Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week. We’re sorry for the awful pun. However, we can’t help but find it ironic that all of last week’s releases experienced major decreases in sales while this week’s highest metal/hard rock debut comes from Scale The Summit. Case in point, Devildriver’s fifth album experienced a 63% decrease during its second week on the charts. Yet out of all six new releases from last week, they ranked the highest. Talk about scaling down in sales. The next few weeks will see some more big releases on the charts, but will last week’s debuts (as well as this week’s for that matter) be around for much longer? Well…it certainly doesn’t look too good for them.
Notable Debuts:
Scale the Summit, The Collective (Prosthetic) 990 sold
Sharing the stage with the likes of Dream Theater, Between The Buried And Me, and Periphery probably helped the instrumental progressive metallers’ sales out considerably.
Gideon, Costs (Facedown) 550 sold
Chris Colgan highly praised Gideon’s frontman Daniel McWhorter in New & Noteworthy. What do the rest of you think about McWhorter?
Notable Sales:
Kid Rock, Born Free (Atlantic) #27, 13,800 sold
Out of curiosity, anyone pick this album up at a Little Caesars?
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network Movie Soundtrack (The Null Corporation) #57, 8,640 sold
With a 73% increase in sales and rising 54 spots up the charts, it’s safe to say that theOscar win is really kicking in. But don’t worry, NIN fans, new music that isn’t recorded for a film is on the way.
Linkin Park, A Thousand Suns (Warner Bros.) #59, 8,600 sold
We know it’s been a while, but no one has still been able to explain to us what the hell is up with this album’s cover. So…what the hell is up with this album’s cover?
Red, Until We Have Faces (Essential) #79, 6,280 sold
Somehow we over looked the Christian hard rock group last week, who have been hanging around comfortably in the top 80 for the past two weeks.
Five Finger Death Punch, War is the Answer (Prospect Park) #88, 5,580 sold
A slight increase in sales is enough to see FFDP jump eight spots up the charts.
Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare (Warner Bros.) #109, 5,000 sold
Unlike FFDP, a slight increase in sales isn’t enough to get A7X back in the top 100.
Disturbed, Asylum (Reprise) #122, 4,340 sold
Different chart position, but almost the same amount sold last week.
Devildriver, Beast (Roadrunner) #124, 4,000 sold
They may have had a strong first week, but in their second week, Devildriver fall 83 spots down the charts with a 64% decrease. But at least their second week drop wasn’t as bad as…
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, D.R.U.G.S. (Sire) #131, 3,900 sold
OUCH! This scream/pop punk supergroup’s debut album fall 103 spots down the charts and experience a 72% decrease in their second week. They may need some drugs to ease the pain after such a major fall. That said, Chiodos fans are a loyal group, and 4,000 sales in the second week seems to suggest this isn’t going anywhere for a while.
A Day To Remember, What Separates Me from You (Victory) #181, 3,020 sold
Only ten spots down the charts from last week.
Rev Theory, Justice (Interscope), #182, 3,000 sold
After falling 45 spots down the charts, and experiencing a 26% decrease, it’s safe to say that Rev Theory’s days on the charts are numbered.
I See Stars, The End Of The World Party (Sumerian) 1,420 sold
With a 67% decrease in their second week, I See Star’s party might not last so long.
Asking Alexandria, Stand up and Scream (Sumerian) 1,380 sold
This album came out in the Fall of 2009….who exactly is still buying this album?!
Darkest Hour, The Human Romance (eOne Music) 1,280 sold
A 64% decrease in their second week is not exactly the best news for a band who just switched record labels to hear, but Darkest Hour will live and die on the road.
Deicide, To Hell With God (Century Media) 715 sold
What do you think Glen Benton and company will be less happy to hear about: that their album experienced a 35% decrease in its third week, or that this happened?
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) 670 sold
You know who is probably the most excited for the Revolver Golden Gods Awards?
Volbeat. It’ll be the best exposure they’ve ever received in the States.
The Damned Things, Ironiclast (Island) 1,000 sold
With a 40% decrease in their twelfth week, this supergroup is also most likely excited for the exposure their soon to be tour mates will receive from the award show.
Crowbar, Sever the Wicked Hand (eOne Music) 580 sold
With another 20% decrease, the sludge metal kings are probably anxious for the Metalliance Tour to start.
We Came As Romans, To Plant A Seed (Equal Vision) 560 sold
The Metal By Numbers staple stick around for another week.
OFF!, The First Four EPs (Vice) 560 sold
After a solid jump last week, the hardcore/punk supergroup’s sales decrease slightly.
Asking Alexandria, Life Gone Wild EP (Sumerian) 540 sold
We’ll ask again: who is still buy these old releases?! Are their covers of Skid Row really that good?
Earth, Angels of Darkness Demons of Light 1 (Southern Lord) 540 sold
A 48% decrease seems modest compared to how the other releases from last week are currently doing.
Chelsea Grin, Desolation Of Eden (Razor & Tie/Artery) 460 sold
Once again popping back in after a brief absence from the charts.
Belphegor, Blood Magick Necromance (Nuclear Blast) 440 sold
Also making a sudden reappearance after a three week absence is Belphegor.
Evergrey, Glorious Collision (SPV/Steamhammer) 370 sold
Another release from last week experiencing a major decrease (58% to be exact).
