BABYMETAL’s 15th anniversary tour in Toronto at the Coca-Cola Coliseum was a synchronized chaos of shredding metal, storytelling visuals, and kawaii. With BABYMETAL forming in 2010 where all members were aged 11-13, it was a sight to see how much these girls have grown into powerful performers.  As soon as the lights dropped, the energy in the room exploded. This set the stage for a night celebrating the BABYMETAL legacy, and a launch into the band’s next era.

A dramatic voiceover declared BABYMETAL would “…usher in a new era of HEAVY METAL,” as the giant LED wall played a cinematic reading commemorating the group’s journey. The screen was giving full epic-movie-trailer energy, thanking all who had supported their rise before transitioning to the band’s iconic entrance. They kicked things off with their trademark opener “BABYMETAL DEATH,” which introduced each member by name while fans threw the signature BABYMETAL kitsune horns in the air.

From there, the mayhem never let up. As soon as the first few notes of BxMxC dropped, the crowd burst into a chant of the song title without missing a beat. This song was a wicked display of their expansive talent with Su-Metal spitting the fire bars that are BxMxC. BABYMETAL is already an insane crossover between kawaii and Metal, but the rap sections bring it all to a new level.

BABYMETAL’s idol-level synchronicity was mesmerising, every stomp, turn, and headbang was choreographed perfectly. Behind them, the masked Kami band shredded with a fusion of traditional Japanese instrumentation and heavy riffs.

What truly made the night special was the undeniable sense of community in the room. The crowd was a wildly eclectic mix: burly metalheads, kids with their metalhead parents, and fans dressed in extravagant lolita fashion. It was a beautiful reminder that BABYMETAL has always lived at the intersection of heavy and cute, and their fanbase reflects that perfectly. Everyone, no matter how they showed up, left sweaty, smiling, and probably a little sore from jumping.

The show closed with a three-song encore heartfelt thank-yous. The band also revealed that they’ll be the first Japanese group to ever headline a one-band show at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome this November. Promo visuals filled the screen, hyping the just-released Metal Fourth, their first original studio album since 2019, dropping August 8th.

Fifteen years in, BABYMETAL is still redefining what metal can be. Toronto got a taste of the future, and if METAL IV is any indication, it’s going to be loud.