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.
Pretty decent week for metal debuts, with Fear Factory and Overkill debuting in the top 200. That’s the first time that sentence has been typed since the mid ’90s. The biggest debut by something that could count as metal actually goes to H.I.M. with Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, who debuted at #25 selling almost 26,000 copies. However, we’re giving the artwork to Fear Factory because a) their art is much cooler and b) H.I.M. has a song called “Heartkiller.” On the metal radio front, Overkill charges into the top 10 while former (and maybe current soon?) Killswitch Engage frontman Jesse Leach’s new band, The Empire Shall Fall, takes most added honors.
Notable Debuts:
H.I.M., Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice (Reprise) #25, 26,000 sold
Lots of Hot Topic and Bam Margera fans out there. Or lots of Finnish people.
Fear Factory, Mechanize (Candlelight) #71, 10,5000 sold
Damn respectable debut for an album that’s supposedly their best in years.
Overkill, Ironbound (E1) 4,100 sold
This is the best metal thing named after a section of Newark NJ since their roller derby team, the Ironbound Maidens!
Arsis, Stare For the Devil (Nuclear Blast) 1,800 sold
The band’s second album is off to a pretty solid start.
Annotations of an Autopsy, Reign of Darkness (Nuclear Blast) 1,000 sold
I don’t know anything about this band, but they have a pretty cool name.
Notable Sales:
Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2: (Loud and Proud/Roadrunner) #8 49,000 sold
What’s Sean Yseult up to these days? Was she really hot, or just kickass because she played bass in White Zombie?
Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures
This has a 26% increase from last week, which had a 42% increase from the week before. Looks like SNL really does sell records.
Alice In Chains, Black Gives Way To Blue (Virgin) #84, 6,900 sold
They’re back on tour again, and judging from the reaction, it’s as if their last singer never ODd.
Mudvayne, Mudvayne (Epic) #130, 5,400 sold
Another increase from last week pushed them over 81,000 total.
Five Finger Death Punch, War Is The Answer
FFDP are also chugging along, selling 11% more than they did last week.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner) #137, 4,300 sold
In two weeks, this album will have sold 900,000 copies.
Charred Walls of the Damned, Charred Walls of the Damned (Metal Blade) 1,200 sold
This is a really solid album and all, but the Richard Christy album I’m really holding out for is of him and Sal’s crank calls.
Fozzy, Chasing the Grail (Riot Entertainment) 950 sold
Who will put out a better album this year, Ozzy or Fozzy?
Through the Eyes of the Dead, Skepsis (Prosthetic) 900 sold
Up to 2,500 sold in two weeks. Not bad for death metal.
Bruce Kulick, BK3 (Rocket Science) 850 sold
Every former KISS guitarist seems to be releasing a solo album.
Living Sacrifice, The Infinite Order (Tooth & Nail) 775 sold
They actually sold more in their third week than they did their second.
Attack Attack!, Someday Came Suddenly (Rise) 675 sold
I’m pretty much out of things to say about them.
Dommin, Love is Gone (Roadrunner) 600 sold
2,000 sold in two weeks. I’d say H.I.M. is pissed, but they seem to have sold more this week.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season
Creeping up towards 90,000 sold…
Taking Dawn, Time to Burn (Roadrunner) 580 sold
A bit of an increase this week, which is nice for a building band.
Between the Buried and Me, The Great Misdirect (Victory) 560 sold
It’ll be interesting to see where this band winds up now that their Victory contract is up.
Otep, Smash the Control Machine (Victory) 550 sold
They sold just about the same as they did last week.
Mnemic, Sons of the System (Nuclear Blast) 540 sold
I’d say Fear Factory is pissed, but I just used that joke.
Baroness, Blue Record (Relapse) 500 sold
I’m very psyched about the Mastodon tour. You guys?
Epica, Design Your Universe (Nuclear Blast) 450 sold
This is slowly creeping up towards 10,000 sold.
Despised Icon, Day of Mourning (Century Media) 420 sold
Good mourning – past 15,000.
Volbeat, Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (Megaforce) 420 sold
This Social D meets metal band has a new album coming out soon. I’d classify them more as rock than metal, but it’s still pretty fun.
FMQB Most Added
1. The Empire Shall Fall, Awaken (Angle Side Side) 39 adds
2. Heathen, The Evolution of Chaos (Mascot Records) 37 adds
3. Carnifex, Hell Chose Me (Victory) 36 adds
4. Wrath and Rapture, Wrath and Rapture (Tragic Hero) 34 adds
5. Karnivool, Sound Awake (SIN/Sony Australia) 28 adds
FMQB Top Ten
1. Fear Factory, Mechanize (Candlelight)
2. Shadows Fall, Retribution (Everblack Industries)
3. Rammstein, Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da (Vagrant)
4. Rob Zombie, Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (Roadrunner/Loud and Proud)
5. Freya, All Hail the End (Victory)
6. Mudvayne, Mudvayne (Epic)
7. Slayer, World Painted Blood (Sony)
8. Overkill, Ironbound (E1)
9. Mutiny Within, Mutiny Within (Roadrunner)
10. Throwdown, Deathless (E1)
