BABYMETAL FT. SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL: IT JUST WORKS!

BABYMETAL x SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL

This is the collaboration I never saw coming, and honestly, I’m still trying to process it. It’s a pairing I’d never have imagined working, yet somehow it does. Russian deathcore meets kawaii metalcore. Just let that sink in.

On one side you have BABYMETAL, known for their catchy choruses, perfectly choreographed moves, and adorable battle dresses. On the other you have Slaughter to Prevail, bare chested, heavily tattooed, and delivering the kind of guttural brutality that rattles your ribcage. Not to be a basic white girl about it but....my brain still can’t even.

I had no idea what to expect, no clue how the video would look or how their wildly different sounds would match up, and yet it all came together beautifully. The contrast doesn't clash, it elevates. The aggression and sweetness don’t cancel each other out, they feed off each other. As for “Song 3” itself, it’s a chaotic little monster of a track, and I mean that in the best possible way. What surprised me most was how the strong yet undeniably feminine presence of BABYMETAL didn’t just hold its own against Slaughter to Prevail’s usual sonic onslaught, it actually softened the edges. Somehow, they helped humanise a band that normally sounds like they’ve crawled out of the underworld. The playful energy they brought to the collab didn’t dilute Slaughter to Prevail’s raw power, it gave it a new dimension.

Honestly, it was kind of refreshing to see this side of Alex Terrible. For a frontman who’s built a reputation on intensity and intimidation, this feels like a bit of an image reset. And I’m here for it.

As someone who deeply admires female metal vocalists, from Alissa White-Gluz to Floor Jansen to Tatiana Shmayluk, I’m always craving those fierce, one-of-a-kind voices that cut through the noise. So as a newcomer to BABYMETAL, I was absolutely dying to hear more from Momoko Okazaki, lovingly known as MomoMetal… or Momozilla, if you’re into her growls.

I’d only caught fleeting glimpses of what she could do, teased by brief screams in the Electric Callboy collab, but this track finally gave me what I’d been waiting for. Her vocals added such power and grit, and it was so satisfying to hear her unleash that side of herself. More of this, please.

But without light, we can’t truly appreciate the darkness, and Su-metal’s vocals brought that light. Her soaring melodies gave the track its emotional lift, perfectly balancing the brutal growls, crushing riffs, and relentless drums. She carried us to the peak of the rollercoaster, and when the drop came, it hit even harder. I definitely felt the butterflies. Moametal, as always, brought her signature charm and high-energy presence, taking the kawaii factor to the next level and giving the video its playful edge.

The music video itself was a perfect blend of humour, narrative, and high production values. Highlights for me included the girls holding up the “3” score cards as Alex looks to them for approval and then looking dismayed genuinely made me laugh. Watching Alex get trained by the trio was also highly entertaining. They were tough taskmasters, and seeing the mighty Alex Terrible being put through his paces and then enthusiastically cheered on by BABYMETAL made me chuckle. Once again, it revealed a lighter, more playful side to him that I wasn’t expecting and honestly, it really worked in his favour.

As a bit of a connoisseur of masks, I also loved the addition of the fox-masked backup dancers for BABYMETAL. Their smooth, sleek masks created a striking visual contrast with the grimacing, terrifying demon masks worn by Slaughter to Prevail. It added another layer of symbolism and spectacle to a video already rich with contrasts.

BABYMETAL are without a doubt the queens of metal collaborations, consistently making bold and fearless choices when it comes to who they team up with. This track was no exception. If you want to see my first-time reaction to the video and experience the chaos with me, head over to my YouTube channel where I share my metal musings on new videos, songs, and all things heavy.