REVIEW: BABYMETAL - METAL FORTH

It's hard to believe that BABYMETAL is officially celebrating its fifteenth anniversary on the metal scene, but the Japanese band is well ahead of the celebrations, and for this big occasion the group has released its fourth full-length album, METAL FORTH, that's stuffed fit to burst with big names and bigger riffs. Together with the exciting release, SU-METAL, MOAMETAL and MOMOMETAL embarked on a huge worldwide tour, playing in Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as doing an extensive tour across The States and prepping for one later this year in Asia.

The ten-track, full-length album offers a near-excessive, yet very exciting selection of seven collaborations, that are all well-known and relevant metal bands and artists, such as Poppy, featured on the opening song ‘from me to u’, Bloodywood, who took over ‘Kon! Kon!’, and Tom Morello on the striking ‘METALI!!’. The previous mentioned tracks, as well as the others, offer a unique listening experience, combining BABYMETAL’s iconic usage of instruments, with heavily-used guitars and drums, and SU-METAL, MOAMETAL and MOMOMETAL’s distinctive voices that have been a hallmark of the band since the very beginning. 

The three previously mentioned songs are all very prominent for various reasons. The opening track ‘from me to u’ with the ‘Queen of Metal’ herself, Poppy, is not only a powerhouse of a song - especially for a track that is supposed to introduce you to the album - but it is also one of the few songs in BABYMETAL’s discography that is sung predominantly in English, making it a special piece to listen to. The band’s appreciation for femme artists does not end here, however, as the metal sensation Spiritbox, fronted by the talented Courtney LaPlante, is featured on the album as well, specifically on the song ‘My Queen’. Even though LaPlante’s part does not last long, her raw vocals and striking screams are highly complementary within the piece.

In ‘Kon! Kon!’, however, the listeners are met with a catchy blend of Japanese, English and Hindi, as Bloodywood brings its own twist in the overall melody, resulting in one of the most stand-out pieces of the project. The only breakdown of the song is aggressive and merciless, bound to not leave one head still. The last mentioned song, ‘METALI!!’, offers listeners a modern metal twist on classical Japanese music, thanks to Tom Morello’s unmistakable way with a guitar and the use of shamisen, that have landed a perfect balance and depth to the song, which has recently become popular with the bands fans since the EU and UK tour. 

‘Sunset Kiss’ is a lovely collaboration with the American progressive rock band Polyphia, and although it is a tad weaker compared to the other tracks, it is still exciting to listen to. Strongly resembling the style of Japanese rock often used in anime openings, the song features catchy instrumental parts, as well as some synthesized parts that fit in amazingly. 

Apart from the strong collaborations, BABYMETAL also returned with three new tracks that all fit in the band's discography perfectly, while bringing in new and fresh dynamics. ‘KxAxWxAxIxI’ is very reminiscent of the band’s earlier work, with rumbling screams and extensive rap-parts. The song uses many elements such as synths and sound effects that add more life to the overall atmosphere. On the other hand, ‘Algorism’ and ‘White Flame —白炎—’ are very energetic releases that stun the listeners from the first notes. Both heavily incorporate guitar riffs and drums alongside the soft voices and occasional screams of SU-METAL, MOAMETAL and MOMOMETAL to create a memorable listening experience that only the metal sensation from Japan can bring.

Metal Forth is a strong candidate for the best album of the year, as every song brings with it new twists and excitement that absolutely does not slow down across the album. The album is packed with mind-blowing collaborations and songs that fans of BABYMETAL did not know they needed. The Fox-God messengers have, once again, proved to the world that their music has no boundaries and that even after fifteen years they are still one of the most innovative bands on the metal scene.

Score: 9/10

METAL FORTH was released on August 8th 2025 via Capitol Records.

Words: Katerina Stepanikova

Photos: BABYMETAL