The End: a critical commentary

I've finally figured out what's rubbing me the wrong way with 'The End', Lil Uzi Vert's collab with BABYMETAL. First, the song attempts to recapture BABYMETAL's child-like quality of 10-13 years ago, which in itself isn't a bad thing. But given the part they got to play in this song, it's just a caricature or a stereotype, at best, of the band they once were that this song is summoning.

The chorus in which we hear the girls' voices (or is it just SU's?) is cute and catchy, which is what we remember, but the lyrics are so literal, they're not even close to the relative sophistication of 'Doki Doki Morning', or their Sakura Gakuin songs from even earlier. 'Lalala... sing a song... sing along... love is all you need... we love all music' are just prosaic lines that mean exactly that. There's nothing to interpret, nothing to exercise the brain, or excite the heart, other than the solid hard-core metal behind them.

What I am most disappointed with is that this song fails to take seriously BABYMETAL as they currently are, and what they can now do. Instead, the production process to me feels like the girls were given some sheet music and told to sing it into some recording device for processing later, and the girls were nice enough to oblige. Looking at their world tour schedule for this year, perhaps that was all the time they had, anyway.

In comparison, 'Kingslayer' (harsh language warning) sounds more like a true collab between Bring Me the Horizon and BABYMETAL with the integration of their different strengths: sounds, styles, lyricism, imagery. There's thought and discussion apparent, resulting in a seamless throughline and a deliberate sense of artistry that synergizes the two bands in this one song.

Having said that, I still wish Lil Uzi all the best success in Pink Tape, their fourth album. Finding a new direction is difficult. I applaud the inspiration and courage behind the song, and appreciate its positive spirit. BABYMETAL started the same way.

The End... or the beginning?

A sudden, unexpected drop of new music from BABYMETAL just a few hours ago today. The girls feature in 'The End' by Lil Uzi Vert, a rap/hip hop artist of whom I am unfamiliar. The clip above is not a video, so it's hard to tell if all 3 METALS are involved in providing the chorus to this track.

This track sounds highly experimental in the attempt to merge hip hop with metal. The greater commitment is towards metal with a variety of electronic sound effects thrown into the mix. To me it sounds like a kid in a candy store making the noise of a bull in a China shop as he grabs everything he can carry because he can afford it all. Very enthusiastic.

BABYMETAL, themselves, sound completely manic, making me wonder if their vocals have been sped up. Their lyrics are sharp and clear, regardless, their voices cutting through the metal as always. The melody is cutesy, but the tempo makes me feel like I've had way too much coffee than is good for me. 'The End' ends with a music box, a sudden and jarring break from the metal, probably as an acknowledgement to the 'babies', which I thought felt more patronizing than appreciative.

It's nice of BABYMETAL to help a brother out ('brother' in reference to the generic expression, rather than to a specific gender) in exploring a fresh direction for his (their?) music. We are seeing some baby steps in Lil Uzi Vert's first attempts at distinguishing himself (themselves?) from within a highly competitive market, and we wish him (them?) all success in this bold new endeavor. Apologies for the parentheses. Lil Uzi self-refers in the plural but, linguistically, it's hell to wrap my pre-evolved boomer brain around.

Since this is my raw, initial reaction, let's just say that 'The End' (feat. BABYMETAL) will take some patience and several re-listens before I decide if I would put it in my playlist.

IDZ brings the evening to a close

(This post concludes my reaction to BABYMETAL's performance during their World Tour 2023 at Zepp, KL, 4 June 2023. If you start here and scroll downwards, the sequence will be in reverse order. If you prefer the sequence to be chronological, first scroll about 13 entries down to my 'Megitsune' review, then work your way back up.)

BABYMETAL gifts us with one final number to finish a 14 item set. The performance in the featured video (above) is the capstone to the showcase that riveted the band's place in metal canon. Sonisphere, UK, 2014, a major rock music festival, marks a glorious piece of historic lore in which an unknown band comprising a trio of uncomfortably kawaii underage frontwomen singing pop in a foreign language accompanied by a face-melting metal band got unexpectedly bumped up from the fringe event, and on to the main stage in front of 60,000 presumed hardcore metalheads. After immediately becoming the talk of the town, the band gained a beachhead from which to conquer the world.

Was their success really that unexpected? Well, even at this young age (14-16 years), the girls are already entertainment veterans, having performed in front of large numbers of paying audience for at least 4 years, if not more. The Kami band behind them is jaw-droppingly metal. Their performance package is tried and tested: the choreography is well-rehearsed, polished and perfectly coordinated; the trio's vocals are strongly melodic, and delivered with powerful conviction; their stage presence captivating. By this time, they've already picked up a global following through their MV releases on YouTube, 'Gimme Choco' being their most viewed. And judging from the display of a white neckbrace and a BABYMETAL flag from the audience (7:22) they probably have more friends in the crowd than they gave themselves credit for.

This song, 'Ijime, Dame, Zettai' (bullying, [to] stop, forever), represents a core value the band has embodied since its beginnings. Its use of metal to carry songs of positivity, encouragement, and cheer was a radical departure from what metal was 'supposed to be about' back then. Experimentation, innovation and adaptation still keeps this band fresh and relevant, even forward-looking, today.

Back in KL, the performance is over. SU calls, 'we are...?' To which we respond, 'BABYMETAL!!!' Then instead of the usual chorus of 'see you', she goes, 'berjumpa lagi', which is still literally 'see you again' but in Berhasa. It's a tiny, but heartwarming gesture to recognize the country that has welcomed them, on this effervescent and thoroughly memorable night of my mid-fifties.

Divinely attacked in the nicest possible way

It's been a few minutes since 'Road of Resistance'. The band has left the stage and we're left in darkness and silence. I'm not familiar with 'live' concert protocol, so I'm running some possibilities in my head. Was it supposed to be a 12 song set, and now they're setting up for an encore? Or could there have been a technical issue, but will be resolved quickly enough so there's no point announcing it? Or could the band need a little break to revive before finishing strong? Or did someone get hurt and they're assessing the damage?

Anyway, the band re-enters to perform 'Divine Attack', so I guess problem solved. The pace of this song feels like we're in a cooldown phase, given the choreo has slowed down. Although there's a definite metal foundation, the song is less frenetic, opening up some space to bring the focus back to SU's belting vocals.

According to these translated lyrics, the song inspires us to fight on against whatever holds us back or down, even though our backs are against the wall, as we push together towards the open road. That's great! But the English lyrics I hear in the chorus are

The time has come, stand up...

Time to go your way...

Yes, m'am, I take the hint. It was a really lovely evening, and you've been a very entertaining host. Thanks for having me over at your party! It was absolutely something to write home about!