Kawaii metal

Kawaii metal is a Japanese fusion style that collides the cute, hyper-melodic world of idol pop with the downtuned guitars, double-kick drumming and guttural growls of heavy metal. Pioneered internationally by *Babymetal* with the 2014 album "Babymetal", the style pairs choreographed idol performances and candy-sweet choruses with virtuoso backing bands, abrupt tempo shifts and death-metal breakdowns. Groups such as *PassCode*, *NECRONOMIDOL* and *Hanabie.* push the contrast further, mixing electronicore, black metal and hardcore elements. Kawaii metal's deliberate clash of innocence and extremity has become one of Japan's most distinctive musical exports of the 2010s.