Welcome to Metal Power Rankings: Our weekly rankings take a number of factors into account: newsworthiness, record sales, internet buzz, word of mouth and overall importance in the genre. Ultimately, it’s subjective, but if a band generates enough buzz, they’ll wind up on the list. This week, AC/DC surrender their crown to Periphery, whose double album juggernaut, appropriately named Juggernaut, comes out on Tuesday.
1) Periphery (last week 3)
The full album(s) is/are streaming now, and it’s a monstrous achievement in the face of already high expectations. Are you buying both Alpha and Omega on Tuesday?
2) Marilyn Manson (no change)
The press on The Pale Emperor is massive, it’s poised for a solid first week, and it’s Marilyn Manson’s best album in years. The real test will be in how long it takes everyone to buy into the main man’s rise from the ashes as their tour gets underway.
3) Slipknot (last week 4)
The band’s short tour with Hatebreed later this this Spring will help get them in front of some more people.
4) AC/DC (last week 1)
This is still selling over 10,000 copies a week, and is in the top 30.
5) Faith No More (debut)
The announcement that Faith No More are playing Heavy Montreal reminded us that they have a new album coming out really soon. We are excitebike.
6) Pallbearer (last week 5)
The Decibel tour keeps this in the top ten. Also, if you like doom and haven’t heard this yet, that’s a problem.
7) Metallica (no change)
Wow, Metallica is finally back in the studio. Maybe we’ll get another song just in time for summer!
8) Machine Head (last week 9)
Machine Head is on tour, which seems like an opportune time for Robb Flynn to get into a war of words with one of his contemporaries.
9) At the Gates (last week 6)
The band are playing Japan next month, which should nicely warm them up for the Decibel tour.
10) Slayer (from 8)
Rocklahoma, eh? That’s some serious metal cred for a show that also features Live.
11) Mastodon (re-entry)
The band’s tour with Clutch and Brent making some new music in the studio is enough to get them back on the list this week.
12) Five Finger Death Punch (last week 11)
We just wrote about these dudes earlier this week.
13) Asking Alexandria/We Are Harlot (debut)
Danny Worsnop’s loss will be someone else’s gain. He must really believe in We Are Harlot.
13) Liturgy (debut)
How about that new song “Quetzalcoatl”? It sounds like the new record is going to go in a very intriguing direction.
14) The Last Ten Seconds of Life (debut)
There’s some serious ground-level buzz happening here. The band’s new album sold 1,000 copies in its first week, they’re in the Devil’s Dozen on SiriusXM Liquid Metal, and they’ve been grabbing attention even in the first opener slot of a tour with Upon A Burning Body and Veil of Maya. A major upstart worth watching.
15) All That Remains (debut)
All That Remains have a new album coming out next month. but you’d be excused for not knowing because Phil Labonte’s remarks seem to be overshadowing it. That’s No Knock on him.
OFF: Babymetal, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Wovenwar, BTBAM
