Fusing kawaii metal with hyperactive melodies, the lore of BABYMETAL is just as thrilling as its genre-clashing sound. It goes like this: the three-piece J-metal collective – consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto (Su-metal), Moa Kikuchi (Moametal) and Momoko Okazaki (Momometal) – were chosen by a ‘fox god’ to fight the ‘power idols’ who ruled the Earth and suppressed all music except their own. Having deemed metal music as especially harmful, the fox god blessed them with a new name, Babymetal, meaning “the birth of the new metal” – and sent them into the world to begin the Metal Resistance.
The band has been shining the torch for J-metal overseas since their formation in 2010, packing out stadiums with sold-out shows featuring heavy metal riffs and high-pitched vocals. In 2020, the group released their first retrospective album called 10 Babymetal Years, shortly followed by a cryptic video that appeared on their YouTube channel announcing: “The three metal spirits that have been shining since 2010, even if they were to leave Earth, would continue to shine forever in our hearts and across the Metal Galaxy.” Rumours of the band’s departure quickly flooded online forums – and, while the group did take a brief hiatus in 2021, they returned with a new single in 2022, and a fourth album, The Other One, earlier this year.
The members of BABYMETAL are fashion-forward nonconformists, whose gothic Lolita aesthetic traverses both ultra-cuteness and heavy metal to reflect their distinct sound. Unsurprisingly, this has inspired a distinct style amongst their super-dedicated fanbase, who spent hours queuing outside London’s Roundhouse ahead of the show. We sent photographer Daisy Davidson to capture the action. Take a look in the gallery above.
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