DROE sales/charts

[black_reviewer]

That's 82.400 copies after two weeks. I'd say pretty damn fine!

That's a pretty decent number, and it probably does not include digital downloads.. or does it? On the other hand, selling close to 100k (and especially being a band with no radio airplay anywhere) in the times of illegal downloading sounds awesome to me. In certain ways Testament is an underground band, and you never hear about underground metal bands hitting the charts, so hands down.

 

[redfly]

http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label....testament-hit-top-10-of-the-world-sales.html

 

[Sole Reaper]

That's awesome. Now maybe NB will Testament a little more money for their records and they can hire someone other than Andy Sneap. Sneap's not bad, but I think they should get a different producer next time.

 

[redfly]

Yeah,I'm starting to see why some people have problems with him.Watching the making of video and Greg is talking about slightly bending notes out of tune...but that's how you get the real shit!
Chuck and Eric seem to really like him though.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

The album is great! Really the best album in awhile.

 

[one man]

Time for some update:

#29 in Poland (2nd week)
#61 in Italy (2nd week)

#29 in Sweden (3rd week)
#33 in Norway (3rd week)
#64 in Holland (3rd week)
#190 in France (3rd week)

#18 in Finland (4th week! which is an improvement comparing to the preceding week)
#71 in Waloonia (4th week)
#73 in Flanders (4th week)
#73 in Switzerland (4th week)

 

[one man]

On its 4th week on Billboard 200 DROE has landed on position 170. I'm guessing it'll manage to make it onto the chart for another week and that will be it. Only a tour, second video or huge price reduction (like with Rush's new album on Amazon) could extend its presence on this chart. It will still be extremely hard to beat TNO (14 weeks), PWYP (12 weeks), TR (9 weeks) and SoB (8 weeks).

Just to remind TFOD's history on the chart:
week 1 # 59 - 11,556 copies sold
week 2 # 150 - 5,185 copies sold
week 3 # 162 - 4,399 copies sold
week 4 # 184 - 3,576 copies sold
it reached 30.000 copies sold after 7 weeks and 50.000 after 6 months.

DROE is still doing better, but it's quite obvious that the increase in popularity was most evident in the 1st week. Let's hope the promotion is not over and that it will continue to sell. Gold record seems still very far away, though. In one interview Alex said that the charts are the best in the band's history, but the sales were much better in the past. Testament lost less in the sales than the whole music industry, hence their career highest chart positions.


Meanwhile in Italy the album is on #61 in its 3rd week. Pretty good, given how bad the earlier albums did there.

 

[one man]

When talking about gold records we concentrate mainly on the US market. Yet, perhaps the chances are better elsewhere.

Since the album is still in top 20 in Finland after 4 weeks, maybe it will eventually reach the required 10.000 copies there. It wouldn't be unusual for a metal band on that market (probably one of the very few where metal acts do reach a pop status in terms of popularity from time to time).

The required number for foreign artists in Hungary (where they topped the chart) is 3.000 copies. I've no idea how many copies are necessary to land on #1 on their chart and what are the chances for selling 3.000 copies there.

As for Germany (3rd best charting market so far) - 100.000 copies are required to reach the gold status, but the count is based on shipments, not sales there.

I'm wondering what (and where) was their closest to gold record outside the US as far as the earlier records are concerned. Any idea?

 

[one man]

After its 3rd week in Poland the album has landed on #42 in the Top 50, whereas in Germany it's on #48 after 4 weeks.

EDIT: 5th week in Flanders - #87; 5th week in Walloonia - #131.

 

[one man]

That's awesome. Now maybe NB will Testament a little more money for their records and they can hire someone other than Andy Sneap. Sneap's not bad, but I think they should get a different producer next time.

I was not very satisfied with how First Strike and even Formation sounded. However, I love the production on the new album. I also appreciate Andy's input into Chuck's way of singing, and the fact that he encouraged Chuck to try new things after so many years. Therefore, I wouldn't mind if they continued to work with him.

On the other hand, they could use some fresh air in this department after 13 years with one producer (whose scope of involvement was different on different records, however). Should they decide to do so, I'd recommend Waldemar Sorychta - another great guitarist of an underrated European thrash band from the past - the awesome Despair.

 

[one man]

NB and the official site/FB still haven't been updated with the complete list of chart entries and peak positions. I hope we'll be getting updates for the months and years to come, not just until the album remains on the charts.

 

[one man]

Week #4 in Sweden - position 31 (which is a drop only by 2 positions as compared to the previous week, which was also a drop by 2 positions as compared to the preceding week).

Week #4 in Italy (which continues to surprise) - position 83.

 

[one man]

5th week on the Finnish chart sees DROE drop to position #36.

 

[Sole Reaper]

I was not very satisfied with how First Strike and even Formation sounded. However, I love the production on the new album. I also appreciate Andy's input into Chuck's way of singing, and the fact that he encouraged Chuck to try new things after so many years. Therefore, I wouldn't mind if they continued to work with him.

On the other hand, they could use some fresh air in this department after 13 years with one producer (whose scope of involvement was different on different records, however). Should they decide to do so, I'd recommend Waldemar Sorychta - another great guitarist of an underrated European thrash band from the past - the awesome Despair.

The weakest point on the new album are the drums. They don't sound very powerful at all. It would've made the overall impact a little stronger, at least to my ears.

After The Gathering I was stoked to hear FSSD, and then it was like what??? The production and mix were night and day different, which is strange since those two records were recorded at the same place. Not that they needed to sound the same, but I was excepting a better sound on FSSD, too flat and dry.

 

[one man]

To me the sound FSSD is way too sterile. The Gathering sound, in turn, would have been untouchable, had Steve's bass been made more audible in the mix.

 

[redfly]

I don't mind the sound of the drums too much.But they seem reserved to me.I think if Gene had been allowed to go off it would have sounded better.

God I would have loved Steve's bass to have been louder.I don't know how he plays a fretless bass in a thrash band.Props!

I had no problem with the sound of FSSD.I just wish they had tuned the way the albums are.

 

[Sole Reaper]

and played a little faster.

 

[one man]

charting for the fifth week in the US: #187, 2,100 sold. Not bad at all.

 

[one man]

Speaking of the award chances outside the US, the album has been charting better in certain countries than some of the latest albums by notable metal artists, such as Slayer or Anthrax. For example World Painted Blood was certified gold in Poland, but its peak position on the chart was 16 (DROE was 8th), and it managed to stay thereon for 4 weeks (DROE is currently on position 42 after its 3rd week), so there are some chances. However, it will take much more time to have 10.000 people purchase it than in the case of Slayer, no doubt (with dropping album sales in general and the overall popularity of the band as the main factors of the similar chart history with probably different figures).

 

[redfly]

and played a little faster.

Yeah that also!