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Babymetal have revealed the challenge behind making early fan favourite Akatsuki.
Speaking exclusively in the brand new issue of Metal Hammer, the band – who release a deluxe edition of their 2025 album Metal Forth on June 26 – reveals that co-vocalist Su-metal struggled to make it to the end of the power ballad-style song, which appeared on their self-titled 2014 debut album.
“When I first received this song, I had just started singing metal,” says Su-metal, At the time, I was giving it everything I had to keep up with the song's intensity, and just making it through to the end was already a challenge. I would take to the stage with a strong determination – that even if my voice cracked, I would never back down.
She continues: “The lyrics – ‘Kono karadaga horobirumade, Inochiga kierumade, Mamori tsuzuketeiku (I will keep protecting you until this body perishes, until my life fades away)' – hit me very deeply back then. And if even a little of that determination managed to reach all of you… that would make me truly happy.”
Su-metal also spoke about playing the song live: “The performance usually starts with my solo part, and the band joins in afterwards. When I sing that part, it becomes a moment of facing myself and preparing to pour all my emotions out.”
The Metal Hammer interview sees the trio – completed by Moametal and Momometal – revealing the stories behind 15 career-spanning Babymetal songs, from early classics such as Gimme Chocolate!! and Megitsune to Metal Forth tracks From Me To U, Kon! Kon! and My Queen. They also reveal how their Metali!!, their collaboration with Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello came about.
“When we were making the song, we reached out to Tom Morello knowing it was a long shot,” Moametal tells Metal Hammer. “I was surprised that he had already known about Babymetal, and I was so happy that he brought his own unique style to the performance. Despite us being so much younger than him, he treated us with such respect. He has such a big heart, and that was incredibly cool!”
Babymetal play the Main Stage at Download on Saturday June 13, the same day as headliners Guns N’ Roses. Metal Forth (Deluxe Edition) is released on June 26 via Capitol.
The brand new issue of Metal Hammer, featuring Babymetal, is on sale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.
