MetalSucks

It was a good week for metal last week — we’ll politely ignore the fact that Kid Rock’s Rock N’ Roll Jesus shifted an astounding 100,000 copies in its 46th week on the charts (!) to move up to #2 — and that Staind’s The Illusion of Progress netted a #3 debut by the band’s constant refusal to actually progress at all. Instead, how about some big first weeks for bands we actually care about?

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When I glanced at this week’s Soundscan charts, one thing jumped out at me: Whitechapel’s debut This Is Exile debuted at #117, tied with the new Maroon 5 live album (!), scanning 5,907 units.

Now, call me crazy, but this just makes no sense to me; a relatively unknown band moving such a respectable number of units seems a tad fishy to me. In fact, when I searched Google Images with “whitechapel this is exile” to find the album cover to post above, said cover was the SEVENTH result on the page. Uhhh… what??

So… What exactly is the story here? New MS writer Sammy O’Hagar gave the record a decent review — personally I haven’t listened to it — but certainly didn’t seem to think it was that special. Are Whitechapel getting a big push on MTV2? Radio? Are their live shows completely captivating, setting moshpits across the nation on fire? Are the first week numbers inflated due to a special pre-order bundle or inclusion in another package?

Beats me. Maybe I oughtta go listen to this record to see what the hype is about.

-VN

Maybe the CD isn’t a dying format after all. Actually, fuck that, the CD is definitely in its death throes. But at least for one week the inevitable has been delayed, and some rock records actually moved serious tonnage. Motley Crue and Shinedown both debuted in the Top 10, Disturbed continued their inevitable march towards gold (and then platinum) at #9, and Kid Rock continued his rampage back up the charts to reach #12. Some abbreviated Soundscan numbers and positions after the jump:

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Van Halen, U2, Metallica, Dave Matthews Band, Staind, System of a Down… Disturbed. Sigh. These are the elite ranks of rock acts to have three #1 debuts in a row.

Excuse me while I go vomit.

In other news, Opeth debuted at at #23 with 19,655 units shifted. But it kind of feels like getting a pair of socks for Chanukah when your brother got that sweet new video game.

-VN

So I am officially boycotting Linkin Park and Nickelback when it comes to these Soundscan reports, until the day those two records drop off the charts. That will be a momentous day indeed.

ANYWAY, debuts from 10 Years and Filter had pretty good first weeks (by today’s standards), as did Iron Maiden’s latest Best-Of compilation. Dokken’s new record also inched into the Top 200 (!) and Emmure’s Victory Records debut performed respectably as well.

Also, new this week, I’m including notable metal releases from the Top New Artists chart, including Arsis, Warrel Dane, Russian Circles and more.

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It was 2001 all over again this past week as the two highest charting metal / hard rock acts (and I use those terms loosely) were Kid Rock and Linkin Park. Sigh. And the highest charting metal debut was Whitesnake. Yes, Whitesnake, who sold a whopping 8,000 copies of their new album, good enough for a #70 chart position.

After the jump, the chart positions and sales numbers of hard rock / metal releases in the Top 200. This week I didn’t include everything because, well, I didn’t feel like it (i.e. Nickelback for the 10 millionth time… hint: it’s about to break 7 million records)… but everything that’s important is there.

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The week ending Tuesday, April 15th had some pretty impressive debuts from P.O.D. (I’m just as surprised as you are), the physical version of Nine Inch Nails’ Ghosts and the first record from Billy Howerdel’s Ashes Divide — but the bigger theme this week were the precipitous drops suffered by last week’s debuts, namely Theory of a Deadman, In Flames, Sevendust, Muse and Joe Satriani who eached dropped between 50 and 100 spots down the charts. Oomph.

The Sword managed to hang on, dropping a mere 43 spots, while Black Tide and Five Finger Death Punch appear poised to drop out of the Top 200 completely next week.

Soundscan chart positions and sales figures, with our snarky commentary, after the jump.

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Strong debuts from Sevendust, Theory of a Deadman, In Flames, Muse and Joe Satriani– all of whom charted in the Top 100 — rounded out a big week for record sales in metal and hard rock (for the week ending April 8th, 2008). The Sword just missed the Top 100 coming in at #102, an impressive debut nonetheless, and Dream Theater’s greatest hit compilation made it in at #122. Business as usual in the Nickleback / Linkin Park / Buckcherry / Three Days Grace camps, while the most notable drop was Black Tide’s Light From Above, which, at #171 and 21,000 copies sold in only its third week on the chart seems poised to drop out of the Top 200 next week. Chart position and sales figures after the jump.

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The brothers Sepultura had a great debut last week with The Cavalera Conspiracy album Inflikted, landing at #72 on the Soundscan charts with 9,000 copies scanned. Black Tide dropped out of the Top 100, while Atreyu creeped back into the Top 200 thanks to some attention at radio. The remarkable ride for Buckcherry continues; they had the highest charting album of interest to anyone who reads this site (not that I mind reporting that). Chart positions and sales figures after the jump.

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The highest charting rock / metal this week was the Black Crowes’ Warpaint, which slipped down to #34 in its second week. Meshuggah’s nrew release obZen clocked in at #59 with over 11,000 copies sold in its debut week, ahead of any other metal release. This past week’s Soundscan positions and sales figures for those and other hard rock / metal releases after the jump.

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The Soundscan charts for last week have been released, and the Super-Duper Metal Tuesday releases charted extremely well. The Mars Volta’s Bedlam in Goliath edged out Bullet For My Valentine’s Scream, Aim Fire by a mere 700 copies for the #3 spot, while MetalSucks faves Protest the Hero debuted at #95 with Fortress, a feat for a band whose music is so challenging and intricate. Australian AC/DC-revivalists Airbourne just missed the Top 100 coming in at 106. Full list of charting metal and hard rock releases, plus sales figures and our commentary, after the jump.

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Any week in which the highest charting metal albums are a ‘best of’ collection from Led Zeppelin at #20, followed by Linkin Park, Nickelback, and Kid Rock, is a rough one. But to be fair, there have been NO new releases yet this year and there won’t be for another couple of weeks. Finger Eleven and Buckcherry continue their remarkable and unlikely rides up the chart (again!) while Dragonforce proves that Guitar Hero sells records. Chart numbers and sales figures after the jump.

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It’s been a tough week for metal sales. While makes-me-wanna-puke Christmas music and Best Of collections dominated several of the top spots, the good news is that they pushed Nickelback and Linkin Park down the charts. Led Zep’s collection Mothership continues to sell well, while Mudvayne’s recent “fan chosen” release (cough bullshit cough!) was a real dud and is certain to drop out of the Top 200 next week (oh well!). Chart numbers and sales figures after the jump.

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As always we’ve got this past week’s big rock and metal sellers listed for you after the jump — but the big story is actually that of the Eagles, whose new album Long Road Out of Eden was, until last night, excluded from the charts because it is being sold only at Wal-Mart. Apparently the folks at Billboard and Nielsen decided that a rule change was necessary to restore order to a world that would otherwise have had to deal with everyone’s favorite trainwreck Britney Spears taking the top spot.

That aside, Avenged Sevenfold made a killer debut this week (please discuss!), and Maynard James Keenan of Tool’s Puscifer side project had a solid debut as well. Foo Fighters are still going strong with their latest, while Coheed & Cambria’s No World for Tomorrow dropped quite a bit. Thursday also apparently has a new album out (who knew?) and it debuted in the Top 200. Chart positions and sales numbers after the jump.

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Kid Rock maintained strong sales this week, despite dropping one slot to #2. Jimmy Eat World and Santana (albeit a Greatest Hits) had Top 10 debuts, while the first two parts of Thrice’s ambitious Alchemy Index suite had a solid debut as well. In other notables, Finger Eleven managed to move up the chart again after it finally seemed to be losing steam, and Hinder jumped 64 spots to #102, giving us ojita.

Chart positions and sales numbers after the jump.

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Kid Rock had the big debut this week with Rock N’ Roll Jesus, getting enough juice to land him at the #1 spot for the first time ever. Alter Bridge had a #13 debut, and Puddle of Mudd’s new disc sold respectably as well. The Foo Fighters remain strong in their third week while Buckcherry’s seemingly eteneral 15 jumped 22 spots to continue its miraculous 79 week run. Dethklok remained in the Top 100 while Down just missed. Chart positions and sales figures for all hard rock and heavy metal albums in the Top 200 after the jump.

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Most of the big debuts in hard rock and metal came last week with the Foo Fighters, Dethklok, Down and Arch Enemy — but all of these held respectable positions, while Nightwish and The Cult made Top 100 debuts. Chart positions and sales numbers after the jump.

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Lots of big hard rock and metal debuts this week, with new releases from HIM, Dropkick Murphys, Between the Buried and Me, Black Dahlia Murder, Thousand Foot Krutch and The Donnas all landing in the Top 100. Ministry, High on Fire and Rammstein debuted in the Top 200 as well. You may all also breathe a sigh of relief, as Hinder’s Extreme Behavior has FINALLY exited the Top 100 after god knows how long.

Click through for chart positions and sales numbers, after the jump.

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Unless you live in a cave, you know that Kanye West, 50 Cent, and Kenny Chesney dominated the top 3 Soundscan spots with stellar debuts. In news that you people actually will care about, Indiana’s own ICED EARTH had an unexpectedly strong debut (for them) to land at #78, while As I Lay Sucking and Every Time I Suck dropped precipitously, as predicted. Chart positions, sales numbers, and plenty of creative ways to insert “suck” into a band’s name, after the jump.

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Every Time I Die made a big splash this week to debut at number 41 with The Big Dirty, while Ted Nugent’s Love Grenade is a giant bomb at number 186. Click through for chart positions and sales numbers of this week’s hard rock and heavy metal records in the Top 200, after the jump.
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