Babymetal - Metal Resistance review
| Band: | Babymetal |
| Album: | Metal Resistance |
| Style: | J-Pop, Melodic death metal |
| Release date: | April 01, 2016 |
| A review by: | ScreamingSteelUS |
01. Road Of Resistance
02. Karate
03. あわだまフィーバー
04. ヤバッ!
05. Amore -蒼星-
06. メタ太郎
07. シンコペーション
08. GJ!
09. Sis. Anger
10. No Rain, No Rainbow
11. Tales Of The Destinies
12. The One
Is it possible to review a band like this without becoming mired interminably in the comically astronomical depths of controversy that dog any and all assessments of them? No, I suppose it isn't. Babymetal are not reviled - they are super infinity-plus-one polarizing to a degree that defies precedent, enough to make dimethyl sulfoxide look like hexane. But now that we've acknowledged as much, let's discuss this album like adults, shall we?
I'll admit that when I first heard "Karate" I laughed like a maniac for the entire four minutes and 25 seconds - not out of derision, but because I could actually feel the fabric of reality tearing itself to shreds around my very being, and in spite of myself I couldn't stop listening to the song. As if Babymetal's very existence weren't cognitively dissonant enough, the psychonauts brought djent into the picture - and, more than that, thrashy djent. Many observers balk at the prospect of crediting Babymetal with anything remotely positive, but Babymetal have a tendency towards cross-genre experimentation that, though more the result of faceless songwriters than an artistic vision of the band itself, nonetheless keeps their albums alive and engaging in unexpected ways.
With the debut behind them as a solid proof-of-concept, Babymetal push themselves into heavier, faster, and more expansive territory on Metal Resistance. The J-pop and metal aspects feel much more complementary and better-integrated this time around; in addition, Su-metal, Moametal, and Yuimetal have become not only much stronger vocalists, but also more comfortable with their unusual mélange of styles. Overall, Metal Resistance boasts catchier, more consistent songwriting than its predecessor, and when paired with bolder performances and a more focused sense of direction, these songs take metal to its most unapologetically melodic fringes. Some of those who derided Babymetal may find Metal Resistance a lot more palatable due to the maturation of sound.
Anyone who can stomach DragonForce should have no objections to the opener, "Road Of Resistance," previously released as a collaboration with Herman Li and Sam Totman of said epic power-slingers; "Road Of Resistance" perfectly mirrors DragonForce at every turn, with the ironic twist that these three teenage Japanese girls have deeper voices than both of DragonForce's vocalists. "Amore" continues in the same lightning-power vein, while "GJ" echoes the fantastic djent of "Karate." The vaguely atmospheric djentronica of "From Dusk Till Dawn" desperately demands some explanation, but the song succeeds to a much greater degree than it should. "Meta Taro" sounds like a cross between Viking Sabaton and a First World War marching song; "Tales Of The Destinies" employs nonstandard time signatures and dueling keyboards and guitars to effectively capture the sound of anime-soundtrack-Haken (with some occasional Gloryhammer-ing splashed in for good measure).
I have to exercise an exorbitant degree of self-restraint so as not to detail the entire album song-by-song, but each individual work has its own personality and reflects another subgenre of metal that no one would have expected to hear in such an ineffable context. I hear Slipknot, Dream Theater, Gojira, and others inexplicably reflected here. Babymetal was a novelty - a highly enjoyable novelty, but a novelty nonetheless; Metal Resistance is a much more serious work, and a much more successful one. I certainly never thought in a million years that I'd ever say that the new Babymetal is better than the new Amon Amarth, much less that the new Babymetal is currently my album of the year, but this is the world we live in now.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 10 |
| Production: | 8 |
 | Written on 01.04.2016 by I'm the reviewer, and that means my opinion is correct. |
Comments page 4 / 4
Comments: 120
Visited by: 943 users
| Dr. Strawberry Posts: 698  |
9 ? Why don't make it a 10 ? Is this guy trying to give Metal Storm a bad name ?
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7652  |
Written by [user id=136611] on 22.04.2016 at 20:59 It was always icing on cake when someone doesn't get prank. Like our Mr incorrigible idiot (godyassbuster).
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| Pit_Of_Zombies Posts: 5 |
I dont post on here at all, i usually just lurk about reading everything. but the fact that this got a 9.0 a staff pick, and there isnt even a mention about the new aborted album anywhere to be found on the home page? d00dz lets be reasonable. what the hell is goin on around here? 
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| Mechaniacal Posts: 107  |
I love it when a band that has obnoxiously idiotic haters does something good and it makes the haters cry and get unreasonably angry. Get a life, losers.
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| Dr. Strawberry Posts: 698 |
Written by [user id=136611] on 24.04.2016 at 07:50 We don't really hate them indeed, we just thought their performance is ridiculously stupid, that's all. Probably the most-invited cover artists next to Ghost for Metal Hammer made this magazine the biggest loser at all time !
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| Dr. Strawberry Posts: 698 |
Written by Mechaniacal on 24.04.2016 at 05:34 We're angry with Anime clowns ? No way. We're laughing actually.
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| Dr. Strawberry Posts: 698 |
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| Maco Pvt Funderground Posts: 3593  |
You bitch I wanted to be the No. 100 :'(
---- Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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| Dr. Strawberry Posts: 698 |
Written by Maco on 26.04.2016 at 08:25 Then you've to wait for Mr. Steel to post another masterpiece review like this one.
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| Daniell _爱情_ Elite Posts: 6120  |
This band is like Cradle of Filth. Many people will be put off by the vocals, even though the music is quite decent.
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| hamG Posts: 17 |
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| Tel3tubby Posts: 27  |
Just listened to Karate. It's certainly better than everything they've done before, but for me, their music would work best as the first minute of an anime.
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Admin Posts: 6078  |
Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 Did you forget that you already commented on this three months ago to tell me I'm insane?
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Maco Pvt Funderground Posts: 3593 |
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Admin Posts: 6078 |
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7652 |
Just another 40+ guy who's pissed off seeing his favorite band been included with Babymetal. He really must be proud owner of possessing "MOF" bought back in '86. Well, he also missed the publication date.
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| Karlabos Posts: 5768  |
Gotta love the comment section
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| RobRadcliffe Account deleted |
RobRadcliffe
Account deleted
Metallica is NOT my favorite band. Check out my profile, they're not even into my favorite band list. Yes, I am forty fuckin' three years old. No, I'm not still into the '86 or in general in the 80s area. I'm into Viking, Folk, Pagan, Melodic and Blackest parts of the metal, like: Moonsorrow, Enslaved, Insomnium, Swallow The Sun, Emperor, Kalmah, Tsjuder, etc. I'm not even a Metallica fan, I've never been, since Lars is such an ass-clown so...yeah... 
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| Metren Dreadrealm Posts: 1418  |
I know the author OF THE POST I AM QUOTING is gone from the site, but should he return, I'd like to clear up some things for him and others, who might agree with his nonsense. Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 Vocalists are musicians. Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 Neither do Roy Khan, Tommy Karevik, Floor Jansen and so on. Performing/taking care of/practicing your vocals is often just as difficult as playing an instrument. Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 "They've hired people to play their music" and "Singing about chocolate is not music".  Make up your mind, Mr. Contradiction. Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 Nothing insane about being inspired - no matter in what way - by one of the most successful metal bands of all time. Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 Age! Numbers! Being older is soooo cooool! Enjoying and drawing inspiration from bands of previous generations is IMPOSSIBLE!!! Written by [user id=153776] on 01.07.2016 at 13:57 Babymetal's songs feature distorted guitars and stressed rhythm, they are metal. They're not fantastically good metal, but they are totally metal. ***** ScreamingSteelUS, I have massive respect for you for this review. I don't agree with all of it or your score, even though I quite like J-pop and think Babymetal are pretty decent, I'd give this album a 6 or maybe a 7, but the fact that you dared to give this a 9 is awesome. More power to you. And to Babymetal.
---- My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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| Karlabos Posts: 5768 |
Written by Metren on 29.07.2017 at 22:05 Wait what? Don't scare me like that, man. He is online, I just checked
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Metren Dreadrealm Posts: 1418 |
Written by Karlabos on 29.07.2017 at 22:22 The author of the post I am quoting, not the author of the review. I'll edit the original message to make that clear. also EDIT: Sorry to scare you. If SSUS was to leave, it would indeed be scary. The man has balls of steel (see what I did there?)
---- My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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| RoyBoy432 Dr. Quark Posts: 242  |
Cannot disagree that this is better than Jomsviking. So weird. But such was 2016.
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| Cassian Posts: 159  |
Still much better than loads of bands being called "true" metal on here lol
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Admin Posts: 6078 |
This might be the best thing I've ever done for this site.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Marchosias Posts: 44  |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS on 28.01.2018 at 19:52 Well its not my cup of tea and i somewhat do not agree with you in your reviewb but to hell with that ! As Evelyn Beatrice Hall has said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. " Kudos mate even tho i know you dont need my approvla 
---- A mediocre metalhead.
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| rop17 Posts: 2 |
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| RoyBoy432 Dr. Quark Posts: 242 |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS on 28.01.2018 at 19:52 Thank you.
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My upstairs comment is the No.100 comment of this review
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