Packed tightly, the capacity crowd at The Fillmore Silver Spring cheered wildly over the low, ethereal droning that played over the speakers. Musicians that could have been misplaced extras from the set of The Grudge 4 took their instruments, adding to the drone and forcing the cheers louder and louder. Waiting in the wings were three teenaged Japanese girls who were preparing to blow the crowd’s collective minds.

When Su-metal, Yuimetal, and Moametal (not their real names) finally took the stage, the crowd erupted into cathartic metal-glee. The girls, framed by a talented band that exhibits the energy and virtuosity that is a requisite for any respectable metal outfit, are captivating dynamos when they perform.

Unleashing powerful, peppy vocals as they bounded about the stage, they wove a layer of sweet madness into the crunching and shredding of the band that inspired the crowd to scream, jump, slam, and mosh until forced to seek refuge apart from the teeming vortex of bodies. Babymetal had an infectious power, forcing impromptu group choreography that would make Strasbourg jealous or a room full of people in the U.S. to suddenly fancy themselves functioning Japanese speakers.

No matter what praises are lavished on a band, the only real marker for a show’s quality is the reaction of the crowd. The best bands unify an audience, stirring within the once-individuals a commonality of emotions now freed to express themselves in ways that are repressed outside of the venue’s doors. With Babymetal, any notion of gimmick or counterfeit are dismissed the instant that the band embarks on its captivating and unyielding performance.

Babymetal put on a tremendous show that left the crowd spirited, enraptured and utterly ensnared, much like the foxes that are an intrinsic part of the band’s iconography. Jostling with some of the wildest (and likely nerdiest) kids in the DMV Tuesday evening, I couldn’t help but become caught up in the massive energy that gripped The Fillmore under the direction of Babymetal. It was a damn blast.