When Silent Planet unveiled the routing for their summer 2026 European tour, fans were shocked to see dates in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Lviv set for June 20 and 21. The Cali metalcore band were going to become the first American musicians to play the war-torn country since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022: an endeavour so seemingly dangerous that no touring van company let them hire a vehicle. Now home following the trek, singer Garrett Russell sits down with Hammer to talk about what it was like – and why he thinks more artists should follow suit.
What made you want to play those two shows in Ukraine?
“I think the whole world watched in horror in February 2022, when Russia started invading. One of my best friends actually lives in Ukraine with his wife and two kids. Off the bat, I had that personal connection that made it even more visceral, I guess. And I’ve always been fascinated by Ukraine. I wrote about the Holodomor [for 2025 single Wick], which is when the Russians came in [in 1932] and caused a massive famine by taking all the grain and all the food. I’m inspired by the fortitude of the Ukrainian people”
What was the response when you announced the tour plans? Did anyone advise you against going?
“Some people we work with were concerned. None of the van companies would let us take their vans to Ukraine, because I guess they have policies against going to places that are considered warzones. The Ukrainian folks picked us up in Warsaw and drove us in.”
Warsaw to Kyiv is a 10-hour drive…
“It is quite the drive, to be honest, but we stopped in several beautiful small towns. We stopped in this idyllic restaurant that had incredible art on the wall. You see moments of the violence, but the way that they do and don’t react to bomb sirens and stuff is really interesting.”
What do you mean?
“The first day, when we were in Kyiv, we got all the gear in and they started plugging everything in, and I hadn’t eaten all day. I went to this grocery store and, as I’m walking out, Oleksandra – our tour manager, an amazing person – was like, ‘There you are! All the band’s in the bomb shelter!’ There was an air alert: a couple of Russian drones were flying over Kyiv. I checked my phone and there were 50 texts, like, ‘Where the fuck are you?!’ But you look around and no one seems concerned, and there’s supposedly an explosive drone somewhere over town. The danger is very real, but there’s also kind of a casual approach that people take to it.”
How does it make you feel, that something like that has become ‘normal’?
“In the middle of Kyiv, there are flags for every dead Ukrainian soldier. You could spend all day counting and you wouldn’t get through a 10th of them. You see crying mothers. When I came across this piece of pro-Russian, American, right-wing propaganda [after I got home], I felt this hatred come up in me that was new. It was more than ‘I disagree with you’; it was rage this time.”
How many sirens went off during your short time over there?
“Three. The second night we were at our hotel in Kyiv, we got woken up by one, so we went down to the bomb shelter. Then we went back to bed, and apparently there was another bomb warning that same night but I just slept through it. My bandmates went back down, so they basically didn’t sleep the night after the first show.”
There are flags for every dead Ukrainian soldier. You could spend all day counting and you wouldn’t get through a 10th of them.
Were you ever legitimately scared for your safety?
“The day before we went into Ukraine, Ukraine landed a huge blow to Russian oil infrastructure [drones attacked a Moscow oil refinery on June 18]. All of us received messages saying that Moscow is going to retaliate. Oleksandra explained to us the reality: from the outside looking in, you see ‘Ukraine does something, Moscow retaliates’, but it’s a war. If one side could land a bigger blow than the other, they would.”
You’re the first American band to play Ukraine since the war started. How does that make you feel?
“It makes me sad. What breaks my heart is bands have been playing Moscow for the last few years, and getting paid really well to do it, and it seems fucked-up that the country getting invaded by Moscow is not getting shows because of Moscow.”
It was probably the first time most of the people in those crowds had seen an international metal band in four-and-a-half years. The gigs themselves must have been wild.
“They really were. I was wandering around Kyiv before the show, and it felt like, every other street I was on, someone was on their way to the gig. We would hug and chat, and they’d tell me what they’ve been through. There was one gentleman [named Michael] who lost his leg in the war.”
You wrote about him on social media. Didn’t he crowd-surf?
“Yeah! Apparently his wheelchair broke because he was going so crazy, but he had a really good time. There were quite a few people who were in the military and got a day or two’s leave to catch the show. A lot of people at the show were still actively fighting Russia, or, in some cases, like Michael, were wounded and not serving anymore.”
Bands have been playing Moscow for the last few years, and the country getting invaded by Moscow is not getting shows
Would you urge other international artists to play Ukraine?
“Yeah. I really do believe, in the scheme of things, it’s safe. Touring is inherently dangerous: we went through a van flip [in November 2022] and my back’s not been the same since. I think a tour across the United States between November and February is probably more dangerous than going to Ukraine.”
So you want to go back?
“Oh, yes! We were already chatting with them about the possibility of returning next summer.”
Silent Planet will play Inkcarceration festival in Mansfield, Ohio on July 19 and support The Amity Affliction across the UK and Europe from September to October. Get tickets now.
As Bloodstock gets closer, we delve deep into the line up to find out more about some of the bands playing the New Blood and EMP stages at this years event.
Today we chat with Aethoria
Please introduce yourselves.
Hey! I am Mecia on the vocals, I formed the band with best friend & drummer Lee Alexander. Completing the line up, we then recruited Alex Coombes on guitar, Connor Sheppard on Bass & Jamie Gray on guitar joined us this year.
How would you describe your sound?
We’re all huge fans of a wide range of genres, and I think you can hear that in our songs. Some tracks definitely lean heavier than others; we like to think there’s something for everyone in our music.
We’re heavily influenced by bands we love, such as Alter Bridge and Evanescence, so you can expect plenty of big riffs, powerful melodies, and catchy choruses. At the same time, we try not to box ourselves into one sound, which means each song brings something a little different (are we confused perhaps? I don’t know!). Hopefully, there’ll be something in there for everyone to enjoy!
How did you land your spot on the Bloodstock bill?
Big thanks to Will at Metathetic Music for getting us this spot, he applied for us whilst we were working together briefly last year.
What does playing at Bloodstock mean to you?
It’s massive for us! We’re still early in our journey as a band, and while we’ve worked incredibly hard to get to this point, there are so many amazing bands out there that you never take an opportunity like this for granted.
We’re genuinely so grateful to be part of Bloodstock 2026. We played the VIP stage last year, and the people, atmosphere, and the whole Bloodstock community were absolutely incredible. We had such a great experience, and we can’t wait to come back and hit the EMP Stage this year!
For people who’ve never seen you live, what can they expect at Bloodstock?
Five people absolutely having the time of their lives! You’ll see a band that just loves what they do, loves playing together, and puts everything into the music. If you’re into big riffs, strong melodies, and a good atmosphere, hopefully you’ll enjoy what we’re about.
What day are you performing?
Sunday
What other bands are you looking forward to watching at Bloodstock this year?
Jamie: Lamb of God, Sepultura, Life of Agony, Seething Akira, Nevermore, Leprous, Bleed from Within, Slaughter to Previal, Orbit Culture, Testament, Black Label Society, Body Count… I could go on… but I won’t make the list even bigger!
Alex: Aethoria (just kidding!) Fit for Autopsy, Northlane, Leprous, Orbit Culture, Carpenter Brut
Lee: Lamb of God, Slaughter to Prevail, Judas Priest, Black Label Society, Vended, Sepultura. Connor: Lamb of God, Judas Priest, Black Label Society
Mecia: Dreamstate, Orbit Culture, Judas Priest, Saxon and our good friends in Cancel the Transmission!
Playing the EMP Stage is just the first steppingstone in a bands journey. What’s next in your plans for world domination?
Hell yes! We’re finally releasing our debut album this year, and we couldn’t be more excited. Since day one, we’ve put everything we’ve got into this band—it’s not just a hobby, it’s really become our lifestyle. We plan to keep pushing forward, playing bigger shows, reaching more fans, and hopefully we’ll be tearing up one of Bloodstock’s bigger stages before too long!
Are you camping with the fans? Which campsite are you heading for?
Of course! I think we are in artist camping.
You’ve gotta keep hydrated at Bloodstock, what is your drink of choice for the weekend?
I am honestly confused by these answers I could legit not tell you who is winding us up and who isn’t…
Jamie: Goblin Piss, Mulled Wine, Kale Smoothies Alex: Creamy pints & water Lee: Gold cap milk & water Connor: Anything that comes in pints Mecia: gotta be a cheeky spiced rum & coke
Masterplan – Metalmorphosis (Frontiers Music Srl) [Matt Bladen]
With their first new music since 2013, power metal legends Masterplan return on Frontiers Music with Metalmorphosis, their sixth studio album of originals and the culmination of this bands journey so far as they fully step away from their label as a Helloween offshoot.
Now Roland Grapow (guitars) didn’t do himself or the band any favours with 2017’s PumpKings covers record but after and extended hiatus it seems Masterplan return revitalised and infused with a new creative energy that is all over this new album.
Since their emergence in 2001, they’ve been through a number of line up changes most notably vocalist Rick Altzi replacing Jorn Lande, but the current line up of Grapow, Altzi, keyboardist Axel Mackenrott (since 2003), bassist Jari Kainulainen (since 2012) and drummer Kevin Kott (since 2017), have all been a part of the band long enough to understand their roles in Masterplan and bring what fans expect.
So what do they expect? Well power metal melodies, prog metal technicality and theatrical diversity that makes for epic songwriting, anchored on this record by the Title Track which displays the heavier sound Masterplan have returned with on this album.
Tracks such as Through The Storm have their foot to the floor with full pelt European power metal while The Call goes deeper into the prog realms across 8 minutes.
This Masterplan’s Metalmorphosis, shedding their hiatus to return with sharper songwriting and heavy hitting music. Veterans of the game it’s great to have them back! 8/10
(P.S. I can’t wait to see them at Quest Fest 2026 this year) Stonecast – Expand Crimson Chaos (Pitch Black Records) [Matt Bladen]
I said in my review of French band Stonecasts last album. I, Earther that they “bristle with heavy metal glory” well with Expand Crimson Chaos they continue to just that.
Creating heavy metal that merges the British and American styles, one moment they’re Manowar, the next they’re Judas Priest, but for most of Expand Crimson Chaos they stick with Iced Earth.
The seven year gap between the records taking into heavier paths and while Jon Schaffer’s band is now a fractured mess of split members, insurrectionism and libertarian insanity, Stonecast can easily slip into that gap due to their thrashy power metal, which is the cornerstone of the American style.
The riffs come from guitarist Seb Casula (leads from Thomas Tiberi), bassist Lionel Antonorsi and the huge vocal prowess of Frank Ghirardi.
Their IE credentials boosted by Brent Smedley behind the kit, with a track such as King Of Hell blasting like something off Burnt Offerings, switching between a stomping groove and more occult elements of theatre where they can flex their prog prowess as they transition into the blistering gallops of early Manowar.
They even drop a classic metal song in their native French, which is then given a piano version on CD bonus track, so Stonecast aren’t afraid to take risks but they make their mark with some more muscular heavy metal. Play loud, raise your first and bang your head to Expand Crimson Chaos. 9/10
Vorax – Volcano Shock (Independent) [Mark Young]
Occupying the different side of the extreme metal coin is Vorax, and their full-length release Volcano Shock.
Its surprising that no one thought to combine old school death metal and Dinosaurs, well at the least the apocalyptic part of that particular past. The band themselves are wholeheartedly onboard with this and treat this as a deadly serious exercise in music.
And let me tell you, it sounds serious from the off, they have nailed that 90s Swe-death guitar tone to a tee and basically run rampant with it. Magma Ocean is first, and well if you park any opinions on the song titles and just concentrate on the music this is a well-wrought opening salvo of nastiness.
It just sounds like it stepped out of 1994, and the way that the songs are put together is that they are basically put in gear and are let loose, percussive and propulsive death metal that only moves in one direction.
The vocals are gnarly, completely suited to the material on hand. Devouring Raw Flesh, with its slower tempo is no less immediate, as is the title track Volcano Shock which possesses that classic death metal super-strum to it. The question is whether you can stay the course with them, and wholly dependent upon your appreciation of OSDM, especially one that tips its hat towards Scandinavia.
Fans of that era and that location should be able to get onboard with this with no trouble. The songs are good songs, lead breaks are broken out in all the right spots and they never miss with their riffs, which is always massive for me. The other thing is their approach; this is not meant to be a joke or something half-arsed, at least from as far as I can tell.
Yes, the subject matter could be considered to sit on the humorous side of things, but when you look at metal in general there are some sub-genres that raise an eyebrow or two. At least Vorax are bringing a relative a-game to proceedings. I keep going back to its sound, its something akin to stripping the enamel from your teeth.
Add in that they don’t take a backwards step at any point on here and you have an album that succeeds in terms of offering you 8 songs that place great emphasis on craft. You can’t fault them for that. 7/10
Doomherre, Odos, Hexjakt, Kaiser – Four Altars Of Sin (Majestic Mountain Records) [Mark Young]
Well, this is certainly the treat!!
Four Altars Of Sin gives us a 4 way split of some top class Nordic doom/stoner via Majestic Mountain Records who somehow have combined some of the frostiest metal to be released during an extreme heat event in the UK.
Doomherre – Blood Relics Of Old
Ordos – Inferno
Hexjakt – Svartkonst
Kaiser – Sonic Satan
Putting improbable coincidence to one side, It’s a monumental slab of noise that is a dense as their names suggest. This feels as though Majestic Mountain have carefully curated this split, with each band offering the listener something that is different from the other without sounding out of place.
The key is that each one delights in being unfathomably heavy whilst imbuing a sense of movement in each of their tracks. Some of the riffs are massive, just as you would expect and there is no way you will come away from this disappointed if this is your bag.
Doomherre kick things off with Blood Relics Of Old, dropping a bass that is so low its likely to cause waters to break in the pregnant and a riff build that elicits a ‘Fuck yeah’ in right minded individuals everywhere.
This is a quality start and positions the bar high for Ordos to follow with Inferno. This looks inwardly with a restrained sound that just builds along with one of ‘those arrangements’ that has that itch to it no matter how distorted it is.
When it does kick in, it’s the vocals that do the heavy lifting, switching from cleans into the harsh. Like Doomherre, they are here to move you and I defy anyone not to get behind this.
Hexjakt start side 2 and just dive in with Svartkonst. This one rides that traditional doom train, again with a focused but fuzzed out mania.
Its central riff is like a monster, simple but massive and when you think about it, they don’t need it to be anything else. Its simplicity is devastating, punctured by a lead break that has that emotional lift to it. Again, at the core is a simple truth which doesn’t mean that this is without merit. It is pure, unspoiled doom.
Bringing this to a close is Kaiser, with Sonic Satan. Its extended opening sirens and voice over grating until the guitars drop in. I did say that they all shared a similar sound, and this is true in that each band bring massive riffology.
Kaiser do things differently in the vocal sense due to their lean into stoner territory rather than doom. They still have engage in immense tones, with a fabulous lead break that dominates their entry and ultimately wraps their entry to a close.
For fans of Doom/Stoner, and of Majestic Mountain Records in general, this will surely scratch an itch and introduce new followers to their flock. Hats off to Majestic Mountain with this, brilliant release 8/10
CoreLeoni led by Gotthard founding member Leo Leoni, have announced the release of their new studio album ‘Generection‘, set for release on September 11th via Reigning Phoenix Music. Marking the band’s fourth album since its formation in 2017 and the second featuring vocalist Gent Bushpepa, ‘Generection‘ sees CoreLeoni returning to their roots with their heaviest and hardest-hitting […]
Nobody is drinking alone at indigo at The O2 tonight. Rock ‘n’ roll legends George Thorogood & The Destroyers are in London for their final Baddest Show On Earth Tour, supported by the hot-shot guitarist, Jared James Nichols and his band.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – Jared James Nichols
This is a super modern venue, with air-con, excellent lighting and speaker systems. It has a semi-circular ground floor and a large seated balcony area that tapers like a steep-sided ice cream cone.
It is a visually impressive sight, but at times it can compromise sightlines, and the stairs are steep for those with accessibility issues or for those with vertigo. For the seen-it-all, done-it-all rock fans, they do not care.
This was their last chance to see a band some had followed since its inception in 1973.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
George Thorogood & The Destroyers
One of the stranger moments of the night for me was that as a precursor to the show, the fantastic anti-war protest song Eve Of Destruction was played, its most famous version sung by Barry McGuire.
Bizarrely, I had reviewed Kreator, a fast Thrash Metal band, earlier in the year, who had also opened their show with this song. The read-across is worrying. It is an emotionally powerful song dealing with the current threats and realities of war, escalation and nuclear weapons. A total contrast to the rock ‘n’ roll fiesta to come.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
The bass drum has the word ‘Destroyers’ and a wizard throwing stars in the air on it. All is dark with just the word and the picture back-lit in red, as to delighted whoops and cheers on comes the bandanna’d George Thorogood, all in black with a black guitar and his band behind him.
Running to the front of the stage, he mimes “I can’t hear you” to the crowd, eliciting a greater roar.
From Rock Party, to Who Do You Love?, and I Drink Alone, this is absolutely banging bar room rock ‘n’ roll which does not let up for the whole night.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
We get the singalong classic One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer which those who have followed the instruction punch along to with extra exuberance. With Get A Haircut and the song he is probably best known for, Bad To The Bone, the fans upstairs and downstairs groove, rock, cheer and hold their arms aloft to every get down and boogie tune.
The Destroyers look very cool. Sunglasses on one, leopard skin print on the shirt of another, backwards cap on the saxophonist who blasts at least one mean solo.
The Destroyers are Jeff Simon (drums) and long-term band members but later joiners Billy Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler (guitar) and Buddy Leach (Saxophone, keyboard and maracas!).
All are superb, but rather like the teams around Kane, Messi or Mbappe, they are supporting George Thorogood, one of rock’s great front men, as well as an outstanding guitarist, singer and songwriter.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
The whole show is about non-stop fun. Musically, Thorogood is all about rhythm-heavy blues and rock ‘n’ roll, creating a driving beat that keeps the bodies in the club moving, and slide guitar with his cuffed finger glinting down the strings.
His solos are on point, and the longest of them is kicking. No one wants him to stop. He cannot stop playing with the crowd musically or with on-stage banter, mucking around with his wah-wah pedal, teasing riffs when they are not expected and when he takes off his bandana, combing not only his hair but his shirt, producing weird comb feedback.
Also, Thorogood can really sing, belting out Bbbbbad To The Bone with some real menace but always with a wink in the eye. The man is an energy ball. At seventy-six years young, it is impressive.
Even drinking whiskey on stage during the show, which he throws to the ground, saying it’s tea. With a hell raiser like this, it is probably whiskey.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
Having seen Ian Gillan (80) of Deep Purple and Alice Cooper (78) a week ago, headlining the stage at Hellfest, in France, it really does prove rock and Metal are wonderful for maintaining the thrill of life.
There are so many in-jokes bantered on stage that it is hard to keep up. At one moment talking about the orange whip (a reference to the Blues Brothers), at another pretending to want to recreate a great moment from Elvis’s career by wiping a flannel (believe it was a towel in Elvis’s case) and then picking through the crowd to offer it to a pretty lady “fulfilling one of my rock ‘n’ roll fantasies.”
Then, at the end, he puts on his rock star cape to go off stage and falls around, parodying James Brown, before coming back to the front to take the appreciation from the aficionados.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
This is vaudevillian showmanship but also emphasises the life he has led, meeting most of the greats, including Johnny Cash and touring with The Stones.
Thorogood eulogises the UK. Wearing a Union Jack wristband, he talks of “deep appreciation for the loyal support of our English fans”. He honours Jagger, Richards, and Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones with great respect.
A lot of Thorogood’s stage mannerisms are Jaggeresque. Maybe not surprising, as he toured with them in the early ’80s. He also talks of loving the good women of England, but particularly the bad women of London, which gets shrieks from the female fans.
Jared James Nichols came on for the finale Born To Be Bad. A natural Destroyer himself, he adds more good nature and first-rate guitar playing to the song.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
George Thorogood said on stage that “It took me fifty years to get up here, I’m going to enjoy every minute of it”. It is clear he and everybody have.
Nobody wants to leave with repeated bows, roars and applause, but finally, with a mock tear and a big thumbs up, he surreally leaves to the tune of the British National Anthem.
Jared James Nichols
Jared James Nichols, one of the leading younger figures in blues and hard rock guitar and his band, Brian Weaver on bass and Ryan Rice on drums, bounced onto the stage to a rapidly filling crowd.
Dressed in rock ‘n’ roll denim, long hair and a gentle giant smile, Jared delivered a set of two halves,
Jared James Nichols – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
The crowd took some time to pick up Jared’s initially more measured pace on Let’s Go, Ghost and Way Back, to the extent that Jared goaded the gathering, saying, “You’re so quiet, it’s cute. Guess that’s London”.
Jared’s guitar style is not flashy, although a few cheeky rock god arm raises were in evidence. This is more spare and elegant solos with unusual twists that catch the brain and insist on notice.
Famously playing without a pick, which he said causes him “to break a string every single day,” he generated a fuller sound which his gritty, vocal style matched. The band and he were fluent together, matching each other with flow and poise.
Jared James Nichols – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
Jared enjoys banter with the audience, including discussions about getting his hair cut, but maybe not like the person who had shouted at him that he should do this (probably a joke reference to the George Thorogood & The Destroyers song about hair cutting) and how crazy their recent Midlands (Wolverhampton) gig was.
“Maybe Londoners don’t know how to chug a beer,” egged on the Capital’s rock ‘n’ roll barflies to oil up in time for George Thorogood.
Jared James Nichols – indigo at The O2 – 30 June 2026. Photo: Manuela Langotsch/MetalTalk
Once the music picked up pace at the back end of the set with Killing Time, Baby Can You Feel It, and Running Hot, the atmosphere changed, and rock fever bounced back at the stage with roars and appreciative head nodding.
This was equal measure blues and hard rock, with the final song, Keep Your Light On Mama, towards the end delivering something that could even set a Metaller’s head nodding.
The set was relatively short, but it was punchy and enjoyable and left the gig-goers keen for more.
They turn into visual trademarks, sonic signatures, and cultural artifacts that fans recognize before a single note is played.
In rock history, a guitar can carry as much meaning as a jacket, a stage move, or a voice.
A custom guitar can mean several things. It can be an artist-designed instrument, a heavily modified factory guitar, a one-off stage creation, or a signature model tied permanently to one player.
In each case, the guitar tells a story about what the musician needed, what they rejected, and how they wanted to be seen and heard.
1. Eddie Van Halen’s “Frankenstrat”
Eddie Van Halen’s legendary Frankenstrat guitar
Eddie Van Halen’s “Frankenstrat” belongs at the top of any list about custom rock guitars because it captured the spirit of invention.
Rather than accept what major guitar companies offered, Eddie built the guitar he wanted using mismatched parts, modified factory seconds, and odd-lot components.
His goal was practical and radical at once.
Eddie wanted a guitar with the power and sustain often associated with Gibson instruments, but with the look, feel, and playability of a Fender-style guitar.
At that time, that combination was not sitting on a store wall ready to buy. He had to build it himself.
Several details explain why the Frankenstrat became a rock design standard:
Built with factory seconds and mismatched parts instead of a clean production setup
Designed to chase a Gibson-like sound while keeping Fender-style feel and appearance
Spray-painted in red, black, and white stripes that became instantly recognizable
Nicknamed “Frankenstein” because of its pieced-together construction
Built around tone, playability, dependability, and stage function
Every detail pointed to function first. Eddie cared less about cosmetic polish and more about a guitar that responded exactly how he wanted.
Once a custom guitar becomes part of a player’s live identity, protecting it in a proper flight case matters just as much as pickup choice, setup, and stage reliability.
That attitude helped inspire generations of players to modify their own guitars rather than treat factory instruments as finished products.
“Eruption” made the guitar sound like a machine breaking loose. “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love” showed how it could cut through hard rock riffs with bite and authority.
During early Van Halen live performances, the guitar became part of Eddie’s image, as bold and restless as his playing.
2. Brian May’s “Red Special”
Brian May’s handmade Red Special guitar
Brian May’s “Red Special” has one of rock’s most personal origin stories.
Built by May and his father Harold beginning in 1963, the guitar took more than a year to complete.
Rather than copy a commercial model, they created an instrument that could meet May’s own musical ideas.
May wanted a guitar that could outperform many store-bought electric guitars. His father brought engineering skill, patience, and technical thinking to the project.
Together, they built a guitar that became inseparable with Queen’s layered, orchestral guitar sound.
Unusual materials gave the Red Special part of its identity:
Neck wood came out of an 18th-century fireplace mantel
Position inlays were hand-shaped using a mother-of-pearl button
Construction began in 1963 and lasted more than a year
Built by May and his father rather than bought or factory modified
Used by May on every Queen album and in Queen live shows for decades
Unlike many famous guitars, the Red Special was not bought, lightly adjusted, and taken on stage.
It was created almost entirely as a personal solution.
That matters because May’s tone did not come only through amplifiers, pedals, or studio layering. It began with an instrument built around his hands and his imagination.
Queen recordings show the guitar’s range. “Bohemian Rhapsody” uses its layered voice as part of the song’s dramatic architecture.
“We Will Rock You” gives it a massive, singing lead tone. “Brighton Rock” displays its sustain, clarity, and ability to handle May’s melodic phrasing during extended live features.
3. Jimmy Page’s Gibson EDS-1275 Double-Neck
Jimmy Page’s Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck became the visual center of Led Zeppelin’s most theatrical live moments.
With a 12-string neck on top and a 6-string neck below, it gave Page a way to move between delicate shimmer and heavier electric passages without changing guitars mid-song.
“Stairway to Heaven” made the instrument mythic. In the studio, guitar parts could be layered and arranged with ease.
On stage, Page needed one instrument that could carry the song’s different sections. The double-neck made that possible, while also giving the performance a grand visual identity.
Several design details explain its stage power:
12-string neck placed above the 6-string neck
Mahogany body with a cherry finish
Custombucker pickup setup linked to its signature model details
Strong connection to “Stairway to Heaven,” “The Song Remains the Same,” and “The Rain Song”
Massive body shape that made it visually dominant under concert lights
Page used the guitar because it solved a live arrangement problem.
“Stairway to Heaven” needed both 12-string shimmer and 6-string force, and switching instruments mid-song would have broken the drama. EDS-1275 let Page move between textures while keeping the performance intact.
Many players later picked up double-neck guitars because Page made them look essential.
Yet the reason it worked so well had less to do with size alone and more to do with musical purpose. It solved a practical issue while making the performance feel larger than life.
4. Prince’s “Cloud” Guitar
Prince’s “Cloud” guitar looked like it belonged only to him.
Custom-built and made famous through Purple Rain, it became part of a visual identity tied to style, confidence, sexuality, and genre-crossing musical control.
Its body shape was flowing and sculptural, with curves that felt closer to fashion and stage design than standard guitar building.
Created by a local Minneapolis luthier, the Cloud matched Prince’s artistic world, where rock, funk, pop, soul, and theatrical performance all met in one persona.
Key details connect the Cloud guitar to Prince’s image:
Custom-built before its Purple Rain fame
Designed by a Minneapolis luthier
Later reproduced by Schecter guitars
Known for a flowing body shape that matched Prince’s stage style
Linked strongly to 1980s performances and visual identity
Purple Rain gave the guitar a place in pop culture memory.
When Prince held it on screen and on stage, it did more than signal that he could play guitar. It announced him as an artist with total command over sound, image, and mythology.
Songs like “Purple Rain,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and “Computer Blue” show the world that surrounded the instrument.
Prince could use guitar heroics when he wanted, but he never treated rock guitar as a narrow tradition.
Cloud fit that attitude because it rejected ordinary shapes and carried a sense of motion even at rest.
5. Kurt Cobain’s Fender Jag-Stang
Kurt Cobain’s Fender Jag-Stang guitar
Kurt Cobain’s Fender Jag-Stang became the anti-hero guitar of grunge.
Designed by combining elements of his favored Fender Jaguar and Mustang, it looked awkward, jagged, and personal. That was part of the point.
Cobain sketched the idea on a napkin, and Fender Japan later brought it into production.
Its hybrid body shape, short-scale feel, and unconventional design made it fit the early-1990s rejection of polished guitar-hero culture. Instead of sleek perfection, it offered personality, discomfort, and edge.
Important features made the Jag-Stang fit Cobain’s playing and image:
Jaguar and Mustang hybrid concept
Napkin-sketch origin
Fender Japan production connection
Short-scale feel
Asymmetrical body shape
Neck single-coil and bridge humbucker configuration
Versatile sound suited to clean tension and heavy distortion
Nirvana’s music gave the guitar its meaning. “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Lithium,” and “Heart-Shaped Box” were not about technical display in the old rock sense.
They relied on tension, abrasion, melody, and distortion. A strange hybrid guitar suited that world better than a polished luxury instrument.
Cobain’s connection to the Jag-Stang also shows how custom design can reveal personality. He did not chase perfection in a traditional sense.
He wanted a guitar that matched his instincts, habits, and discomfort with standard rock roles.
6. Jimi Hendrix’s Monterey Stratocaster
Jimi Hendrix’s hand-painted Monterey Stratocaster
Jimi Hendrix’s Monterey Stratocaster is remembered as much for its destruction as its design. Hand-painted with psychedelic artwork, the Fender Stratocaster became part of one of the most famous stage acts in rock history.
At the Monterey Pop Festival, Hendrix ended his performance by setting the guitar on fire. He later described the act as a kind of sacrifice, connected to love for the instrument. That moment turned a painted guitar into performance art.
Several facts made the Monterey Stratocaster a lasting rock image:
Hand-painted Fender Stratocaster used at Monterey Pop Festival
Burned at the end of Hendrix’s performance
Connected to his “Wild Thing” performance
Preserved mainly through photos and film after its destruction
Psychedelic artwork tied directly to late-1960s counterculture
Its life as an object was short, but its image became permanent. The guitar survived as a cultural image rather than a playable artifact.
That gives it a different kind of power compared with instruments that aged through decades of touring.
Bright paint, fluid shapes, and flower-like design choices matched the atmosphere of the era.
Hendrix already had a reputation as a guitarist who could make the Stratocaster sound explosive, vocal, and unpredictable. At Monterey, the instrument also became a ritual object.
7. Eric Clapton’s “Blackie”
Eric Clapton’s legendary Blackie Stratocaster
Eric Clapton’s “Blackie” proves that an iconic guitar does not need visual flash.
Built using parts of three 1950s Fender Stratocasters bought at a Nashville shop in the 1970s, it became one of the most important partscaster instruments in rock and blues history.
Clapton assembled the guitar to suit his playing needs. Its plain black look gave it a quiet authority, especially when compared with striped, painted, or sharply shaped guitars.
Blackie’s significance came through tone, touch, and years of association with Clapton’s work.
Several facts shaped Blackie’s historical value:
Built using parts of three different 1950s Fender Stratocasters
Origin tied to a Nashville shop purchase in the 1970s
Main Clapton guitar for years before retirement in the mid-1980s
Sold for $959,500 in 2004
Auction proceeds supported Clapton’s Crossroads rehab center
For many years, Blackie carried Clapton’s Stratocaster-based blues-rock period.
Songs like “Cocaine,” “Wonderful Tonight,” and “Lay Down Sally” placed that tone in front of huge audiences.
Blackie also helped validate the idea that parts-built guitars could become historically important. Factory originality mattered less than musical identity.
Once a player uses an instrument long enough, every scratch, adjustment, and tonal quirk becomes part of its story.
8. Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Number One” Stratocaster
Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Number One” Stratocaster looked like it had survived a fight every night.
Vaughan called it “Number One” and also referred to it as his “First Wife,” which says a lot about the emotional weight the guitar carried.
Identified as a 1963 Fender Stratocaster fitted with a 1962 neck, the guitar became central to Vaughan’s sound and image.
It was battered through intense stage use, heavy playing, sweat, travel, and physical attack. Its damage was not cosmetic theater. It came through real work.
Key details add to the guitar’s mythic status:
1963 Fender Stratocaster body
1962 neck
Nicknamed “Number One” and “First Wife”
Heavy visible wear caused by years of aggressive playing
Strong connection to Texas blues tone
Visual identity often copied by relic-style guitars
That battle-scarred look matched Vaughan’s playing. His Texas blues style was aggressive, muscular, and emotionally direct.
He attacked the strings with force, yet kept a vocal quality in his phrasing.
Number One looked like the right instrument for that kind of pressure.
Songs like “Pride and Joy,” “Texas Flood,” and “Lenny” show different sides of the guitar.
It could snarl, cry, snap, and sing. Vaughan’s explosive live performances added to its reputation, turning visible wear into a sign of authenticity.
9. B.B. King’s “Lucille”
B.B. King’s beloved Lucille guitar
B.B. King’s “Lucille” has one of the greatest origin stories in music. In 1949, King rescued a $30 Gibson guitar out of a burning dance hall in Arkansas.
Later, he learned the fire had started during a fight between two men over a woman named Lucille.
After that night, King gave the name “Lucille” to his guitars. The name became a reminder never to fight over a woman and never to run into a burning building for a guitar again.
Over time, Lucille became inseparable with King’s voice-like phrasing and elegant vibrato.
Several details make Lucille more than a single guitar:
Name traces back to a 1949 Arkansas dance-hall fire
Original rescued guitar cost $30
King used the Lucille name for later guitars as well
Gibson began manufacturing the B.B. King signature Lucille model in 1980
Gibson Lucille design was based on ES-355 ideas
Hollow-body and solid-body design concepts shaped its feel and tone
Lucille’s sound was not about speed or aggression. It was about phrasing, space, and emotion. King could make a single bent note feel like a full vocal line.
That expressive approach shaped countless rock guitarists who learned that power did not always mean volume or speed.
“The Thrill Is Gone” and “Every Day I Have the Blues” show how Lucille became more than a guitar name. It became part of a musical language. Blues may be the root, but King’s influence runs through rock guitar history at every level.
10. Randy Rhoads’ Jackson “Concorde”
Randy Rhoads’ Jackson “Concorde” helped create the sharp visual language of modern metal guitars.
Commissioned by Rhoads and nicknamed “Concorde,” it moved away from classic blues-rock shapes and pointed toward a more aggressive metal style.
Its angled body looked fast, dangerous, and futuristic.
That silhouette matched Rhoads’ neoclassical playing style, which combined metal power with classical-influenced runs, dramatic phrasing, and technical control.
Several points explain why Concorde mattered for metal guitar design:
Commissioned by Randy Rhoads
Nicknamed “Concorde”
Sharp, angled body helped define later metal guitar aesthetics
Connected to Jackson’s rise in heavy guitar design
Visual influence seen in later pointed metal guitars
Designed during the early-1980s metal era
Early-1980s metal needed instruments that looked as intense as the music sounded.
Concorde answered that need. Its body shape suggested motion, attack, and precision.
Later pointed guitars linked to metal players carried that idea even further.
Rhoads’ work with Ozzy Osbourne gave the guitar its setting. “Crazy Train,” “Mr. Crowley,” and “Flying High Again” placed his playing in front of a new generation of hard rock and metal fans.
His solos were technical, melodic, and dramatic, and Concorde looked like a perfect match for that style.
Closing Thoughts
Iconic custom guitars matter because they carry more than sound.
Some custom guitars are handmade. Others are modified, damaged, painted, renamed, or built for one specific performance need.
In every case, the instrument becomes part of the artist’s language.
Great rock guitars are not only tools. They hold stories, choices, risks, habits, and emotion.
Long after the last note fades, their shapes, colors, scars, and names keep speaking.
Back in 2014, few predicted a band fronted by three Japanese teenagers in tutus and sounding like Hello Kitty fronting a death metal band in a Shinjuku arcade would go the distance. In those early days, Babymetal certainly divided Western fans. Was it metal? Was it a gimmick? What the hell were they even singing about?
Today, all those debates that raged so intensely in the beginning are completely redundant. Babymetal have gone from curiosity to genuine phenomenon, and survived the departure of founder member Yuimetal in 2018 (co-founders Su-metal and Moametal were joined by Momometal in 2023). Along the way, they’ve collaborated with everyone from Bring Me The Horizon and Bloodywood to Poppy and Spiritbox, pushing their sound in every direction imaginable.
How did they get here? For all the colour and excitement, the band’s evolution can be charted through their ever-changing music. Here, Su-metal, Moametal and Momometal talk us through the songs that built Babymetal.
Akatsuki (Babymetal, 2014)
An early sign of just how obsessed fans would become with Babymetal, this cosmic power metal ballad is lifted by prismatic keys, rampaging guitar solos and a wide-eyed, 16-year-old Su-metal belting her heart out about undying love. The live a cappella version is just as stirring.
SU-METAL: “When I first received this song, I had just started singing 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.
“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.”
What is it like singing the a cappella version?
SU-METAL: “Singing a cappella has no set answer, so it is freeing – but I would feel lonely, and I’m not sure I would enjoy that. 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.”
Megitsune (Babymetal, 2014)
With its thunderous drums, Japanese instrumentation, cut-throat riffs and pop melodies, Megitsune brings together all the WTF?!? elements of Babymetal’s early sound.
It was also the song that they opened their landmark 2019 Glastonbury set with.
MOAMETAL:“Wow, it has been seven years since Glastonbury festival… We performed in Japan until the 29th, which was the day before our Glastonbury set. We went to the airport right after the Japan show, hopped on a plane – and we were onstage the very next day. I remember going into the show still riding the adrenaline from the previous nights’ performances.
Even though the schedule was hectic, I was happy that we gave ourselves a shot at a festival beyond the metal scene, and that the audience enjoyed our performance. I was surprised by our own stamina! Ha ha ha!”
Gimme Chocolate!! (Babymetal, 2014)
The track that broke them worldwide, thanks to a video that went viral faster than the time it takes to snaffle a Cadbury’s Freddo. Throw in a show-stealing appearance at that year’s Sonisphere and they’ve never looked back.
SU-METAL: “We go through many rounds of recording, building the song as we go, so it’s not unusual for the lyrics to be incomplete at the demo stage. I remember recording this song while wondering, ‘What are the lyrics for that opening part – the ‘a-ta-ta-ta’ and ‘wa-ta-ta-ta’ – going to be?’
Then the choreography came together, and before I knew it, we were performing it live. I remember thinking, ‘Wait – so this is what this song is? It was complete all along?’ It genuinely caught me off guard.”
Why do you think the song became so popular?
MOAMETAL: “I don’t know. I guess everyone loves chocolate. I love it too – it tastes good!”
Road Of Resistance (Babymetal, 2014 / Metal Resistance, 2016)
Babymetal’s very own battle cry, it saw them teaming up with Dragonforce guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman for their first international collaboration. A true anthem of defiance, especially when the flags come out during live performances.
SU-METAL: “I remember when I listened to their guitar demo, I was so excited with the intensity. I thought to myself, ‘We actually get to collaborate with musicians who perform this amazingly! They are incredibly friendly in person and we became close to them, so I hope we will have a chance to collaborate more.”
How challenging was it to learn the dance routine?
MOMOMETAL:“The intro part where we ride and gallop like we’re on a horse was pretty hard to get used to. It took me a while to figure out the right angle to make it look dynamic. And at the end, when we hold the flag and pose, I kept having trouble gripping it and would sometimes drop it.”
Karate (Metal Resistance, 2016)
A highlight of their second album, Karate bought something new to the party, stripping back the warp-speed power metal for an addictive groove and huge bass drop. Fans everywhere love the ‘fall down and get up’ choreography.
SU-METAL: “Babymetal’s music had always incorporated elements of Japanese culture, but Karate was the first time we brought Japanese culture so directly and straightforwardly into the title, lyrics and choreography.
“As we began touring overseas, more and more people started recognising and appreciating the uniqueness and originality of what we were doing. Singing this song, I kept thinking: I want to push our one-of-a-kind identity even further, and I want to represent Japan and make an even bigger impact on the world stage.”
Moametal said about the song: “Karate is a martial art based on the principle of facing yourself.” What were you facing and overcoming at the time of this song, as a member of Babymetal?
MOAMETAL: “From the very beginning, we never really had rivals in the traditional sense. We were the first to walk this path, so we’ve moved forward by battling against ourselves.
There were days when leaving Japan made us feel lonely, and days when things got so tough that we wanted to give up, but we fought through those feelings, and that’s how we’ve kept going for 16 years. We want to give ourselves a pat on the back for getting back up every single time we fall. Well done, Babymetal!”
You played the song at Wembley Arena on April 2, 2016, which was your biggest headlining show outside Japan to that point. What do you remember of the performance?
SU-METAL: “Standing on the Wembley Arena stage, watching fans from all different backgrounds come together as one through our music, breaking through the barriers of genre and language – it felt like a dream.
But I didn’t want it to end there. That day, our fans gave us the push to keep going, and made us believe that as long as we have them by our side, there are still so many incredible moments ahead waiting to be discovered.”
Syncopation (Metal Resistance, 2016)
It may have only appeared on the Japanese version of Metal Resistance, but Syncopation has become a fan favourite. The way its earwormy chorus and guitars go screeching off in all directions, there’s no way it was ever going to remain a deep cut.
MOMOMETAL: “I think the melodic speed metal intro is what hits hardest for a lot of people! The choreography is straightforward and directly matched to the music, so I think it feels incredibly satisfying to watch as a full performance!”
Distortion (Single, 2018 / Metal Galaxy, 2019)
A watershed moment for Babymetal, Distortion was released between Yuimetal stepping back from the band in late 2017 and her official departure in October 2018. Babymetal revisited it on 2019’s Metal Galaxy, with a guest vocalist, Alissa White-Gluz, then of Arch Enemy, taking it to an even heavier dimension.
SU-METAL: “With Alissa’s voice added, the range of distortion and turbulence in this song expanded dramatically. It feels like the ground is trembling – being pulled from somewhere deep beneath the surface, shaken, unsettled. With just one note, she can throw the entire song off balance and set it into distortion. I was truly in awe.”
BxMxC (Metal Galaxy, 2019)
Babymetal have never had much interest in genre boundaries, but BxMxC showed just how much they’ve continued to push their sound. It’s straight-up rap metal, with a disembodied Su-metal vocal, huge juddering drops and glitching electronics. Proof you can never predict what Babymetal will do next.
SU-METAL: “I remember struggling with this song during recording. But as we toured and performed it in front of audiences, I gradually began to let myself go, evolving with every performance. It is the song where I sing most freely, so it may continue to change and evolve even more going forward.”
Pa Pa Ya!! (Metal Galaxy, 2019)
The bouncy fourth single from Metal Galaxy, Pa Pa Ya!! was a collaboration with Thai rapper F.Hero, and the band’s first major cross-genre collaboration. Combining Kaiju-sized nu metal energy and a nectar-sweet chorus, it opened the floodgates for the band to collaborate with artists from across the musical spectrum.
MOAMETAL: “I believe the style of cross-cultural exchange that began with this song has become one of Babymetal’s greatest strengths. This collaboration was the moment we realised how naturally Babymetal connects with the music and cultures of other countries.
The idea that we can create something new by combining metal with other elements is something I am truly grateful to F.Hero for showing us. Even now, every time we visit Thailand, he welcomes us with such warmth and has become a true bridge between us and Thailand!”
Bring Me The Horizon – Kingslayer (Post Human: Survival Horror, 2020)
It’s technically a BMTH song – Babymetal were ‘sealed’ at the time – but Kingslayer is what you get if you put two of metal’s most inventive, genre-smashing bands together on one track – a top-tier cyber metal anthem that became Babymetal’s highest-charting single, reaching No.51 in the UK. Lucky you if you were there one of the few times they’ve performed it live together.
SU-METAL: “I was already a fan of Bring Me The Horizon, so I was overjoyed when the opportunity came to work with them. From the moment I received the song, I could feel that they had really thought about Babymetal while writing it – the call-and-response parts and all the little details made me so happy.
But during recording, when they asked us to sing certain parts in Japanese, I was genuinely surprised and thought, ‘Are you sure you want to bring out that much of the Babymetal side?’”
It’s your most-streamed track on Spotify. Why do you think people love it so much?
MOMOMETAL: “What makes this song so compelling is the way both of our strengths are packed in so fully. It is one of the most intense metal tracks in Babymetal’s entire catalogue. I think it struck a chord with many people, even those hearing us for the first time.”
Mirror Mirror (The Other One, 2023)
Released the day before fourth album The Other One, Mirror Mirror helped usher in a new era for Babymetal. Its video showed the band performing for an audience in Yokohama, and was the first to feature Momometal, their new permanent third member. We saw a trio marching into their future as an unstoppable united front.
SU-METAL: “The Other One is Babymetal’s first-ever concept album, created around the theme of another side of Babymetal that you never knew existed. The approach to songwriting was also different from anything we had done before – the songs were crafted based on photographs and mythology, and like a work of art, the impression it can change depending on the listener, or even change each time the same person listens to it.
It is a very deep and layered body of work. It was created with the hope that people would enjoy a side of Babymetal seen from a different angle – beyond just the bright, Kawaii and pop aspects that we are known for.”
Metali!! Feat. Tom Morello (Single, 2023 / Metal Forth, 2025)
The song that marked Momometal’s official promotion from Avenger to full-time member, ushering in Babymetal’s second ‘trio era’, as well as an early, Tom Morello-assisted teaser for their fifth album, Metal Forth.
The ex-Rage Against The Machine man turbo-charges this serotonin-rush mix of traditional Japanese elements and a massive mosh-call chorus.
MOAMETAL: “When we were making the song, we reached out to Tom Morello knowing it was a long shot. 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!”
Ratatata feat. Electric Callboy (Metal Forth, 2025)
A surprise drop that became Babymetal’s biggest song since Gimme Chocolate!!, Ratatata is a hefty slab of EDM-meets-metalcore joy. The video shows off the girls’ sillier side, singing karaoke while Electric Callboy vocalists Kevin Ratajczak and Nico Sallach ram through walls wearing disco-ball hats. Makes sense.
SU-METAL: “Before the collaboration, we went to see their show. We enjoyed every moment of it, and it made us even more excited to work with them. Our two worlds merged perfectly. I am so satisfied with how the song turned out – it became such a happy song.”
What is your favourite memory from making the video for the song?
MOMOMETAL:“It was truly such a fun shoot, and I was constantly surprised by how warm and genuine they are as people. The scene where Kevin and Nico come bursting through the wall was also a blast.
Since there wasn’t enough production time to use computer graphics, they set off a real explosion, which honestly caught me off guard! The band members and the crew were the most amazing team, and they are truly our cherished family.”
My Queen feat. Spiritbox (Metal Forth, 2025)
Dropped as a single the day Metal Forth was released, My Queen is one of the album’s more melodic moments without sacrificing any of the fury. Su-metal lays the hooks on thick while Spiritbox vocalist Courtney LaPlante pops up midway through to inflict maximum damage over crushing djent riffs.
SU-METAL: “I always enjoy Courtney’s presence – the way her voice takes over everything around her. I also wanted to immerse myself in the world that Spiritbox create. In this song, we were able to portray both sides – the bold, queenly figure on the surface, and the anxiety churning underneath – and the image of suppressing that anxiety to push even higher. I feel like that was only possible because of her incredible ability to command her presence so effortlessly.”
What did Courtney bring to the song vocally?
MOMOMETAL: “Her screams take the excitement of this song up a gear all at once. There is something about her screams that feels like energy exploding from deep within! And true to the name My Queen, she carries herself with the presence of a true queen.”
From Me To U feat. Poppy (Metal Forth, 2025)
From Courtney to Poppy, the nu gen queen. Babymetal brought one of modern music’s most prominent innovators into this glorious clash of hyperpop energy and serrated riffs. Babymetal were ahead of the game here – Courtney and Poppy would team up with Amy Lee for their own collaboration, End Of You, later that year.
SU-METAL: “During the production, we were discussing a collaboration with Jordan Fish that would follow Kingslayer. Jordan suggested adding Poppy’s vocals. Her voice matches so well with his musical style and also with my vocal style. I can’t thank Jordan enough for introducing us.”
Are there any similarities between Poppy and Babymetal?
MOAMETAL: “Babymetal is a fusion of cute and metal, while Poppy brings together cuteness and death growls – the two of us were a perfect match! We created a song that I absolutely love!”
Poppy has sung in Japanese in her own songs. Did you have any chats with her in Japanese, or chats about Japanese culture?
MOMOMETAL: “I can feel her respect for Japan! I didn’t get to talk about Japanese culture with her, but I would love for her to try on some cute Japanese clothing – it would definitely suit her!”
Kon! Kon! Feat. Bloodywood (Metal Forth, 2025)
Japanese, English and Hindi – trilingual Bloodywood collab Kon! Kon! is a truly global anthem. The Delhi stars step squarely into Babymetal’s orbit, bringing some nu metal bounce, Bollywood and rabid rapping about yokai – supernatural Japanese spirits.
SU-METAL: “The first time I listened to the song, the image of people dancing at an Indian festival on a hot sunny day came across my mind. But when the lyrics combined with Japanese yokai culture – for example, ‘Urameshiya’ is a phrase that yokai use to cast a curse – the vibe shifts to a nighttime scene of yokai dancing around a fire deep in the forest.
We share similarities in Asian culture, so the two blend together beautifully – but the image it conjures may differ from person to person. It’s fun to let your imagination run wild, so please share with me how you received this song!”
Would Babymetal like to play in India?
MOMOMETAL: “Of course! Actually, we talked about it with Bloodywood. We got really excited talking about it. It’d be so exciting to see what would happen if we actually performed Kon! Kon! in India. We’d have to make sure our dancing is good enough to hold our own against the locals!”
Babymetal play Louder Than Life and Aftershock festivals this fall.
