Album review: BABYMETAL – Live At Wembley

EarMUSIC [Release date 09.12.16]

Babymetal up until now have completely passed me by. Three Japanese teenagers singing about chocolate, gimme a break (have a Kit Kat?). No, metal should be hard, heavy and sung by large men with even larger beards not by anime characters taken from a Studio Ghibli film!

However, my interest was piqued earlier this year when they sold out Wembley Arena, no mean feat, so perhaps I was missing something? So when a download of this album dropped into my inbox I thought I would give it a go. I had an early morning drive south with work planned so once settled on the road I called this up and strapped myself in.

Holy mother of God! I had to check I had selected the right album as the wall of sound coming from the speakers was like being hit by a sledgehammer! What I had failed to appreciate before this was the band behind the girls are amazing. Yeah the trio at the front may be the focal point but that would be nothing without the Kami Band playing up a storm behind them.

‘Babymetal Death’ is a relentless barrage of double bass drums and huge riffs and with the production on the album being spot on it is a massive sound. There are songs like ‘Awadama Fever’ and ‘Doki Doki Morning’ which may sound a bit sickly sweet on the studio version but live they are metal monsters, all be it ones you can dance to.

It’s when the Kami Band are let loose though that things really hit home. ‘Amore’ and the epic ‘Road Of Resistance’ are full on power metal epics with guitar licks that wouldn’t be out of place on a Dragonforce album. Hell, even ‘Gimme Chocolate’ hits the spot live!

It would be wrong to attribute everything to the backing band as the girls sing well, although they do sound reminiscent of the old Pokemon cartoon characters who were once a staple of Saturday morning children’s TV. I am sure the DVD release will be a decent watch as the show sounds like it had a bit of everything, fire, flags, flames and a lot more besides.

So am I a convert? Possibly not, but I do now appreciate what the Babymetal experience is all about and why they have such a huge fanatical following.

***

Review by Dave Wilson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)