In a year that saw kawaii metal force BABYMETAL head their biggest North American tour to date, make several festival appearances and international tour stops, all in addition to becoming the first-ever Japanese artist to sign a frontline deal with Capitol Records and release their groundbreaking fourth album METAL FORTH - it seems as though the powerhouse trio simply cannot miss.

Further emphasizing the band's historic level up, BABYMETAL christened the METAL FORTH era with a monumental performance before a sold out Intuit Dome in Los Angeles that unleashed one of their most ambitious productions to date -  an especially impressive feat for a band that has built their legacy on their live prowess. 

Spanning some 15 tracks from the band's four album cannon, the opener "BABYMETAL DEATH" opened the gates to the universe of the band in a way that consumed the entire arena. The dazzling slow build created a sense of wonder, only heightening the anticipation of the live explosiveness that everyone was preparing for. Paired with the Poppy-aided smash "from me to u," BABYMETAL took command of arena with a undeniable show of force. With the choreography, lighting, visuals and soundtrack all working in lockstep, the fans stood with jaws-dropped, marveling at what they were immersed in. 

Compiling a setlist that included their biggest anthems and their most vital collaborations, entries like "Kon! Kon!" with Bloodywood, "METAL!!" with Tom Morello, "Song 3" with Slaughter to Prevail and "RATATATA" with Electric Callboy were among the most celebratory instances on the evening. Underscoring BABYMETAL's prowess and prevalence, every one of the songs drew a bigger pop from the arena than the previous - ramping up the energy to pure exhilaration. 

Then, Courney LaPlante took the stage. 

Ensuring they pulled out all the stops for the historic Intuit Dome set, BABYMETAL brought in some reinforcements, welcoming Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox onstage as the sole special guest in the set. The tandem would rip into their joint track, "MY QUEEN," marking the first time the two powerhouses have ever shared the stage live to perform the single. In a set full of highlights, this was the moonshot. 

Capping off what will no doubt become a legendary night in the lore of BABYMETAL, the band resurfaced centerstage for a powerful encore of some of their most beloved entries. From "THE ONE" to "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!" to the flagbearing "Road to Resistance," the finale further emphasized the magnitude of the evening and underscored that BABYMETAL's legacy is one define in bridging pageantry and power. 

See the images from BABYMETAL's sold out Intuit Dome performance below. All images by Sarai Kelly / @photosbysarai.