Ijime, Dame, Zettai began as one of BABYMETAL's early songs about standing against bullying, and it was released as their major label debut single in Japan in January 2013. BABYMETAL formed in Tokyo in 2010 around the idea of mixing idol pop vocals with heavy metal backing. The Sonisphere 2014 performance in the United Kingdom helped introduce that contrast to a wider festival audience outside Japan. Clips from the set still circulate among metal and anime fans who use the song for its mix of aggression, melody and theatrical staging.