BABYMETAL: 'We Learned A Lot From METALLICA'

In a brand new interview with RollingStone.com, the members of the Japanese teenage girl pop metal band BABYMETAL were asked why they play METALLICA's music over the P.A. before their live shows start.

"It's not only something for us, but the fans get excited when they listen to METALLICA and, with BABYMETAL, it keeps with the rhythm," BABYMETAL's Su-Metal said. "Before we joined BABYMETAL, we weren't that familiar with metal, but we learned a lot from METALLICA. Watching their shows and even meeting them, they were really nice to us."

Asked if they got any advice from METALLICA when they met them, BABYMETAL's Moametal said: "We never got any advice, but just watching their stage we learned so much. They separate who they are onstage and who they are backstage. That's something we learned from them and we hope one day we'll be able to reach that kind of level onstage that METALLICA has onstage. It feels like they do receive power from the metal gods when they're on because it's amazing."

As previously reported, BABYMETAL has signed with RAL/Sony Music Entertainment for the U.S. release of the band's 2014 critically acclaimed self-titled debut album. The CD features two bonus tracks and was made available digitally on May 12, with a physical release to follow on Tuesday, June 16.

"Babymetal" will be released via earMUSIC in Germany, Sweden, Finland and Spain on May 29, in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland, Poland, Switzerland, Norway and Denmark on June 1, and in Italy on June 2

The European release will be available as the standard edition as well as a deluxe edition that includes a bonus DVD compiling six music videos from BABYMETAL.

Since forming in 2010, BABYMETAL — the young trio of 17-year-old Su-Metal (vocal, dance) and 15-year-olds Yuimetal (scream, dance)and Moametal (scream, dance),backed by a four-piece band packing a heavy metal arsenal — has already achieved two major debut singles — "Ijime, Dame, Zetta!" and "Megistune", both of which ranked in the Top 10 Oricon Chart in Japan. Their first studio album, "Babymetal", also earned the #1 spot on Japan's album chart and Billboard's World Album Chart. The official live music video for their debut album's lead single, "Gimme Chocolate!!", has garnered over 24.5 million views on YouTube.

2014 saw BABYMETAL headline numerous sold-out shows from New York to London, including the 20,000-capacity Saitama Super Arena in Japan. They performed at major festivals in multiple countries such as the U.K.'s massive Sonisphere in front of 65,000 festival goers and supported Lady Gaga on her "Artrave: The Artpop Ball" tour.

Photo courtesy of BABYMETAL Facebook page