It’s not surprising that Babymetal has gone viral. The trio, bringing the seemingly disparate worlds of idol pop and heavy metal together, is a visually striking project perfect for the “weird Japan” fans on the Internet.
What’s surprising, however, is seeing Babymetal’s eponymous debut top the iTunes heavy metal charts in the United States, Canada and Britain — and climbing as high as No. 35 on the American iTunes album chart. Sonically, Babymetal should be one cool idea driven into the ground — how many songs merging cutesy choruses with guttural shrieks can a headbanger take? — but the project boasts just enough musical diversity to make for a good listen.
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