Babymetal — "Metal Resistance" (Toy's Factory)
Ever since Western metalheads got word of the existence of metal-idol trio Babymetal, questions regarding the group's authenticity have come up. To anyone familiar with Japanese pop music, this isn't an issue; like all idols, the trio is a pop vehicle engineered to cater to a certain niche subculture.
The group is back with its second album, "Metal Resistance." It debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard album chart, coming just as attention in the West has reached critical mass thanks to an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in the United States. Once again the group brings its signature brand of metal J-pop, complete with the robes of Sunn O))), solos of DragonForce (guitarists Sam Totman and Herman Li even contribute licks on opener "Road of Resistance") and the riffs of Dimebag Darrell.