BABYMETAL Explains Inspiration For 'Metal Galaxy' Album

BABYMETAL‘s Moametal spoke to U.K.’s Kerrang! magazine about the lyrical inspiration for the Japanese pop metal act’s upcoming third album, “Metal Galaxy”. The follow-up to 2016’s “Metal Resistance” will be released on October 11 via earMUSIC/Edel.

She said: “At this moment, there is a typhoon #4 approaching Japan and is apparently named Typhoon Moon,” she says. “The main theme of the Yokohama Arena shows (June 28-29) is the Sun and the Nagoya shows (July 6-7) is the Moon and the fact that this typhoon is named the Moon and the timing of its approach all seems so strange but at the same time very remarkable. We are creatures of the earth and live on this planet through the powers of the sun and moon and through all facets of nature so I want our odyssey to the Metal Galaxy to be one that we constantly appreciate how much we are able to travel the world through the power of music.

“I hope our fans are able to experience that they are also on an odyssey to the Metal Galaxy with us,” Moametal continued. “We’ve incorporated different types of music into this album and we hope that fans are able to feel our determination to a new departure. Also, although people from all over live in different environments, I hope that with this album, we can bring more people together as one.”

Right after the release of “Metal Resistance”, BABYMETAL performed at London’s prominent venue SSE Arena, Wembley and became the first Japanese act to have ever headlined there, breaking the all-time merchandising sales record at the venue. BABYMETAL also had successful back-to-back performances at the massive Tokyo Dome thereafter, playing to 110,000 people over two nights.

“Metal Resistance” debuted at No. 15 on the official U.K. chart, the highest rank for a Japanese artist in recorded history. The album was very well-received in all other territories as well, including another record-breaking position for a Japanese artist in the U.S. with a No. 39 position on the Billboard chart.

Last fall, BABYMETAL digitally released a new song called “Starlight”. It marked the rebirth of the band in which Su-Metal and Moametal form the core.

BABYMETAL spent all of 2018 touring without Yuimetal, who was formerly one of the members of the group’s core trio. She later exited the band, explaining in a statement that she would go on to pursue a solo career as Mizuno Yu.

Over the last few years, BABYMETAL has established itself as the most globally successful J-pop group of the past decade.

The band describes itself as kawaii metal, kawaii meaning “cute” in Japanese.

BABYMETAL will embark on a fall 2019 U.S. headlining tour in support of its upcoming album. The band’s first-ever full-scale headlining U.S. tour will kick off on September 4 in Orlando, Florida, and run through an October 16 in Seattle, Washington. The trek includes the previously announced October 11 gig at The Forum in Los Angeles, which will mark BABYMETAL‘s first headlining arena show in the States.

Support on the BABYMETAL tour through the October 4 show in San Francisco will come from the Swedish metal band AVATAR. The last two dates will feature THE H as opening act.