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. AC/DC log another week up top based on their appearance at Coachella and the album still remaining in the top 20
1) AC/DC (no change)
Of all the bands to headline Coachella, AC/DC is a pretty big move. It will be their only US appearance (so far) when they play in April. The fact that the album is still top 20 five or six weeks in says a lot about their fan base.
2) Slipknot (no change)
The album is continuing to sell, they had a stellar tour last year, and the rumblings we’re hearing about the tour they’ll be announcing soon is pretty damn impressive.
3) Periphery (last week 9)
Juggernaut is in less than three weeks. Commence hyperventilating! Not many bands can keep releasing advance singles and only keep stoking the fires, but Periphery is on that level now.
4) Marilyn Manson (last week 12)
Have you seen how much press The Pale Emperor is getting? Combined with some of Marilyn Manson’s best lead singles and plenty of carefully-selected television appearances, the man who terrified America in the late 1990s is on his way back up with a newly veteran sense of polish.
5) At the Gates (last week 4)
The April Decibel Tour just picked up Pallbearer (more on that in a second), and the band’s mystique is undeniable even to a new generation of fans.
6) Pallbearer (last week 5)
They were already red-hot, but after jumping on the Decibel Tour with At The Gates and Converge, Pallbearer stands to make good on its best-of-2014 press in a major power play.
7) Metallica (re-entry)
Kirk Hammett announcing the Fear FestEvil 2, and Rob Trujillo saying that the band will eventually put out an album gets them back on the list.
8) Megadeth (last week 6)
We’ll be hearing who the new guitarist and drummer are before too long, we’re thinking.
9) Five Finger Death Punch (last week 7)
They’ll disappear from our rankings once they disappear from Billboard’s, so don’t hold your breath.
10) Machine Head (last week 14)
Bloodstone and Diamonds has cooled off alarmingly compared to some other big records from fall – it’s not even scanning enough to pop in at Billboard‘s lower end right now – so while the headlining tour will build momentum once again, there’s not as much inertia behind Robb Flynn and Co. right now as we’d all want to see.
11) Iron Maiden (debut)
Those Onkyo headphones look awesome, and if Maiden’s out at CES making a splash, that new album can’t be too far behind…
12) Wovenwar (last week 13)
The band’s tours with Periphery and In Flames remain two of the strongest tour package bets in metal for this early part of the year.
13) Electric Wizard (last week 8)
No, we can’t wait for their first return to the US in over a decade either.
14) High on Fire (debut)
With the Fear FestEvil appearance and the band touring now, hopefully Matt Pike will be able to buy a shirt.
15) Anthrax (last week 10)
They’re in the studio now, which is exciting. As will the Game of Thrones song.
OFF: Mastodon, Yob, Septicflesh
