Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week as well as what’s getting played at metal radio courtesy of radio trade magazine FMQB, whose metal panel consists of about 80 college and commercial stations that have metal shows, as well as SiriusXM, Music Choice, and more.
If it wasn’t for Li’l Wayne, Rob Zombie would have the biggest rock debut of the week. However, his “rock album” Rebirth is the #2 album this week, having sold 175,000 copies. A few things of note: that’s about 825,000 less than his last album sold in the first week. And Wayne’s idea of rock seems to be a) look cool with a guitar and, um, that’s about it. With the Grammys taking place last week, it looks like some people actually decided to buy music. There’s no home runs on the metal front, but some pretty decent increases on the chart. Fear Factory and Mutiny Within top FMQB’s charts.
Notable Debuts:
Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2: (Loud and Proud/Roadrunner) #8 49,000 sold
This album’s subtitle is way too long for me to type. Maybe if I got paid by the word.
Charred Walls of the Damned, Charred Walls of the Damned (Metal Blade) 2,200 sold
Howard Stern and Iced Earth fans combined to sell about 1,100 records each of this surprisingly good album.
Bruce Kulick, BK3 (Rocket Science) 1,700 sold
Not to be confused with R&B sensation B2K.
Through the Eyes of the Dead, Skepsis (Prosthetic) 1,500 sold
The band’s third full-length is off to a pretty good start, but a former KISS guitarist outsold them by 200 records.
Dommin, Love is Gone (Roadrunner) 1,400 sold
Roadrunner’s answer to H.I.M. is actually touring with them, which might make for some confusion.
Priestess, Prior to the Fire (Tee Pee) 400 sold
This has actually been out since October in the band’s native Canada.
Notable Sales:
Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures
How about that? A 42% increase from last week shows that maybe SNL does sell records.
Alice In Chains, Black Gives Way To Blue (Virgin) #84, 7,000 sold
Elton John is probably the only person that will ever be able to say he performed with both Alice in Chains and Lady Gaga.
Mudvayne, Mudvayne (Epic) #114, 5,200 sold
A 10% increase from last week’s chart.
Five Finger Death Punch, War Is The Answer
What is the question?
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner) #137, 3,850 sold
This album’s been out forever, but keeps selling. Good work out of them.
Motley Crue, Greatest Hits (Motley Records) #157, 3,300 sold
He’s the one they call Dr. Feel Old.
Alesana, Emptiness (Fearless) #170, 3,000 sold
A pretty big 66% drop from last week.
Fozzy, Chasing the Grail (Riot Entertainment) 1,100 sold
Chris Jericho hit on my friend’s girlfriend a few weeks ago. Truth.
Living Sacrifice, The Infinite Order (Tooth & Nail) 700 sold
A pretty dramatic 72% decrease from their debut last week.
Between the Buried and Me, The Great Misdirect (Victory) 675 sold
Their headlining tour seems to be helping out sales.
Attack Attack!, Someday Came Suddenly (Rise) 600 sold
They should tour with 30 Seconds To Mars and call it the “Mars Attack Attacks” tour.
Taking Dawn, Time to Burn (Roadrunner) 550 sold
This neo cock-rock band should keep selling, especially once people see them live.
Otep, Smash the Control Machine (Victory) 550 sold
They’re up past 41,000. Looks like signing them was a good move for Victory.
Epica, Design Your Universe (Nuclear Blast) 500 sold
A pretty impressive 37% increase this week. Grammy bump, or did she appear topless somewhere?
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season
A cell phone company should sponsor their next tour. You can’t tell me “Bring Me The Verizon” doesn’t have a ring to it. Get it? Ring? No? Sorry, I won’t do that again…
Ihsahn, After (Candlelight) 450 sold
Everyone’s saying this album rules, but we haven’t heard it yet. C’mon Candlelight, hook a brutha up!
Six Feet Under, Graveyard Classics 3 (Metal Blade) 450 sold
Between them and the second disc of the Austrian Death Machine album, Metal Blade has quite a collection of covers albums.
Despised Icon, Day of Mourning (Century Media) 420 sold
A 20% increase from last week gives them a resurgence on the chart. And up to about 14,500 sold.
Volbeat, Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (Megaforce) 420 sold
Metallica-approved band continues to sell here in America, likely due to support from SiriusXM.
Baroness, Blue Record (Relapse) 400 sold
They’re playing both Coachella and Bonnaroo, which should help them gain both sales and indie cred.
Nile, Those Whom the Gods Detest
Karl Sanders and friends are currently on tour, which could be helping them sell some records.
FMQB Most Added
1. Fear Factory, Mechanize (Candlelight) 47 adds
2. Overkill, Ironbound (E1) 45 adds
3t. Arsis, Starve For the Devil (Nuclear Blast) 33 adds
3t. Devolved, Calculated (Unique Leader) 33 adds
5. Arkaik , Reflections Within Dissonance (Unique Leader) 31 adds
FMQB Top Ten
1. Fear Factory, Mechanize“ (Candlelight)
5. Shadows Fall, Retribution (Everblack Industries)
6. Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (Roadrunner/Loud and Proud)
3. Freya, All Hail the End (Victory)
7. Rammstein, Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (Vagrant)
8. Katatonia, Night is the New Day (Peaceville)
4. Mudvayne, Mudvayne (Epic)
2. Mutiny Within, Mutiny Within (Roadrunner)
7. Megadeth, Endgame (Roadrunner)
8. Six Feet Under, Graveyard Classics 3 (Metal Blade)
9. Slayer, World Painted Blood (Sony)
10. Ihsahn, After (Candlelight)
