By Odeisel
There I was, at the Charlotte Fillmore, sardined among the masses to see BABYMETAL, an act that combines death metal with pop aesthetics, EDM, anime, and marital arts alongside opening act, Indian metal band Skyharbor.
The heat. The sweat. The elbows, the noise. The air filled with breath, booze, and music. I forgot how much I missed SRO’s (Standing room only). Didn’t think my first show back would be a death metal show, but It was an engrossing, dramatic show, to say the least. It fucking rocked. Professional cameras were not allowed so my experience was captured via G****y 9+(no free plug).
Skyharbor hit the stage bathed in purple lighting, with guitarist Devesh Dayal front and center. Dayal was central even when accounting for lead vocalist Eric Emery. Emery’s vocals were about as smooth as can be accepted for death metal, with a melancholic, melodic quality. His stage presence however was peculiar, as he stuck to the left side of the stage, rarely turned to the right and occasionally faced the rear of the stage with his back on the crowd. That may be a normal stage thing for Skyharbor, but it felt a bit off.
Skyharbor was well-received and their precise set lasted a little over a half hour. It was more than enough to give a clear idea about what Skyharbor is about (progressive, melodic, almost alt-metal) and not upstage the headliner. I’d probably see them again. Be on the lookout for their latest project Sunshine Dust.
BABYMETAL’s blend of Heavy metal, J-pop, fantasy, and Japanese pop culture pulls you into a narrative straight out of Japanime, complete with a voice-over intro that speaks to the Dragon Ball Z generation. Their choreography, lighting, and compositions were at all times rousing and interconnected. Lead singer Suzuka Nakamoto, a.k.a. Su-Metal was in total command at all times, with a soft, alluring yet fiery gaze and a strong enough voice to be heard over the riotous metal and the furious light show.
The crowd was filled with people who came from far and wide (there were people from various other countries) to see BABYMETAL and they did not disappoint. There were multiple crowd surfers, a couple active mosh pits with elbows and lots of pushing and shoving, but no fights broke out.
On stage, the show was slickly produced with mock combat, bandmates dressed as demons, and elaborate costumes to further the narrative. The intensity was gradually ratcheted up to a fever pitch. Elevated to crescendo and then slowly, smoothly released, with Su-Metal in command at all times. An extended performance of The One from their upcoming album Metal Resistance brought the energy down to a steady release to bring the show to a close.
Generally, modern pop music employs pyrotechnics to mask a lack of talent. Such was not the case here. BABYMETAL’s show, titled Metal Resistance Episode VII: The Apocrypha, featured polished musicianship, showmanship and a well thought out stage show that tightly controlled the mood of the crowd and enabled a truly immersive experience.
If BABYMETAL and/or Skyharbor are playing near you, even if metal is not your thing, you should go see them. You will not regret it. Below are the pics. Planet Ill is back. My knees hate me.
