Maps of Music

Metal Resistance (2016)

Where the lyrics of Metal Resistance take you, and where it was really made.

A Japanese band's album debuted at number 39 on the Billboard 200, the highest Japanese entry on that chart in 53 years.

Key places

Sony Music, Sydney (2016)

Recording site Sony Music, Sydney — The source names Sony Music in Sydney as the recording location for this album. The pin uses the building's coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Metal Resistance: second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal
• First released 29 March 2016 in Japan through BMD Fox Records
• Worldwide release 1 April 2016 through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainment
• Follows the band's debut album Babymetal; most work for this album began in 2014, shortly after that release
• The members describe the album as more diverse in heavy metal, with a recurring theme acquired while on tour
• The album title reflected the band at that time, with the idea of exploring what they could do
• Japan Times described the formula as drawing on 1980s hair metal and symphonic metal, which suit mixing with J-pop
• Tracks cover several metal subgenres: 'Karate' with groove and nu metal, 'The One' with symphonic metal, 'Sis. Anger' mainly in black metal

Background

• Materials formed around 2013, including the chorus from 'Amore' and a live performance of 'No Rain, No Rainbow', which was not on the debut album
• 'Road of Resistance' was written after the debut album, mainly during the Babymetal World Tour 2014
• Lead vocalist Suzuka Nakamoto said the title does not mean resisting anything as such, but the band felt it was battling every time it stepped on stage in its last year of activity
• Two track listings were made for the Japanese and international releases
• 'Syncopation' was the Japan-exclusive track with a strong Japanese feel
• 'From Dusk Till Dawn' was the international-exclusive track, with electronic dance music elements inspired by Skrillex, Linkin Park and Bring Me the Horizon
• The band recorded an English-language song, 'The One', to reach more listeners

Recording

• Recording location listed as Sony Music, Sydney

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Babymetal is a Japanese kawaii metal band formed in Tokyo in 2010, fusing heavy metal with idol culture and elaborate choreography.
• It began as the heavy music club sub-unit of the idol group Sakura Gakuin; producer Kobametal, of talent agency Amuse Inc., conceived the project.
• The band became independent in 2013 after Suzuka Nakamoto graduated from Sakura Gakuin.

Members

• Suzuka Nakamoto (Su-metal): lead vocals and dancing, the main vocalist.
• Moa Kikuchi (Moametal): backing vocals and dancing.
• Momoko Okazaki (Momometal): backing vocals and dancing; officially joined as the third member in April 2023.
• Yui Mizuno (Yuimetal) was a member from 2010 until her departure announced in October 2018 due to health issues.
• Session musicians known as the Kami Band perform the instrumentation live.

Career

• Early on, the band made its debut appearance at a Sakura Gakuin concert in 2010 and released a first single in 2011.
• The major-label debut came in January 2013 with "Ijime, Dame, Zettai".
• The self-titled debut album (2014) reached the Billboard 200, and the band played the Budokan in 2014 and Tokyo Dome in 2016.
• Metal Resistance (2016) was the highest-charting Japanese album in the UK Official Charts history, and the first Japanese album in over 50 years to chart in the US Billboard Top 40.
• Metal Galaxy (2019) made the band the first Asian act to top the Billboard Rock Albums chart.
• Metal Forth (2025) became the first all-Japanese band release to reach the Billboard 200 top 10.

Reception

At release

• Metal Resistance received generally positive reviews from music critics, with most praising the vocal performance of the band members.
• Rock Sound critic Gav Lloyd wrote that the album moves from one bold idea to another without dips in quality, and that the wackiness of the debut came at the expense of truly great songs.
• Kerrang! called the album brilliant fun and noted it as a shot fired.
• Consequence of Sound's Jon Hadusek called 'Karate' and 'From Dusk Till Dawn' essential tracks.
• The Observer's Phil Mongredien praised 'GJ!' and 'Sis. Anger' but criticised 'No Rain, No Rainbow' and the English lyrics of 'The One'.
• AllMusic's Tim Sendra said the record favoured a heavier, more serious approach than the debut.

Reappraisal

• Metacritic average score of 74 out of 100, based on eight reviews.
• Alternative Press wrote that the band's aggressive enthusiasm and sincerity are impossible to resist, though the textures and tropes can grow repetitive.
• NME's Jordan Bassett praised 'Amore' but called 'Meta Taro' repetitive.

Records

• Oricon Weekly Chart: debut at number 2 with 132,881 physical copies
• Japan: certified gold, over 230,000 copies sold
• United Kingdom: number 15 on the UK Albums Chart, the highest position reached by a Japanese band
• United States: number 39 on the Billboard 200, the highest Japanese entry on that chart in 53 years
• United States: first-week sales of 12,914 units, of which 12,240 were pure album sales
• Number 1 on the World Albums chart in the United States, the band's second album to reach the top

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Herman Li and Sam Totman appear on 'Road of Resistance', and are featured artists on the United Kingdom digital release.
• 'Karate' was released as an airplay-only single in the United States on 25 February 2016, and its music video went up on YouTube on 17 March 2016.
• The album was announced in December 2015 to coincide with news of a new world tour.
• The limited edition was re-released on 14 September 2016 with a paper jacket, in commemoration of the band's return to Japan on the Babymetal World Tour 2016.
• Yui Mizuno was the band's last vocalist on this album before she left the group on 19 October 2018 for health reasons.
• Credits list Adrian Breakspear and Watametal as recording engineers.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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