Heavy Metal Billboard Charts Update

While the Billboard Charts aren't always a friend of metal, a number of artists have landed in the top 200 list for album sales this week. Check it out in order from highest to lowest charting position!



Band: Megadeth
Album: Endgame
Albums Sold: 45,000
Charting Position: No. 9

My take on the album: While Endgame is the highest charting album, I definitely have given more attention to the new Shadows Fall and Ace Frehley albums.

That being said, Endgame is a kickass metal album, that blends influences from the '80s and '90s Deth sound. Only a few of the songs really land in your head ("44 Minutes" especially), but the guitar playing is spot on.



Band: Ace Frehley
Album: Anomaly
Albums Sold: 17,000
Charting Position: No. 27

My take on the album: "Anomaly" flat-out ROCKS!

Ace Frehley has really gotten his act together and his vocals are better than ever. The album makes you remember what true rock 'n' roll sounds like, having a classic sound that most rockers are unable to touch in the more recent years.

This should have made the Top 10 and is likely to be one of the best releases this year.



Band: Shadows Fall
Album: Retribution
Albums Sold: 13,000
Charting Position: No. 35

My take on the album: "Retribution" is the best album the band has put out since "The Art of Balance".

They finally nailed mixing the heavier growling stuff with the melodic clean vocals. Too bad it took them two uninteresting albums ("Fallout From the War" and "Threads of Life") to get there.

This band really deserves to be on top of the game in the current metal scene. The album is better than Lamb of God's "Wrath", however that album sold much better.

Lets hope word gets out about how good this album is!



Band: The Black Dahlia Murder
Album: Deflorate
Albums Sold: 12,000
Charting Position: No. 43

My take on the album: "Deflorate" is probably the best album of The Black Dahlia Murder's career.

A band like this can get stale quickly, but with the new album it's The Black Dahlia Murder's brutal energy put into each song that forces you to headbang.

Congrats to this band! The members tour heavily and deserve to be here.



Band: Kittie
Album: In The Black
Albums Sold: 3,400
Charting Position: No. 132

My take on the album: Say what you will about Kittie, but the all-female group has proven the test of time, despite what all of us guessed.

I haven't had time to listen to this album, but from what I've read, it is a vast improvement over previous work, even if it does take on a sort of "Lamb of God knock-off" sound.

Heavy Metal Party Monkeys

I don't have much to say about this, besides this is the best nature video I have ever seen. Hopefully these monkeys can learn to cope with their alcohol addiction and the problems it brings while still partying and having a good time!



In other less important news... Chickenfoot, the project featuring Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith, released the video for "Soap on a Rope" off the self-titled album. Sounds like good tequila drinkin' music to me.

Wizards, Dragons and Blind Guardian!

Blind Guardian is one of the most atmospheric, epic and awesome bands in the whole metal realm. These guys can write about some of the cheesiest stuff and still make it badass.

"A Twist in the Myth" was the band's last release and it was solid. I think the new one could have potential to be better though. In fact the band just finished recording eight new tracks in the studio.

Here's what Hansi Kursch had to say:

"What can I say about these songs? They rule, of course. You want a more precise description? Impossible. All I can say is that each and every song is 100% BLIND GUARDIAN, which, naturally, means there is a wild bunch of different things going on from time to time (always?)."

Kursch is the man and has one of the most unique voices in metal.

Check out the epic sounding track "Sacred" below, which will appear on the new album when it eventually comes out (probably not until later in the year). Yes I know it looks like a trailer for a videogame, that's because it is. Like I said, only certain bands like Blind Guardian can get away with stuff like this!