With the muted reaction that Machine Head’s Catharsis received from critics, you’d think that they might have had a Suicide Silence-like disaster on their hands. However, the album sold about 9,000 units in its debut week. That’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it is worth noting that that’s less than half of what their last album, Bloodstone & Diamonds, sold it in it’s first week back in 2014. That’s certainly not the lowest number of records the band have sold in it’s first week, however. In fact, Through the Ashes of Empires didn’t even come out in America. The band had been on an upward trajectory sales-wise until now, however. The Blackening sold 16,000 in it’s first week back in 2007, and Unto the Locustsold 17,000 four years later. While streaming has obviously impacted sales, this has to hurt a bit.
Then again, the news of Machine Head selling less in the states is offset by their chart success in the rest of the world . #3 record in Germany?Achievement unlocked! It’s also #12 in the U.K, their highest showing there yet. It’s Australia’s #10 album as well. It’s not the first time international support has helped out the band. It was the success overseas of Through the Ashes of Empires that led Roadrunner to re-sign the band. And as their ‘An Evening With’ tours have shown, there’s still a huge appetite for the band stateside. Perhaps the sound of the album or Flynn’s outspoken left-leaning songs convinced some fans to sit this album out. And if not, Machine Head doesn’t even need to lean super hard on the U.S. market if they can tour overseas. Flynn hasn’t commented on his U.S. sales yet, but the band trumpeted their international debut, which they have every right to be proud of, on Instagram. Stay tuned for the rest of this week’s chart action in Metal by Numbers.
Jerry Cantrell will release his new solo album I Want Blood on October 18 via Double J Music. The album features guest performances from Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), and more. The announcement coincides with...
Black metal masters Mork have announced their new album Syv, set to arrive on September 20th via Peaceville. Along with the announcement, they have released a Matt Vickerstaff-directed video for the album’s first single, “Utbrent.” Following Thomas Eriksen’s recent...
In case you missed it, Dale Crover of the Melvins has released "I Quit," featuring guitars by Soundgarden's Kim Thayil. The track is the second single taken from his upcoming solo album, Glossolalia, which is scheduled to arrive on September 13 via Joyful Noise...
New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s weekly column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. The next couple of weeks will see the returns of Kittie, earthtone9, The Story So Far and Dirty Three, debuts from O. and Mighty Mighty...
New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s weekly column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This Friday’s releases include new music from legendary artists John Cale and Fu Manchu, long-running bands Annabel, The Early November...
New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s weekly column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out each week. This first New Music Friday of June sees releases from veteran bands like Bon Jovi, Cactus and Evergrey, as well as Butthole Surfers’ JD...