SOUNDSCAN: ALICE IN CHAINS, HATEBREED, DETHKLOK, AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE AND STEEL PANTHER DEBUTS
Five heavy hitting heavy hitters — Alice in Chains, Hatebreed, Austrian Death Machine, Steel Panther and Dethklok — all released new records last week. Solid 2nd and 3rd week performances from Three Days Grace, Muse, Megadeth, Five Finger Death Punch and others made it an all-around big week for metal. Let’s see how everyone fared after the jump.
4 BREAKING BENJAMIN – DEAR AGONY
This week: 134,489 (debut)
Motherfucking Breaking Benjamin HAD to release a new album and edge out Alice in Chains, didn’t they? Motherfuckers. In case you’re wondering, Barbra Streisand, Paramore and Mariah Carey nabbed the 1, 2 and 3 spots respectively.
5 ALICE IN CHAINS – BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE
This week: 126,146 (debut)
Unbelievable debut. While this number will undoubtedly take a big dip next week, it shows that many people still do care about this band and speaks to the strength of the record. It also says that the EMI/Virgin team did a fantastic job marketing this record. Well done, everyone… pat yourselves on the back! It’s not easy to effectively market a “comeback” record.
12 AFI – CRASH LOVE
This week: 51,586 (debut)
Not metal, but some people here may care. I’m not one of them.
15 METALOCALYPSE: DETHKLOK – DETHALBUM II
This week: 44,833 (debut)
A cartoon metal band sold as many records first week as Megadeth. Let me repeat that: A cartoon metal band sold as many records first week as Megadeth. I mean, it’s good, but what the fuck people???
17 THREE DAYS GRACE – LIFE STARTS NOW
This week: 36,339
Cume: 115,706
Dropped 54% from last week’s debut, but expect this one to last for a while. Radio rock, people.
25 MUSE – RESISTANCE
This week: 23,954
Cume: 188,738
Not sure whether these numbers are considered good for Muse in the U.S. I think they are. Wish they’d come back and tour again.
29 FOREIGNER – CAN’T SLOW DOWN
This week: 18,733 (debut)
I had no idea Foreigner was even still making music! I guess old people still buy CDs if they’re placed appropriately at the Walmart and Best Buy.
30 FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH – WAR IS THE ANSWER
This week: 18,732
Cume: 63,130
37 HATEBREED – HATEBREED
This week: 15,453 (debut)
Curious how this stacks up against past releases. I’d have to think it’s on the low side.
60 SHINEDOWN – SOUND OF MADNESS
This week: 10,172
Cume: 754,326
Climbing back up the charts once again with another crossover hit popping on the radio. 67 weeks on the chart now.
68 MEGADETH – ENDGAME
This week: 8,640
Cume: 66,264
Another band for whom I’d really love to know their chart and sales history.
92 RODRIGO Y GABRIELA – 11:11
This week: 6,228
Cume: 31,761
105 AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE – DOUBLE BRUTAL
This week: 5,180 (debut)
I guess the kitsch value hasn’t worn off yet for Tim Lambesis and co.
109 HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD – SWAN SONGS
This week: 5,117
Cume: 537,978
This record will officially never go away.
123 STEEL PANTHER FEEL THE STEEL
This week: 4,602 (debut)
Feel it! See my article about Universal being foolish to sign this band despite their obvious talent and kickass-itude.
150 FREHLEY*ACE – ANOMALY
This week: 3,531
Cume: 25,943
Had a big first week, but now the party’s over. Everyone who wanted it already bought it.
179 PORCUPINE TREE – INCIDENT
This week: 2,965
Cume: 25,624
About what I’d expect from this band. Probably much bigger in their UK homeland.
188 SHADOWS FALL – RETRIBUTION
This week: 2,780
Cume: 20,029
Tour tour tour and don’t worry about record sales or radio; that should be the modus operandi for this band. Do some cool tours (NOT Five Finger Death Punch) and get some cred back in the underground scene… they’re certainly worthy of it.
