On November 1, Japanese metal phenomenon BABYMETAL not only performed with a sold-out headline show at the Intuit Dome, but also livestreamed the show to 47 theaters across Japan, giving fans back home a front-row seat to one of the biggest shows of their career.
With pyrotechnics, lasers, and an arena-sized stage show, BABYMETAL included a surprise appearance from Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox, who joined the trio to perform their explosive collaboration “My Queen” from the group’s new album METAL FORTH.
Backstage, BABYMETAL was joined by Ivan Moody and Zoltan Bathory of Five Finger Death Punch for a special plaque presentation honoring the success of their joint single “The End.” The track recently hit No. 1 on Japan’s iTunes Metal Chart, climbed to No. 18 on the country’s all-genre chart, and made U.S. rock history as the first song featuring Japanese lyrics to break into the Top 5 at American rock radio.
All of this momentum ties back to the release of METAL FORTH, the band’s fourth full-length album. Since dropping in August, the record has debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, making BABYMETAL the first all-Japanese-fronted group in history to earn a U.S. Top 10 album. It also entered Japan’s Oricon Rock Chart at No. 1 and has since racked up over 200 million global streams and 36,000 equivalent album units in its first week.
METAL FORTH blends pop, metal, and electronic elements with collaborations from Poppy, Tom Morello, Spiritbox, Bloodywood, Electric Callboy, Polyphia, and Slaughter to Prevail. Its title translates roughly to “beyond metal,” and that’s exactly what BABYMETAL continues to do: evolve the sound and culture of heavy music itself.
Looking ahead, the trio is already teasing a massive 2026 collaboration with the Resident Evil franchise in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Details are still under wraps, but fans can expect “collaborative goods” and more announcements soon.
With a sold-out U.S. arena, record-breaking chart placements, and fans from Tokyo to Los Angeles shouting every lyric, BABYMETAL is proving that music knows no borders.
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