BABYMETAL is perhaps the most controversial band in heavy music currently. Some people really love them and then some people really hate them.

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One person who is a staunch defender of the band is Opeth frontman Mikael Akerfeldt. Akerfeldt was recently interviewed by Asq.me in Japan, and when prompted for his thoughts on the Japanese kawii-metal sensation, here's how he responded:

"I love Babymetal. They have a song called "Gimme Chocolate." I think it’s a great influx for metal. It shakes everything around. If you listen to them, really, established metal bands who would take the piss out of them… they wouldn’t know what they’re talking about. It’s a heavy band. The format is not something I sit around and listen to on a daily basis, if I’m perfectly honest. When I heard them, because I have two daughters, and my oldest daughter is 10 years old, and I was thinking "she’s going to love this." Maybe I can get her off Justin Bieber and One Direction and maybe I can get her into Babymetal. And it worked. She loved the songs that she heard, and I got my friend to send her a Babymetal hoodie. I think it’s great, but not something that I personally listen to too much. Good musicians! The guitar player plays with Marty Friedman, I think, so I enjoy them. I do!"

I couldn't think of a better way to phrase it. It reminds me of what director Kevin Smith said about young girls who like the Twilight series:

“Stop…stop, that’s the next generation of fans… How dare you pass judgment on those 12-year-old girls who like vampires! They need to be encouraged because in six years they’ll be 18-year-old girls who like vampires and are into all sorts of goth-permissive and whatnot. Don’t Poo-poo it. There’s a plan, and it’s working.”

Exactly. All these young kids that Babymetal is encouraging to get into heavier music, in a few years, will be the ones that are going to see your shitty local band at a basement show.

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Babymetal for all!

[Thanks for the tip, Babymetal Feed]