MIKE PATTON's 'Mondo Cane' Lands On Classical Albums Chart

Mike Patton's "Mondo Cane" is turning out to be an album of many firsts for the revered front man of influential bands such as FAITH NO MORE, MR. BUNGLE, PEEPING TOM and FANTÔMAS. Not only is the album Patton's first Italian language release as well as his first outing with a full orchestra, the album also finds him landing on Billboard's Classical Albums chart for the first time.

"Mondo Cane" (Ipecac Recordings),which sold 2,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release, entered the Billboard Classical Album chart at No. 2, an unexpected twist on a chart that regularly features the MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR and IL DIVO. The eleven-song album was years in the making with Patton selecting pieces from the great Italian composers and pouring over every detail for this labor of love. As Patton described the process himself, his motivation was to showcase the music's persistent relevance through "modern and adventurous interpretation."

Spin described the release as "a rich and heartfelt celebration of Italian pop music," The Onion said of the album, "flagrantly enjoyable from first gasp to final croon" and the BBC proclaimed "Mondo Cane" as "the most gonzo recording of Patton's none-more-gonzo career."

"Mondo Cane" debuted at position No. 7 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

A live performance of the album's first single, Gino Paoli's "Il Cielo In Una Stanza", can be viewed below.