Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top sellers 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.
It was a pretty good week for Metal saleswise. Lacuna Coil’s Shallow Life gets a top 20 debut, which is definitely impressive for them. That great debut almost overshadows another amazing debut. Chimaira’s fifth album debuted at #30, a great showing for them and Ferret Records. On FMQB’s chart, Mastodon hangs tough for another week at #1, their fourth atop the chart.
Notable Debuts:
Lacuna Coil, Shallow Life (Century Media) #16, 21,000 sold
#16 is impressive, no matter how you slice it. While Rick Ross might have sold nearly eight times that amount to debut at #1, we bet more people would want to meet Cristina Scabbia!
Chimaira, The Infection (Ferret) #30, 15,000 sold
Hello Cleveland! Chimaira just keep picking up in popularity. The new album might have been helped by their awesome deluxe edition.
Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society, Skullage: Greatest Hits (Eagle Rock) #11, 4.600 sold
BLS is on tour in support of this. As Mike Gitter put it, “like the Dead for bikers.”
Seventh Void, Heaven is Gone (Big Vin) 1,750 sold
Type O side project has a pretty respectable debut.
Daath, Concealers (Century Media) 1,300 sold
The label’s first album for Century Media seems to be off to a pretty good start.
My Dying Bride, For Lies I Sire (Peaceville) 660 sold
So close to 666…
Sirenia, The 13th Floor (Nuclear Blast) 500 sold
The goth-metal band’s fourth album, not bad, but not quite Lacuna Coil numbers.
Notable Sales:
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs (Octone) #42, 11,000 sold
And they’re selling even more than they did last week. This right here is the reason Limp Bizkit reunited.
Kid Rock, Rock N’ Roll Jesus (Atlantic) #62, 7,500 sold
And this is the reason their next album will have a country song on it. Hard to believe a year and a half later, there’s still 7,500 people that don’t have this album yet.
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #75, 6,400 sold
They need to come back this summer. Seriously.
Mastodon, Crack the Skye,(Reprise) #88, 5,500 sold
Another 25% decrease, but this will still likely be their biggest selling album.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #112, 4,600 sold.
This is selling consistently nine months in.
Queensryche, American Soldier (Rhino) #105, 4,100 sold
They’re really playing Rage For Order and Empire in their entirety on this tour? wow!
Lamb of God, Wrath (Epic) #142, 3,600 sold
Their tour and the buzz from the album is sustaining consistent sales.
AC/DC, Black Ice (Columbia) #169, 3,000 sold
A half a year, 2 million sold. Not so bad. Wooo!
A Day To Remember, Homesick (Victory) #172, 3,000 sold
The buzz keeps growing about these guys.
Silverstein, Shipwreck in the Sand (Victory) #176, 3,000 sold
Their fourth album has sold 30,000 so far.
Static-X, Cult of Static (Warner Bros.) #190, 2,700 sold
Currently winning over audiences on the SnoCore tour.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 1,200 sold
They’re selling at least as many copies of this every week.
Impending Doom, Serpent Servant (Facedown) 1,000 sold
At about 8,500 sold in a month.
Oceano, Depths (Earache) 950 sold.
This band’s video was on Headbangers Ball when a Metal Insider staffer woke up from a nap and he said it was “terrifying.”
God Forbid, Earthsblood (Century Media) 600 copies sold
Selling almost the same exaxt number as they did last week.
FMQB Most Added
1. Hatebreed, For the Lions (E1)
2. Iwrestledabearonce, “You Ain’t No Family” Single (Century Media)
3. God Dethroned, Passiondale (Metal Blade)
4. Birds of Prey, The Hell Preacher (Relapse)
5. As I Lay Dying, “I Never Wanted” Single (Metal Blade)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise)
2. Chimaira, The Infection (Ferret Music)
3. Lamb of God, Wrath (Epic)
4. Static-X, Cult of Static (Reprise)
5. Psychostick, Sandwich (Rock Ridge)
6. Heaven and Hell, “The Bible Black” Single (Rhino)
7. Lazarus A.D., The Onslaught (Metal Blade)
8. Volbeat, Guitars, Gangsters and Cadillac Blood (Mascot)
9. Daath, The Concealers (Century Media)
10. Oceano, Depths (Earache)
