I was 18 when I first stumbled across Babymetal. Eleven years later, I’m still here, still fascinated by what these three Japanese performers and their Kami Band session musicians continue to pull off. So when Metal Forth dropped in August 2025, you better believe I was ready.
If you’re new to Babymetal, here’s the quick version: Suzuka Nakamoto (Su-metal) handles lead vocals and dancing, while Moa Kikuchi (Moametal) and Momoko Okazaki (Momometal) provide backing vocals and dancing. They’ve been doing this since 2010 in Tokyo, and they’ve opened for everyone from Lady Gaga to Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers to Avenged Sevenfold. This year marked their 15th anniversary, and they celebrated by becoming the first Japanese band to headline The O2 Arena in London on 30th May – the final stop of their first ever UK and European headline arena tour.
Metal Forth arrives after 2023’s concept album The Other One and 2019’s Metal Galaxy, and the title says it all. The meaning being “beyond metal.” This time, they’ve brought seven collaborators along for the ride – Poppy, Spiritbox, Tom Morello, Bloodywood, Polyphia, Slaughter to Prevail, and Electric Callboy. It’s bold, it’s experimental, and it mixes metal subgenres with the kind of fearlessness that’s kept me hooked for over a decade.
‘Ratatata’ featuring Electric Callboy is an absolute highlight. I caught Electric Callboy at Slam Dunk this year, and hearing them collide with Babymetal‘s energy is something else – it’s got these massive party vibes, infectious catchiness, and the kind of energy that makes you want to move. But what really strikes me about Metal Forth is how it balances heaviness with empowerment, threading darker edges throughout without losing that signature Babymetal intrigue.
After watching them tear through a 24-date North American tour (Houston to Phoenix, with stops in Atlanta, New York, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, and more) with support from Black Veil Brides, Jinjer, and Bloodywood, plus adding Japan and Asia tour dates, it’s clear Babymetal aren’t slowing down. Metal Forth feels like a band hitting their stride after 15 years, still experimenting, still pushing boundaries, and still creating something genuinely unique in heavy music.
If you’ve been curious about Babymetal but never took the plunge, this album’s got entry points for whatever corner of metal you call home. For those of us who’ve been along for the ride? It’s another reminder of why we’re still here.
