Heavy Metal meets Idol, comes BABYMETAL
BABYMETAL (ベビーメタル) is a Japanese metal idol group. This unique concept is fusion of heavy metal and Japanese idol, the band defines its style as a new genre called "kawaii metal" ("kawaii" meaning "cute"). This group has two members : Nakamoto Suzuka as "Su-metal" and Kikuchi Moa as "Moametal". Their vocal are backed by heavy metal instrumentation played by Kami Band. Mizuno Yui (known as Yuimetal) left the group on October 2018 due to health concern.
Instead of the "sign of the horns", the band uses the hand gesture of the "kitsune" ("kitsune" meaning "fox") to symbolise the band's supposed divine inspiration. Initially, the band members were shown photos of the sign, but mistook it for the head of a fox; as a result, the management accepted it as the band's sign.
Instead of the "sign of the horns", the band uses the hand gesture of the "kitsune" ("kitsune" meaning "fox") to symbolise the band's supposed divine inspiration. Initially, the band members were shown photos of the sign, but mistook it for the head of a fox; as a result, the management accepted it as the band's sign.
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| "It’s not a maloik sign but a fox sign" from song iine |
Beginnings of BABYMETAL
BABYMETAL was initialy formed around 2010 as sub-unit of Japanese female idol group Sakura Gakuin. The name of the band pronounced ベビーメタル Bebiimetaru, not ベイビメタル Beibiimetaru. This name comes from the words "Baby" ( ベイビ beibi) and " Heavy Metal" (ヘビーメタル hebii metaru). None of the three members are familiar with heavy metal music before the inception of the band.
Their first song, Doki Doki Morning, was originally released in April 2011 on the Sakura Gakuin album Sakura Gakuin 2010 Nendo: Message. Uploaded to Youtube in October, by the end of 2012 the video totaled over 1 million views. In August 2012, BABYMETAL debuted at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival. With the average age of 12, the band became the youngest act ever to perform there. 2012 also marked BABYMETAL's first Asian tour outside of Japan at AFA 2012 Singapore.
Babymetal Major Debut
BABYMETAL debuted on major record label with Ijime, Dame, Zettai in January 2013. It sold 19,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 6 in the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart. On 26 February 2014, they release their first album named by their own group name : BABYMETAL. It contained thirteen tracks and was also available in a limited edition that included a DVD with music videos and live footage. After that on March 2014, BABYMETAL gave two concert at Budokan, also they become the youngest-ever female act to give show there.
Later in 2014, they began their 1st world tour. BABYMETAL performed in Paris, Cologne, and in the UK at the Sonisphere Festival 2014. They made their debut appearance in the US on July 27 with a headlining show at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. They played Heavy MONTRÉAL 2014 in Canada on August 9 alongside Metallica and Slayer, and also performed at Summer Sonic 2014 in Japan on the Mountain Stage with bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and Megadeth. BABYMETAL was also the opening act to five of Lady Gaga's concerts in her "ArtRave: The Artpop Ball" 2014 tour in August along the western United States.
Babymetal Backing Band
Three members of BABYMETAL didn't play any intrument in their live performance. They always accompanied by backing band. In earlier stages, the backed by Babybones, a group of unknown individuals dressed in skeleton costumes that would mimic live performances while pre-recorded studio tracks were being used. In late 2012, BABYMETAL debuted a live band for their live performances which they referred to as "Full Metal Band" - a group of live musicians dressed in white robes and corpse paint. They have since been referred to by band members and fans as "Gods of Metal" and more recently Kami Band. From late 2012 to early 2014, the two groups would alternate, with the Kami Band being used more for festival appearances and special events. At the BABYMETAL Death Match Tour in May 2013, the Kami Band performed all music live for the first time. As of early 2014, the Babybones band has been quietly retired, and the Kami Band has since been established as BABYMETAL's primary backing band.
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| BABYMETAL with Kami Band and Babybones |
BABYMETAL Members Profile
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| Nakamoto Suzuka (中元すず香) |
Lead Vocal & Dance
Stage Name: Su-metal
Birthday: December 20, 1997
Birthplace: Hiroshima Prefecture
Blood type: B
Height: 156 cm
Before BABYMETAL: Karen Girl's, Sakura Gakuin
Nakamoto Suzuka (中元すず香) is the eldest among the group also their lead vocalist. Long before BABYMETAL, her agency formed a trio called Karen Girl's, and Suzuka was selected to be in that group in 2008. Later in 2010, Suzuka became founding member of Sakura Gakuin, an idol group formed by her agency. The group members also formed a smaller groups each of which released their own songs as a unit. Suzuka became a member of the heavy music club, which released songs under the name BABYMETAL. Now she performs with BABYMETAL under stage name Su-metal. Suzuka has an older sister, Himeka Nakamoto, who is a member of the idol group Nogizaka46. They both studied together at the Actor's School Hiroshima (ASH) and sang together in a duo known as Tween.
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| Kikuchi Moa (菊地 最愛) |
Background Vocal & Dance
Stage Name: Moametal
Birthday: July 4, 1999
Birthplace: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Blood type: A
Height: 151 cm
Before BABYMETAL: Sakura Gakuin
Kikuchi Moa (菊地 最愛), is the youngest among the group and do background vocal and energetic dance in BABYMETAL. On August 2010, she joined idol group Sakura Gakuin. The group members were also divided into smaller subgroups, so-called clubs. Moa first became members of the Baton Club and its musical group Twinklestars and later together with Nakamoto Suzuka formed a heavy music club and its heavy metal-themed group BABYMETAL. Now Moa performs under stage name Moametal. During a bus trip, Moa and Yui wrote the Babymetal song Song 4 (4の歌) together, under the writing credits Black Babymetal
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| Mizuno Yui (水野 由結) |
[Former Member]
Stage Name: Yuimetal
Birthday: June 20, 1999
Birthplace: Kanagawa Prefecture
Blood type: O
Height: 153 cm
Before BABYMETAL: Sakura Gakuin
Mizuno Yui (水野 由結) started to take dance lesson in early days, that's why she is "Angel of Dance" in BABYMETAL. On Auguts 2010, she joined idol group Sakura Gakuin together with Moa. Before joined BABYMETAL, she and Moa join musical group Twinklestars, a sub-unit of Sakura Gakuin. She always compete with Moa about their height, and now Yui is slightly taller than Moa. With BABYMETAL, she performs under stage name Yuimetal.
Kami Band Members
Takayoshi Ohmura (Guitar)Fujioka Mikio (Guitar)
Leda Cygnus (Guitar)
BOH (Bass)
Aoyama Hideki (Drums)
Yuya Maeta (Drums)
RYO (Bass) [former]
SHIN (Drums) [former]
SHIREN (Guitar) [former]
ISAO (Guitar) [former]
IKUO (Bass) [former]
MIZ (Violin) [former]
Shuki Maeta (Drums) [former]
Shinichi Kobayashi (Guitar) [former]
Kadoshi Shuntaro (Drums) [former]
BABYMETAL Album
[BABYMETAL]
Released Date : February 26, 2014
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| BABYMETAL Regular Edition [CD Only] |
1. BABYMETAL DEATH
2. Megitsune (メギツネ; Female Fox)
3. Gimme Choko!! (ギミチョコ！！; Give Me Chocolate!!)
4. Ii ne! (いいね！; It's Good, Isn't It!)
5. Benitsuki -Akatsuki- (紅月-アカツキ-; Crimson Moon -Dawn-)
6. Do・Ki・Do・Ki☆MORNING (ド・キ・ド・キ☆モーニング; An Exciting Morning)
7. Onedari Daisakusen (おねだり大作戦; Begging Operation)
8. 4 no Uta (4の歌; Song of 4)
9. U.ki.U.ki★Midnight (ウ・キ・ウ・キ★ミッドナイト; A Hilarious★Midnight)
10. Catch me if you can
11. Akumu no Rinbukyoku (悪夢の輪舞曲; Nightmare's Rondo)
12. Headbanger!! (ヘドバンギャー！！)
13. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ; No, More, Bullying)
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| BABYMETAL Limited Edition [CD + DVD] |
1. Do・Ki・Do・Ki☆MORNING Music Video
2. Ii ne! Music Video
3. Headbanger!! Music Video
4. Ijime, Dame, Zettai Music Video
5. Megitsune Music Video
6. Gimme Choko!! (from LEGEND "1997" SU-METAL Seitansai at Makuhari Messe Event Hall)
7. BABYMETAL DEATH (Live SUMMER SONIC 2013)
8. Megitsune (Live SUMMER SONIC 2013)
9. Catch me if you can (Live SUMMER SONIC 2013)
10. Headbanger!! (Live SUMMER SONIC 2013)
11. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (Live SUMMER SONIC 2013)
(Only avaliable to BABYMETAL APOCALYPSE WEB members)
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| BABYMETAL APOCALYPSE Limited Edition [Limited CD Edition + Artist Book] |
1. BABYMETAL DEATH
2. Megitsune (メギツネ; Female Fox)
3. Gimme Choko!! (ギミチョコ！！; Give Me Chocolate!!)
4. Ii ne! (いいね！; It's Good, Isn't It!)
5. Benitsuki -Akatsuki- (紅月-アカツキ-; Crimson Moon -Dawn-) ~different version~
6. Do・Ki・Do・Ki☆MORNING (ド・キ・ド・キ☆モーニング; An Exciting Morning)
7. Onedari Daisakusen (おねだり大作戦; Begging Operation)
8. 4 no Uta (4の歌; Song of 4) ~different version~
9. U.ki.U.ki★Midnight (ウ・キ・ウ・キ★ミッドナイト; A Hilarious★Midnight)
10. Catch me if you can
11. Akumu no Rinbukyoku (悪夢の輪舞曲; Nightmare's Rondo)
12. Headbanger!! (ヘドバンギャー！！)
13. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ; No, More, Bullying)
[Metal Resistance]
Released Date : April 1, 2016.04.01 ; September 14, 2016 (Japan Tour Limited Edition)
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| Metal Resistance Regular and Overseas Edition [CD Only] |
1. Road of Resistance
2. KARATE
3. Awadama Fever (あわだまフィーバー)
4. Yabaa! (ヤバッ！)
5. Amore -Aoboshi- (Amore -蒼星-)
6. META! Meta Tarou (META！メタ太郎)
7. Syncopation (シンコペーション)
8. GJ!
9. Sis. Anger
10. NO RAIN, NO RAINBOW
11. Tales of The Destinies
12. THE ONE (replaced with "THE ONE ~english version~" in Overseas Edition)
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| Metal Resistance Limited Edition [CD + DVD] |
1. Megitsune (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
2. Ii ne! (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
3. Catch me if you can (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
4. Headbanger!! (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
5. Road of Resistance (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
6. Gimme Choko!! (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
7. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (Live TOKYO METROPOLITAN ROCK FESTIVAL 2015)
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| Metal Resistance The One Limited Edition [CD Limited + Bluray] |
1. Road of Resistance
2. KARATE
3. Awadama Fever (あわだまフィーバー)
4. Yabaa! (ヤバッ！)
5. Amore -Aoboshi- (Amore -蒼星-)
6. META! Meta Tarou (META！メタ太郎)
7. Syncopation (シンコペーション)
8. GJ!
9. Sis. Anger
10. NO RAIN, NO RAINBOW
11. Tales of The Destinies
12. THE ONE -Unfinished ver.-
Blu-ray Limited Edition
~Live APOCRYPHA -THE BLACK MASS- (2015.4.23)~
1. Road of Resistance
2. U・ki・U・ki★Midnight (ウ・キ・ウ・キ★ミッドナイト)
3. Awadama Fever (あわだまフィーバー)
4. Catch me if you can
5. Akumu no Rinbukyoku (悪夢の輪舞曲)
6. Onedari Daisakusen (おねだり大作戦)
7. Megitsune (メギツネ)
8. Ii ne! (いいね！)
9. Headbanger!! (ヘドバンギャー！！)
10. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ)
~Live APOCRYPHA -THE RED MASS- (2015.4.24)~
1. Megitsune (メギツネ)
2. Do・Ki・Do・Ki☆MORNING (ド・キ・ド・キ☆モーニング)
3. Ii ne! (いいね！)
4. Benitsuki -Akatsuki- (紅月 -アカツキ-)
5. 4 no Uta (4の歌)
6. Catch me if you can
7. Headbanger!! (ヘドバンギャー！！)
8. Ijime, Dame, Zettai (イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ)
9. Gimme Choko!! (ギミチョコ！！)
10. Road of Resistance
BABYMETAL LIVE ALBUMS
[2015.01.07] Live at Budokan: Red Night
[2015.01.07] Live at Budokan: Black Night (digital only)
[2016.12.28] Live at Wembley
[2017.04,12] Live at Tokyo Dome
BABYMETAL Networks
Official Youtube Channel : BABYMETALofficial
Facebook Page : BABYMETAL
Official Twitter: @babymetal_japan
Official Instagram : babymetal_official
Official Line : @babymetal_en
