It’s safe to say the stigma of BabyMetal being a novelty act has firmly disappeared. However, as they return with their fifth album, ‘etal Forth,’ you have to wonder why they’ve leaned into a wealth of collaborations. Nevertheless, it’s far from a stylistic departure as the trio maintains the kawaii metal sound that has taken them all over the world.
The cast of cameos is impressive. Poppy, Spiritbox, Tom Morello, Electric Callboy, Polyphia, Slaughter To Prevail, and Bloodywood bring their respective sound to the table, yet BabyMetal never sacrifice their foundations. However, some work seamlessly better than some. ‘From me to u’ (featuring Poppy) and ‘My Queen’ (Spiritbox) see the trio complement their collaborators with ease. On the former, Poppy comes off as an unofficial fourth member, partly due to Jordan Fish’s production work. Whereas ‘My Queen’ bubbles with industrial rage, showcasing Su-metal’s vocal prowess before Courtney LaPlante ramps up the aggression.
‘Song 3’ with Russian deathcore titans Slaughter To Prevail sees the contrasting clash of Alex Terrible’s menacing voice and BabyMetal‘s kawaii metal harmonies. It’s a jarring offering that doesn’t have the desired effect. The same can’t be said for ‘Kon! Kon!’, their second collaboration with Indian metallers Bloodywood. The former’s colourful brand of nu metal bounces off BabyMetal‘s playful harmonies.
‘Metal Forth’ allows BabyMetal to explore and jump between sounds. Whether that’s technical djent on the summery ‘Sunset Kiss’ with Polyphia, infectious party metal with Electric Callboy on ‘RATATATA’, or the hip-hop-infusion found on ‘KxAxWxAxIxI’. The latter is one of three tracks without collaborators. Alongside ‘Algorism’ and ‘White Flame – 白炎 –,’ the trio of songs serve as a reminder of how technically proficient and powerful the Kami Band (BabyMetal‘s backing band) can be.
If anything, they’re the anonymous heroes of BabyMetal‘s success. While lead vocalist Su-metal, along with Moametal and their relatively newcomer, Momometal, take charge of soaring hooks and crystaline melodies, the Kami band are bringing assured ferociousness to the party.
With a hefty amount of assistance, BabyMetal do their best to capture how diverse and varied metal is in 2025. It’s not always effective, and the sheer number of guests on board is equally a hindrance and a benefit to the trio. Nevertheless, ‘Metal Forth’ is a digestible record that achieves its intentions.
‘Metal Forth’ by BabyMetal is out now on Capitol.
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