Metallica have stormed to the the top of the US Billboard album chart, selling over 500,000 copies of their new record 'Death Magnetic' in under a week.

The band's new LP, which is also number one in the UK, only went on sale officially in stores last Friday (September 12th).

The record has outsold the opening sales week of Metallica's previous album, 'St Anger', which shifted 419,000.

The 2003 record was also released on a Friday but was rushed into stores after being leaked online.

(by Jason Gregory)