More about: BABYMETAL

"METAL RESISTANCE isn't about us resisting against anything as such, but in the last year of our activities it does feel like we're battling against something every time we step on stage," admits BABYMETAL's Su-Metal - gazing with conviction at each question while the bright sun breaks through the netted curtains of this West London hotel.

"The biggest thing that we feel we're battling is to go against what might stop the ideals of what we have in mind and really try to reach out to more people."

It's a pretty bewildering battle to behold. Formed in 2010 of three young school girls who had never heard of metal, one may have assumed that they may have been shunned as a cynically manufactured act. 

On the contrary, the rock community have embraced them - and beyond. Their first music video instantly wracked up millions of hits on Youtube, and they've found legions of crazed and dedicated fans with lovers of heavy metal, J-pop and anime. Everyone from Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon and Slayer through to Lady Gaga have pledged their allegiance.

Yet more hearts were won when they stormed an opening set at Reading & Leeds Festival - proving one of the highlights of the weekend. Now, they're on the eve of releasing their second album, METAL RESISTANCE - an onslaught of mind-bending metal noise and inescapably inescapably infectious pop. They're also about to bring their full-throttle audio-visual experience of choreographed chaos to London for the gig of their lives at Wembley arena. 

Not bad at all considering two of them are just 16-years-old and the other 18. With a little guidance from their muse and master the Fox God, the Kawaii metal trio sit down with us to talk about what drives them, their journey so far and their legions of fans. 

Photo: Danny Payne

Your producer Kobametal has spoken of using your music to unite the world. How important is that to you as a band, and how do you believe you've done that on this album? 

Moametal: "We hope to be able to unite the world through music on this album - for it to be the bridge between us and the listeners. This is something we've put a lot of emphasis on with this album."

You've previously sung of body dysmorphia and rebellion. What else would you say that the lyrics deal with on this record?

Yuimetal: "The lyrics on METAL RESISTANCE are very positive and have a lot of motivational elements to them. I hope that this record will uplift our listeners, and inspire them."

And how far would you say you've carried your sound from the first album?

Su-Metal: "This album contains a lot more new and different types of metal that we've never done before. We've grown so much in the music that we do, and this album sounds a little bit older and more mature. It's been two years since the last one, and you can really hear our journey on this record."

You have an insanely dedicated type of fan, from a variety of cultures around the world. What one thing do you think they all have in common?

Moametal: "Everyone loves music. I think music is the common language of the world. Music is a wonderful connection for all people - it brings people together."

Photo: Justine Trickett

Do you think your music would be appreciated or received differently if you'd come from another country?

Yuimetal: "BABYMETAL music is a blend of hard music and metal music with Japanese pop and sounds. If we were not from Japan, we'd be a totally different band with totally different fans. We are Japanese, we are BABYMETAL."

How would you say being in the band has shaped you as people, especially being at such a formative age when you started?

Su-metal: "BABYMETAL has brought us to a lot of places that we never thought we'd be able to go to. Growing up watching TV was our only view into the world outside of Japan. We didn't expect to be here in the UK or wherever. We've experienced and absorbed so many incredible things that we're growing at an incredible rate. We learned about metal when we became BABYMETAL - that is something we never thought we'd get into, but it's changed our lives."

Photo: Justine Trickett

You've found fans in the likes of Metallica and Bring Me The Horizon. Have any bands ever given you advance in being in a long-lasting rock band?

Moametal: "The first time we met Metallica was at SummerSonic in Japan and we were like 'oh, these guys are the real thing'. Then we bumped into them again and Metallica remembered us and wished us luck and to keep up the good work. So because of words like that from our idols, that gives us a lot of motivation to go on in what we're doing right now."

What other metal bands do you enjoy?

Yuimetal: "One of the bands I really like is Limp Bizkit. There's one song on this new album that's an homage to them, because when we saw them live, we saw that they were a metal band that people could dance along to. That inspires us.

BABYMETAL's new album METAL RESISTANCE is out from 1 April. They play London's Wembley Arena on Saturday 2 April. For tickets and more information, visit here. 

Issue Two of the Gigwise Print magazine is on sale now! Buy it here.

More about: BABYMETAL