Meta Taro (メタ太郎)

With the sixth track of Metal Resistance we find Babymetal taking their first new stretch into a previously unexplored genre smash up. Meta Taro mixes deep, dark, metal guitar work with a Viking conquerors, folk metal like spirit and rhythm. One can picture the girls marching into sight over the crest of a hill, flags in hand, preparing to invade and take over your speakers. Live, this is almost exactly what they do.

The chorus' choreography sees the girls marching on the spot, saluting to the beat in a killer kawaii, royal assent of their powers. At differing points they march, air drumming the very real beat on their imaginary drum kits while others see them move around the stage, fists thrust forward like they are a young Super Girl, learning to fly.

It is the songs confidence that is its main strength. It begins strongly with the pounding rhythms settling in as the girls begin to sing about togetherness and a mystery hero, sure to save the day. We get a period of perhaps the most balanced vocals from the three in any Babymetal song, each member taking on their specific lines in equal fashion and measure. As the song goes on however things slip back into the more traditional set up with Su-metal taking lead and Moa and Yui backing her up, ably as always.

This feeling off settling in to normality is in fact Meta Taro biggest drawback as the song, it's novel sound and new genre aside, is a tad formulaic when in comparison to other tracks on Metal Resistance. It lacks punch in the final third (though does possess a fine synth solo section) and is one I have found myself tiring of occasionally as it lacks the energy and punch of the tracks that surround it.

This is not to say that Meta Taro is a bad song, as that would be untrue, however I feel that after it's strong start it fails to fully capitalise on the interest it generates. In isolation I do enjoy listening to its full, strong beat and it's very sing-a-long chorus. When listening to the album as a whole I sometimes feel it halts the momentum built with the opening numbers and the momentum carried on by the tracks that follow. It perhaps doesn't help that a part of me occasionally thinks I'd have loved Syncopation to have slipped in here.

The saving grace for Meta Taro is its brevity. As a track it isn't filled with as many layers as Babymetal tracks often have, leading I feel to it's repetitive nature. This makes a tight run time essential and I feel that had the track been much longer it would have dragged. While Meta Taro isn't the shortest track on Metal Resistance it is a tight 4 minutes, with each piece slotting neatly together. Given the tracks bold, militaristic feel it would have been easy to spin this into a 5-6 min 'epic', but thankfully they avoid this temptation, much to the songs benefit.

Having listened to the album repeatedly since release, both for enjoyment and in preparation for these reviews, I have found that Meta Taro has the least replay value (including the already well familiar Road of Resistance) of the tracks. I still enjoy it and it's still a good song but it is the one I skip the most.

Meta Taro finds its true home live. At Wembley it was one of the highlights and as the song has become more familiar I've seen videos of the US shows where the crowd participation is at its max, everyone marching and saluting along with the girls. Surrounded by a crowd of hundreds (perhaps thousands depending on the venue) you get the real sense you are marching into battle with Babymetal leading as your musical Generals. It's pounding rhythms, epic nature and conquering essence make it the perfect live song and one I'm sure will be in the girls set for years to come (if nothing else it's slower pace gives them a bit of a rest!).

Every album has tracks you love and tracks that you like but don't consider essential. For me Meta Taro falls into the latter category. Its big, bold, catchy and fun but just a little repetitive to be one of the top tracks.

I know many of you consider this a favourite, so please tell me why in the comments below! What have I missed or do I sum it up right for you? As always I look forward to your thoughts.

Next week we look at one of Metal Resistance's stand out tracks, From Dusk Till Dawn.

But until then... See You!

Resistance Review Series:

Part 1 First Wembley, Now The World

Part 2 - Awadama Fever

Part 3 - Yava!

Part 4 - Amore (Su-metal Special)

12/06/16 - Part 6 - From Dusk Till Dawn

19/06/16 - Part 7 - Syncopation

26/06/16 - Part 8 - GJ!

03/07/16 - Part 9 - Sis Anger

10/07/16 - Part 10 - No Rain, No Rainbow

17/07/16 - Part 11 - Tales of the Destinies

24/07/16 - Part 12 - The One (All Versions)

Wembley Celebration Series:

Part 1 Babymetal Birth, Babymetal Death

Part 2 Megitsune

Part 3 Gimmie Chocolate

Part 4 iine!

Part 5 Akatsuki

Part 6 Doki Doki Morning

Part 7 Onedari Daisakusen

Part 8 Song 4

Part 9 Uki Uki Midnight

Part 10 Catch Me If You Can

Part 11 Rondo of Nightmare

Part 12 Headbangya

Part 13 Ijime, Dame, Zettai

Part 14 Road of Resistance

Bonus Karate Special