STONE SOUR's 'Audio Secrecy' Lands In U.S. Top 10

"Audio Secrecy", the third album from STONE SOUR — the band featuring SLIPKNOT members Corey Taylor (vocals) and Jim Root (guitar) — sold 46,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 6 on The Billboard 200 chart. STONE SOUR also claimed the top spot on the iTunes Rock Album chart, shooting straight to No. 1 with a special edition of the record, which included three bonus tracks. Internationally, the album garnered the highest debuts of the band’s career including Top 5 charts in Germany, Japan and Austria, as well as top 10 in the U.K. and Australia.

STONE SOUR's sophomore effort, "Come What(ever) May" (2006),moved 81,000 units in the U.S. its first week out — triple what STONE SOUR's gold-selling debut album (2002) shifted its first week.

Since its release in early July, STONE SOUR's new single, "Say You'll Haunt Me", has climbed the charts to become a bonafide smash: the track is currently No. 3 at Active Rock, No. 5 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart and No. 12 at Modern Rock, equaling an audience of more than 13 million. The song's companion clip (see below) is the No. 2 most played video on MTV2 and is No. 3 on Fuse's "Rock Countdown".

The album looks to maintain momentum with follow-up single "Hesitate", which already reached No. 11 on the iTunes Rock Singles chart without the benefit of a radio campaign. The group will shoot a video for the song on September 20 in Los Angeles with director Paul Brown (JACK WHITE/ALICIA KEYS, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, JOHN MAYER) and directing collective Beta Movement/Skulley FX.

Revolver magazine hailed the record for being a diverse balance of melodic metal, hard rock, infused with radio ready choruses, psychedelic tinged tunes, and heart-bare ballads; and Popmatters called it an "archetypal album," one that "defines what new bands in the hard rock and alternative metal scene should aspire to." Associated Press said the record "packs a punch," adding, "Whatever music store shelf STONE SOUR lands on, metal or hard rock, they’ve proven one thing on 'Audio Secrecy' — they can do extremely well in both and have delivered some anthem worthy material."

STONE SOUR (lead vocalist Corey Taylor, guitarists James Root and Josh Rand, bassist Shawn Economaki and drummer Roy Mayorga) is playing songs from the album during its current tour with the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival. Following Uproar, the band will criss-cross the globe, playing Loud Park in Japan, followed by dates in Europe in October/November then hitting the Soundwave Festival in Australia next year.

"Audio Secrecy" was made available in three different versions:

* Standard edition
* Limited-edition two-LP version which comes with the double LP in gatefold packaging and a special signed album cover lithograph that you can't get anywhere else. Hidden throughout 30 copies of the limited edition of "Audio Secrecy" are golden tickets that will give access to a special meet-and-greet with STONE SOUR.

"Audio Secrecy" track listing:

01. Audio Secrecy
02. Mission Statement
03. Digital (Did You Tell)
04. Say You'll Haunt Me
05. Dying
06. Let's Be Honest
07. Unfinished
08. Hesitate
09. Nylon 6/6
10. Miracles
11. Pieces
12. The Bitter End
13. Imperfect
14. Threadbare

Limited-edition bonus tracks:

* Hate Not Gone
* Anna
* Home Again

* Special edition of "Audio Secrecy" which includes the above-mentioned three bonus tracks and a DVD featuring a 45-minute in-studio documentary about the making of "Audio Secrecy" and video of three songs from STONE SOUR's performance at the U.K.'s Download festival in June 2010.

"Say You'll Haunt Me", the new video from STONE SOUR, can be viewed below. The clip was helmed by director Paul R. Brown, who has previously worked with SLIPKNOT, MÖTLEY CRÜE, KORN, GODSMACK and AVENGED SEVENFOLD, among others.

"Come What(ever) May" debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard album chart and included the hits "Through Glass", "Sillyworld" and "Made Of Scars".