BABYMETAL will play gigs in Europe this summer. Venues in London and Cologne sold out in one day and have since been moved to larger venues to facilitate demand.

The band are due to play the main stage at the famous UK Sonisphere Rock Festival on July 5, 2014. Allong side acts such as Iron Maiden, Metallica and Prodigy.

Dublin Red Devil

Links234

You know, I'm not really a fan (A Japanese metal band I'm not a fan of? There's a few, I assure you!) but I'd seriously consider going to see them live, just because their shows look amazing and fun.

scudzilla

Thank the gods i googled their ages before i said what i was gonna say :pac:

Morpork

The new London venue is The Forum, changed from Electric Ballroom. There's still tickets available for that. Tempting!

Dublin Red Devil

scudzilla wrote: »

Thank the gods i googled their ages before i said what i was gonna say :pac:

They are beautiful girls but also very talented. Their record label defines the band's style as "kawaii metal" ("cute metal") It's ok for adults to think the girls are cute, because they are. But I'd advise posters against making suggestive comments as the girls are underage.

Zwillinge

If they were playing here, I'd definitely go cause, as Links said, talk about fun looking

Don't think they're enough for me to plane/hostel get... I don't think they are anyway ... hmmm!

Links234

Everyone bug Dublin Metal Events to get them over here?

Dublin Red Devil

I wouldn't mind seeing them. I kind of like the Idea of going to London to see a Japanese band.

Links234

1. Go here: https://www.facebook.com/dmepromotions

2. Write a message asking for them to bring Babymetal over to Ireland

3. Win!

Morf

I've gone to London to see Boris and Mono.

Babymetal wouldn't be an attraction.

Melt Banana/Sigh on the other hand.

I prefer K-pop to J-pop anyway. J-pop has far, far too much lolita undertones going on.

Links234

I'll be heading to see Girugamesh in London in June, far bigger draw for me than Babymetal

Honestly, I just think Babymetal are a novelty, and I wouldn't say no to seeing them live, I've had their album a while and I just don't listen to it. I know there's some extremely talents musicians involved, but it just comes across as by the numbers metal + by the numbers pop, and that's the novelty appeal right there.

And you know, I've listened to a fair bit of J-pop as well and honestly, there's far better J-pop than Babymetal

Dublin Red Devil

**** it I'm going. its a 30 euro ticket. Can't go wrong. Over and back to London and a concert for under 100 quid. Not bad

Links234

If you like them, go for it

Dublin Red Devil

Links234 wrote: »

If you like them, go for it

I will. I like weird things and I have a thing for Japanese culture, So this is right up my street. I'll tell ye what it was like

Links234

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

I will. I like weird things and I have a thing for Japanese culture, So this is right up my street. I'll tell ye what it was like

Oh don't get me wrong, I've had people tell me I'm obsessed with Japan (A claim I can't exactly deny) and as far as live shows go, it looks like they'll put on a stormer of one and I'd actually love to see them live just for the show... It's just, I kinda gripe about them because I'm a huge fan of Japanese metal, and I think there is just so many awesome bands there with amazing talent, and it's Babymetal that people have taken notice of?

Also, I'm 95% sure that one of the guitarists in the Leda from Deluhi/Undivide, who is easily one of my favourite guitarists, if not my favourite ever, and I'm kinda disappointed because the music is all a bit on the bland side. The other guitarist is Marty Friedman's touring guitarist. Like, there's some serious talent there, that's for sure.

But honestly, they do have their moments and this is definitely one of their better tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjQsayrmMoU

Morf

Links234 wrote: »

And you know, I've listened to a fair bit of J-pop as well and honestly, there's far better J-pop than Babymetal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkHlnWFnA0c

Dodgy, dodgy video but a great tune.

Dublin Red Devil

Morf wrote: »

I respect that people have different opinions, tastes in music, But Personally I think The combination of quality
musicians and the vocals of Suzuka Nakamoto set BABYMETAL apart from anything I've heard out of Japan for a long time.

You may think they have gotten undue publicity but they have worked hard for this opportunity Bare in mind two of them are as young as 14.. The gig in HMV Forum will be easier for them. The crowd will be all fans, probably a sizable Japanese attendance. Sonisphere is the real test. If they go down well there and win over some tradition metal fans. They could really take off from there. Becoming a global act.

stefan idiot jones

Why is this Japenese version of Aqua on the same page as Guns, Metallica and Slayer.

Seriously Rock & Metal?

Maybe it's me, but someone needs to have a good long look at themselves.

beauf

+1

This isn't rock or metal. Its a cynical manufactured product. Next you'll be posting dance off videos.

Dublin Red Devil

I knew well the haters wouldn't be too far off. Metal fans are some of the biggest music snobs of any genre. If you don't like this band, that's fine, there are plenty of other threads to comment on.

the_syco

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

I knew well the haters wouldn't be too far off.

.o/

=-=

Apart from dancing and singing, does Suzuka have any input to the lyrics? It seems the agency gets cute girls to perform in various groups.

From the looks of it, this is a "girl band"; made up of cute looking girls that sing songs for a particular audience that likes the image these girls represent. A female metal version of Boyzone, if you will.

Dublin Red Devil

the_syco wrote: »

.o/

=-=

Apart from dancing and singing, does Suzuka have any input to the lyrics? It seems the agency gets cute girls to perform in various groups.

From the looks of it, this is a "girl band"; made up of cute looking girls that sing songs for a particular audience that likes the image these girls represent. A female metal version of Boyzone, if you will.

I wouldn't put it that way at all. They are the kind of group you either like or you don't like. Its a niche genre. Not everyone is going to get it.

stefan idiot jones

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

I knew well the haters wouldn't be too far off.

I'm not a hater, my point is that this bubblegum nonsense doesn't belong in this forum.

Snob or no snob, this 'genre' has no valid place here.

Do the Japenese rock community have an understanding of the word 'integrity'?

Dublin Red Devil

stefan idiot jones wrote: »

I'm not a hater, my point is that this bubblegum nonsense doesn't belong in this forum.

Snob or no snob, this 'genre' has no valid place here.

Do the Japenese rock community have an understanding of the word 'integrity'?

You don't like it. We get it. So move on, You've stated your opinion, I'm not going to change your opinion and you're not going to change mine. So lets save an argument a leave it at that, Shall we?

Morf

the_syco wrote: »

.o/

=-=

Apart from dancing and singing, does Suzuka have any input to the lyrics? It seems the agency gets cute girls to perform in various groups.

From the looks of it, this is a "girl band"; made up of cute looking girls that sing songs for a particular audience that likes the image these girls represent. A female metal version of Boyzone, if you will.

Look up AKB48 and the sister groups and see how they are managed/milked to see how cynical these groups are. It's just a metal version of that really.

SilverScreen

Not really my cup of tea but I love the fact that this band exists and that they're dividing opinion like this. They might get the more serious and insecure metal fans moaning about 'integrity' to have a long hard look at themselves. Music doesn't have any rules people.

beauf

Morf wrote: »

Look up AKB48 and the sister groups and see how they are managed/milked to see how cynical these groups are. It's just a metal version of that really.

and they've dropped the age further. Rock pageantry used to have a whole different meaning.

This is not rock though. Its pop.

Dublin Red Devil

SilverScreen wrote: »

Not really my cup of tea but I love the fact that this band exists and that they're dividing opinion like this. They might get the more serious and insecure metal fans moaning about 'integrity' to have a long hard look at themselves. Music doesn't have any rules people.

Love that comment, People who talk about things like "integrity" when you're talking about a sub-genre of music are what I call music snobs. Rock originated from the southern Jazz/Funk scene in the early 1950's If people had been concerned with the "integrity" of their music back then Rock wouldn't have developed into what it has become.

Links234

You know, one of the reasons I've loved this forum is that there's often great chat with people who have a real passion for the music they listen to, and a lot of the regulars here have pretty diverse tastes. People discuss all sorts of bands! I don't think many folks here share my love of Visual Kei, but I never got any crap for it. So it's such a pity that elitism has reared it's head, and it's just not cool.

Nothing really gets my goat more than someone posturing that someone else's tastes aren't 'metal' enough to be discussed alongside what they consider real metal should be. This kinda crap ruins forums and pushes people away, and I don't think anyone should have to think twice about posting about something they love incase someone who's appointed themselves arbitrator of what is and isn't metal comes along and gives out how it shouldn't be here. Does this divisive, exclusionary stuff help anyone?

I think there's plenty of reasons to dislike Babymetal and plenty of reasons to love them too, we can chat about these things and discuss and criticise, but don't be that guy who says "I don't like this, therefor it shouldn't be here."

Dublin Red Devil, fair play to you for posting this thread, and I hope you stick around for a long time! Come join us in the For Those About To Chat thread too

Morf wrote: »

Dodgy, dodgy video but a great tune.

Damn, you're right on the dodgy aspect! But eh, not my thing at all. As far as J-pop goes, I find it's hard to top Utada Hikaru. I wish there was a higher quality version on youtube, because this is a downright gorgeous video, but she's got an amazing emotive voice and some absolutely fantastic songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfc8w6A-f9U

lord lucan

Mod hat on, I've kicked threads about bands with more rock credentials than this lot out of here. Quite where it goes I don't know so I'm going to leave it here for now as there's been some discussion here already. In saying that, I don't expect a complete lovefest for them and posters shouldn't get all offended if many of the 'regulars' don't like it or think it should be here.

Just remember, attack the post, not the poster.

Mod hat off, I don't get it at all, it's far removed from metal as far as I'm concerned. Nothing to do with insecurity or narrow mindness but I do know what metal is and this is not metal. Sounds like something Louis Walsh or Simon Cowell would put together when they spot a gap in the market.

Dublin Red Devil

I'd love to see the look on the faces of these hardcore, tough Iron Maiden and Slayer guys when a group of cute Japanese girls rock the main stage at Sonisphere.

Links234

lord lucan wrote: »

Mod hat off, I don't get it at all, it's far removed from metal as far as I'm concerned. Nothing to do with insecurity or narrow mindness but I do know what metal is and this is not metal. Sounds like something Louis Walsh or Simon Cowell would put together when they spot a gap in the market.

Ignoring the vocals for a moment, the music is clearly metal, the heavy distorted guitar, double bass drumming, the speed at which they play, everything about it is metal. All the musicians involved are serious metal musicians. It's a bit by the numbers metal and may not be particularly original or innovative, but that could easily be said of a lot of bands that are posted about on here. Look them up on wikipedia, the genres are metal, they've been featured in many major metal publications, they've been playing metal festivals and touring with metal bands... They toured with the excellent Chthonic, who recently supported Satyricon when they played in Dublin. They're being touted by other famous metal bands and musicians. It's not like they were posted about here by accident.

Yes, they're a particularly cynical manufactured group, it's especially telling when you know that the three singers never listened to metal before the group was put together. That's not really in question, and I don't think anyone is disputing them being a manufactured band, but rock and metal aren't free from manufactured bands either.

Are they a manufactured metal band? Sure, but they're still a metal band.

Dublin Red Devil

lord lucan wrote: »

Mod hat off, I don't get it at all, it's far removed from metal as far as I'm concerned. Nothing to do with insecurity or narrow mindness but I do know what metal is and this is not metal. Sounds like something Louis Walsh or Simon Cowell would put together when they spot a gap in the market.

You don't have top 'Get it' Allot of people won't. That's fine, each to their own. Nobody said it was conventional Metal, It's a Japanese sub-genre, A fusion of Japanese heavy metal and Japanese pop music.

Nobody is trying to convert anyone to BABYMETAL. If posters like them, Great, If they don't, That's fine too. Just don't use this forum as a means to ridicule people for liking something, just because you don't like it.

spiritcrusher

I have to say I think the argument of complaining about "elitists" and "you don't like it, don't comment" is becoming as tired as the arguments for metal needing to stay underground or people being militant with their own tastes in genres or sub-genres. I just find any time people who would have an ear to the underground scenes disagree with those who have a more mainstream taste the elitist argument is trotted out. In some cases it is certainly a valid argument, in some cases it's needlessly defensive and stifles discussion. This is definitely one of those cases as I've listened to some of the songs posted here and it definitely blurs the line regarding what you want to classify as metal.
This may have distorted guitars, double-bass drums, speed etc. but in my opinion there's a lot more to metal than that. Really good metal, for me, regardless of sub-type has an attitude or a swagger about it, or maybe an atmosphere or an aesthetic... Just something that hits you in the gut (if that makes any sense). I just hear nothing but a bland, plastic, cut'n'paste job in this band that will be forgotten about in a year or so. Which to me sounds like straightforward pop music just with a distorted backing track.

Anyway, I hope I haven't gone too off topic (maybe this should be its own topic) I just felt that the elitist argument goes unchallenged too often and honestly it's as vacuous and poor an argument as saying "bull sh*t, not real metal". And for what it's worth, I've no interest in what music others listen to, nor do I care what people want to label as metal but I think it's an interesting discussion.

beauf

There's no love of the genre or music here. Its cynical commercialisation. If you like it grand. But that doesn't change what it is, or isn't.

Dublin Red Devil

beauf wrote: »

There's no love of the genre or music here. Its cynical commercialisation. If you like it grand. But that doesn't change what it is, or isn't.

Again that's just your opinion, We obviously have different interpretations of what it is and what it isn't.

Here's an interesting video

Dublin Red Devil

Give this one a watch aswell

MagicMarker

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

I'd love to see the look on the faces of these hardcore, tough Iron Maiden and Slayer guys when a group of cute Japanese girls rock the main stage at Sonisphere.

Here's a preview.



Seems to be a metal band fronted by the japanese Sugarbabes. According to wiki the girls didn't even know what metal was.

Woeful stuff altogether.

Dublin Red Devil

Hey! Sometimes it good to have ones mind blown, once in a while. Makes you question what you think of something. Yes that may be the initial reaction on many to them. But the more progressive listener's next reaction might be, " It's weird, but I kind of like it". Sure there will be the naysayers out there, The Music snobs who will say " The're a joke or They don't belong here" But others will think its awesome and be introduced to a whole new sub-genre of metal music.

MagicMarker

Ah yes, the "progressive" listeners might like it... And of course anyone who doesn't like it must be a music snob.

The only thing worse than a music snob is a fanboy.

lord lucan

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

Hey! Sometimes it good to have ones mind blown, once in a while.

My mind was blown but probably not in the same way yours was. I don't see it as a sub genre of metal,frankly it's pop with some nods to metal. I'm not being snobby or elitist about it but it's how i see it. Sure i'm into old school stuff but i'll give any new guitar music a chance but that just doesn't come anywhere near floating my boat.

Dublin Red Devil

MagicMarker wrote: »

Ah yes, the "progressive" listeners might like it... And of course anyone who doesn't like it must be a music snob.

The only thing worse than a music snob is a fanboy.

No that's not what I mean. You don't have to like BABYMETAL. If you don'y like them, state your opinion if you wish and move on. Don't be a snob about it and try to push your views on people who happen to like something you don't

You are not the moral arbiter on what's good music and what isn't

I happen to think the extreme Metal style of Cradle of Filth is not for me. But I'm not on threads about them, Telling their fans the their "awful" or "Thats not real music"

stefan idiot jones

I'll sum up my feelings in a short one sentence statement. Read into it what you will.

'I'm going to see High On Fire in July'.

beauf

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

Again that's just your opinion, We obviously have different interpretations of what it is and what it isn't....

Er no. Its fact this is a product (even in in your own link) that was put together not for the love of the music. But to sell. There's no ambiguity here.

Its the Soylent green of music. You might be happy to ignore the wider implications of stuff like this. But I'm not. If someone creates a thread for discussion, they can't expect everyone to agree with them. Negative comments are as valid as positive ones.

Dublin Red Devil

beauf wrote: »

Er no. Its fact this is a product (even in in your own link) that was put together not for the love of the music. But to sell. There's no ambiguity here.

Who said they weren't put together?
Every band wants to sell records, sell out shows etc. You really think Metalica play giggs for the good of their health or "for the love of the music"

beauf wrote: »

Its the Soylent green of music. You might be happy to ignore the wider implications of stuff like this. But I'm not. If someone creates a thread for discussion, they can't expect everyone to agree with them. Negative comments are as valid as positive ones.

Oh please! "Wider implications"? Yeah! BABYMETAL are going to ruin metal. This is the end.

endacl

OK. That's it. A thirty year story finds it's epilogue in this thread. It the ripe old age of 40, it's happened. I've given up on metal.



I remember my neighbour, Steve (thanks Steve!) making me a copy of Number of the Beast when I was 10. All because I said his Maiden back patch looked cool. He didn't have to - I was only 10. Definitely not cool, but Steve nurtured my nascent interest. I remember wearing that tape out, and pestering Steve for more. He kindly obliged. I remember saving money every week for my own albums. I remember Metallica in the Top Hat. I remember discovering amazing bands whose albums I bought purely on the recommendation of their cover art. I remember learning guitar and bands in garages that still haven't taken the world by storm - we were so so sure they would... I remember spending my teenage years in the Devil's Triangle that existed between the Sound Cellar, Bruxelles and McGonagles. I remember seeing practically every single metal band that came to Dublin from the late 80's on (yeah. Even Deicide). I remember being ever so slightly taken aback by the emergence of nu-metal, and by the fact that people I liked and respected seem to be taking it seriously. That passed, thank Beelzebub. I have a lot of happy happy memories!

Then I open this thread, see what it's about, and read posts from folks who really should know better, validating this shyte. For shame, metal community of boards.ie! For shame...

Hang your heads. Hang them low.

beauf

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

Who said they weren't put together?

You said it was my "interpretation" & "opinion"

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

Every band wants to sell records, sell out shows etc. You really think Metalica play giggs for the good of their health or "for the love of the music"

There's a world of a difference between what and why Metallica do and this. It doesn't need explaining.

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

Oh please! "Wider implications"? Yeah! BABYMETAL are going to ruin metal. This is the end.

TBH I was thinking of possibilities a little less hysterical. Things like this are like the death of thousand paper cuts. Over time they have impact. Slow gradual movements. Maybe you like the impact the music factories have on the wider music industry. Great. I'm not a fan though. Never mind the use of children to do it.

You have no interest in the back-story. For me its all about the back-story. I'm not making any value judgement on your opinion. Just expressing my own.

stefan idiot jones

The clue is in the name 'Babymetal'.

A joke I heard over twenty years ago could very well have been written for this abomination.

Q.What has two hundred legs and no pubes?

A.The front row of a Bros concert.

Dublin Red Devil

Actually I honestly don't care about the negative opinion anymore. I'm not going to continue these pointless arguments.

I think they are awesome. Whoever the guys on instrumentals are they are absolutely unreal, especially on Ijime Dame Zettai. Say what you like about Suzuka Nakamoto, But she is an amazing vocalist The fact that she is 16 makes her talent more impressive, phenomenal on Akatsuki. Yui and Moa are awesome aswell, rocked it on Onedari Daisakusen. Combine these 3 elements and you have a band called BABYMETAL, and I love it :P

MagicMarker

Dublin Red Devil wrote: »

But she is an amazing vocalist

Na.