BABYMETAL – THE OTHER ONE
Returning from hiatus and restored as a duo, BABYMETAL ditch the 'baby' on their all-conquering, coming-of-age fourth album
Overcoming the tag of a ‘novelty’ band can’t be an easy thing for an artist, let alone when it was such a major factor in your rapid success. A decade on from their explosive arrival, BABYMETAL are a far cry from the gimmick status they were long labelled with.
THE OTHER ONE serves as a rebirth, the band having been ‘sealed’ (that’s ‘on hiatus’ to you and me) following Yuimetal’s departure in 2018, and reforming as a mid-20s two-piece (plus their tremendously talented and much-overlooked Kami band). The ten-track concept album (or ‘restoration project’) sees them spiralling into parallel worlds, exploring a range of BABYMETAL sounds never heard before – an idea that’s as big and bold as it is fun and just, well, so perfectly them. Listen as they cross stadium-worthy power metal with soaring orchestrals (METAL KINGDOM), brain-busting drum’n’bass beats (Divine Attack – Shingeki) and ravey, Euro techno-keys (Time Wave, Mirror Mirror) – and all while still delivering some delightful pop hooks (Believing, Monochrome).
Sonically, there’s nothing ‘baby’ about BABYMETAL’s newest release. It’s a coming-of-age bruiser of a record that transcends their brutal blend of J-pop and metalcore to more daring soundscapes. Most teen bands grow up and get serious eventually, but BABYMETAL have managed to do so in their distinctly over-the-top way and put out a career-high album in the process.
Listen to: MONOCHROME, Light and Darkness, Divine Attack – Shingeki