SOUNDSCAN WEDNESDAY BELONGS TO BARONESS AND SKELETONWITCH

Not that we had any doubt Baroness’ Blue Record would have a strong debut, but it’s always nice to see the proof. And Skeletonwitch’s ripping new record Breathing the Fire had a great debut too; I’m elated to see the band sell as many records first week as they did. Elsewhere it was the usual radio rock / alt-metal suspects dominating the charts. Click through to see chart positions and sales figures.

13    BREAKING BENJAMIN  –  DEAR AGONY
This week: 26,569
Cume: 203,001

Oy.

17    ALICE IN CHAINS  –  BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE
This Week: 23,023
Cume: 185,775

This record is slipping down the charts quite quickly as is de rigueur this days, so hopefully the AIC guys don’t pull a Dave Mustaine and blame their label.

33    MUSE – RESISTANCE
This week: 15,394
Cume: 222,275

That’s a great number for this band in the U.S., no?

49    METALOCALYPSE: DETHKLOK  –  DETHALBUM II
This week: 10,892
Cume: 72,010

57    FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH – WAR IS THE ANSWER
This week: 9,521
Cume: 84,463

65    SHINEDOWN  –  SOUND OF MADNESS
This week: 8,386
Cume: 771,480

95    CHEVELLE  –  SCI-FI CRIMES
This week: 5,697
Cume: 104,954

108    THEORY OF A DEADMAN  –  SCARS & SOUVENIRS
This week: 5,031
Cume: 731,310

111    RODRIGO Y GABRIELA  –  11:11
This week: 4,884
Cume: 42,517

117    BARONESS  –  BLUE RECORD
This week: 4,696 (debut)

A huge debut for this band and a huge debut for Relapse. Congrats to everyone! Will they follow Mastodon’s footsteps from the metal underground to the mainstream? FYI, this record netted #1 on the “Top New Artist” chart and #15 on “Top Hard Music.”

142    MEGADETH – ENDGAME
This week: 3,948
Cume: 75,795

Boo fucking hoo, you’ve sold nearly 100,000 records. Now go tour and make money the way everyone else does these days, douche.

151    SKELETONWITCH  –  BREATHING THE FIRE
This week: 3,483 (debut)

I honestly did not expect these guys to sell so many records but I’m of course happy they did. I guess they have hardcore fans.

154    HATEBREED – HATEBREED
This week: 3,326
Cume: 24,001

Is this band’s popularity finally waning or do people just care more about their lives show than their records?

166    STEEL PANTHER  –  FEEL THE STEEL
This week: 3,047
Cume: 13,655

This band will be dropped from Universal faster than you can say “my cock’s a free spirit.” Too bad, ’cause they rule.

167    CHICKENFOOT – CHICKENFOOT
This week: 3,017
Cume: 329,162

-VN