I first saw Babymetal via youtube, their Gimme Chocolat video a few years ago.

I liked it, though its hardly live, but as a promo video it works pretty well. I get that they are a marmite band, but I liked the vid and checked out some of their other stuff. Have to say apart from a few other tracks I found the rest a bit samey.

However, I found out a guy at work was a huge fan, and they were due to play Forum Kentish town, so I went along with a friend. It was absolutely rammed, had to queue from 3 streets away to get in.

But...not a great gig for me. We had balcony seats, my work colleague went down to front of stage but we stayed seated. Sound was horrendous, not sure if that was because of where we were sitting. You could barely distinguish one track from another.

I also noted that the girls spent at least half of the gig off stage while the band played instrumentals or solo's, and because of the distance we could not really make them out very well anyway...lighting was very dark and mostly red, for some reason.

I have heard more positive things about their live shows since, and they have new albums which have been getting decent reviews, but I kind of went off them after that gig. I still have my favourite tunes of theirs on my laptop, but my conclusion was that they are fine in 3 - 5 minute vids, but not necessarily as a fully fledged band.

On a side note, when I have been to some metal concerts in the past I have often found sound engineers often give up trying to get a decent balance, and go for the 'wall of sound' approach and just have everything loud. I think the attitude with some is because of the type of music and the fans, they just want to hear a noise and shake their heads, so anything will do.

I walked past Yo Sushi in Silverburn the other day and they were playing Babymetal videos!
Are they sponsored by them?
That's a bit too 'corporate' for my liking.

I've heard of this apparently being a common thing, not sure they're sponsored by them though, if they were I'm sure we'd know about it. The YoSushi employees just happen to be evident fans of the band, when my friend walked past one of their chains, he said some of the employees were watching the Wembley gig replay.

Got to love this thread sometimes for the recommendations on band to listen to. Had a listen to Rival Sons earlier on Spotify and like what I heard.
Have just started Blue Pills, so lets see what they are like

A quick Google of Babymetal and Yo Sushi does show quite a bit of collaboration between the two, particularly in the last month or so!

While I dislike sponsorship when its over- bearing I don't see much (any) evidence of it on the many videos or merch I have seen for Babymetal. If they are sponsored its low key and unobtrusive. Most festivals are overtly sponsored nowdays and so are the venues so its not a really big deal on this level.

Aww damn, now I want to go to YO! Sushi even more than I normally do! I end up getting like 6 bowls though and spending a fortune!

First song of Tarja's new album

No Bitter End https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqZs-DFtx9g

Disappointing for me, sadly

Having seen Hawkwind on Saturday night if there are any fans on here, can catch them do so,they were on blistering form this time around with their new album "The machine stops".

It has got rave reviews all round and is a concept album.

Its number one in the Amazon alternative/rock charts,and is their best work for years.

Already booked to see them again in June.

I'm looking forward to seeing them @ Ramblin' Man fair, in July I've not seen them for a while I must admit!!

I'm an old time fan, seen them several times during the 80's and early 90's. Have the latest album and its very good but missed out on a chance to see them in Cardiff lately.

I'm really glad they can still perform and write good albums though.

If I were a musician and I'd spent time writing, and that was all I had at the end of it, I don't think I'd even bother releasing it. It's so dated and middle of the road. It sounds like a million other cheesy Euro metal bands. Even Delain are less middle of the road than this, at least Suckerpunch has a catchy chorus.

I presume they're going on the Tarja factor- might make them a few quid for a bit, not that Tarja needs it since she's married to that rich bloke! She's probably done alright from Nightwish herself. Would be the perfect time to release something different, but perhaps she's just not got the writing chops and is happy to put any old crap out.

I just listened to Stargazers after listening to this, no comparison, and that was 18 years ago. That album still sounds more original than this cack. I don't think she realised what she had there. If only they could have all put their egos to one side. Ocenaborn is still the only Nightwish album I ever truly liked, Tuomas seemed to disappear up his own rectum from Century Child onwards.

I've listened to Avenged Sevenfold for the first time this week (Hail to the King) and i really like it, its derivative as hell but its bloody catchy metal for sure.

Also discovered a band called The Sword - totally different (stoner/doom) but I'm having a bit of Renaissance in metal lately - digging out a bit of Opeth and Mastodon amongst others.

Youtube is so very useful.

Can't stand either of them! Each to their own though.

I can see how Avenged Sevenfold could be divisive amongst metal heads - they do sound really commercial and a bit too polished, but I'm a sucker for a tune.

I'm trying to find/discover some metal acts - post circa 1990, as long as its not numetal/rap I''ll give it a go.

Prefer Symphonic/Stoner/Prog metal though.

Has Planet Rock moved ?

I've got it on my presets and list of DAB stations but I put it on yesterday after quite some time of not listening to it and I just got 'Service Not Available'......

I also noted that on the info bar it was called zPlanet Rock ?

Yes you need to re-tune. Their website has the details

thanks........

True, I think they are a popular group and I like a decent tune too, just something about them puts me off. I hate saying this if you like them, but I find them a bit bratty, I find quite a few US metal acts are like this and I'm sort of allergic to it! Also think they sound a bit 80's and I was never a fan of the hair metal stuff. I find Amorphis are good if I just want to listen to a good tune, try Sampo or Sky is Mine.

I do like some prog and symphonic metal, but most of it, not sure what you'd call it. A couple of my favourite albums from the 90's are WIldhoney by Tiamat and Mandylion by The Gathering. I suppose they have elements of stoner metal about them, they're sometimes called 'doom metal' which is a bit of a horrendous term imo! There are also weirder bands like Nightwish and Therion that are more symphonic metal, but I presume you've already heard of them.

Hey don't be worried about offending me I like all sorts of music from most genres and I'll bet a lot of it is not popular or cool/genuine or even very good.

I'll take a look at those suggestions later.

Ah ok, cool.

I'm similar, like quite a few genres, even like a bit of shoegaze, but it mostly boils down to metal

Was listening to the Kerrang! Rock Chart earlier and Andy Black was number one.

Can't believe how different his solo music is to Black Veil Brides!

Hail To The King is very much the current, more radio-friendly, commercial sound of A7X, as their fans call them.

Whilst they have always had a commercial sound to many of their songs, albums like 2003s Waking the Fallen have a much harder edge to them.

Planet Rock has moved to a new DAB multiplex called Sound Digital from March 1st. A move that hasn't exactly gone down well as the Sound Digital Mux isn't available in many parts of the country, much of the South West being a perfect example.