Veteran rockers Metallica have returned to the music scene and they’re at the top of their game, registering with “Death Magnetic” their fifth Billboard 200 topper in its first week of release.

“Death Magnetic” was released less than a week ago and it soared to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200, selling 490,000 units since Friday, reports Billboard.com.

This is the group’s first studio album since 2003’s “St Anger,” which sold 418,000 copies in its first week of release in the US at the time.

They last ruled the charts in 2004 with the soundtrack to their documentary “Some Kind Of Monster,” a film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Billboard.com notes that “Death Magnetic” has brought the biggest numbers to the chart in five weeks, after the release of the Jonas Brothers’ “A Little Bit Longer,” which sold 525,000 copies within a week.

Interesting juxtaposition that, heavy metal rockers Metallica and pop trio the Jonas Brothers.

Five years ago, “St Anger” was released earlier than planned, over fears that it could leak and thus lead to financial loss. The release of “Death Magnetic” had a similar fate, as the album was supposedly sold in a Parisian record store more than a week before its official release.

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich told San Francisco radio station Live 105 that he was happy with the leak and happy with the public’s desire for the album. “If this thing leaks all over the world today or tomorrow, happy days. Happy days. Trust me,” the drummer said, as quoted by Kerrang.com.

“Ten days out and it hasn’t quote-unquote fallen off the truck yet? Everybody’s happy. It’s 2008 and it’s part of how it is these days, so it’s fine. We’re happy,” he added.

The happy members of Metallica will soon embark on a North American tour in support of their album, starting off Oct. 21 in Glendale, Az. and ending Feb. 1 in Newark, NJ, according to their website.