Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Any day there’s an metal album in the top ten is worthy of praise. When there’s two, that’s even better. And when one of those albums is second only to Paul Simon’s first release in five years, that’s pretty damn good. And when that album comes from Volbeat, well, that’s just the cherry on top of this hearty list of debuts. We certainly need more than a few cherries nowadays what with all that’s going on in the world. I won’t get into all that here because, let’s face it, you see enough of it everywhere else. I’ll only say that stepping away from the computer and just putting on some music might do you good if you’re overwhelmed by the feeling of everything sucking.
Notable Debuts:
Volbeat, Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie (Universal) #2, 47,900 sold
Volbeat’s new album marks their best debut yet in the US, beating out its predecessor which debuted at #9 with a 39,000 first week total.
Hellyeah, Unden!able (Eleven Seven)
Debut#10
20,000 sold
The band reach the top 10 for the first time since 2010’s Stampede. It’s a far cry from the 47,000 their first album sold back in 2010, but it’s sold more than their last two albums.
Beartooth, Aggressive (Red Bull)
Debut #14
15,850 sold
The band’s second album outdoes its predecessor, selling more than double its first week.
Melvins, Basses Loaded (Ipecac)
Debut #147
1,500 sold
Melvins already released a collaborative album with with Mike Kunka (godheadSilo) back in April, but now they have an album of their own out too. As you might have already imagined, there are a variety of bass players on this album. Steven Shane McDonald (Redd Kross, OFF!) makes his debut as a member on the album, but Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle) and Jeff Pinkus (Butthole Surfers) also pop up on the record, along with Big Business’ Jared Warren.
Cough, Still They Pray (Relapse)
Debut #183
1,250 sold
This is the band’s first album in six years.
Jorn, Heavy Rock Radio (Frontiers)
870 sold
Jørn Lande’s new album is all covers of songs that inspired his musical career. That includes songs by Journey, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and some more esoteric stuff like Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” and John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice.”
Candlemass, Death Thy Lover (Napalm)
690 sold
Psalms of the Dead in 2012 was purported to be Candlemass’s last album. No one said anything about releasing a new EP though.
If These Trees Could Talk, The Bones of a Dying World (Metal Blade)
680 sold
The band’s third album is their first release on Metal Blade after self-releasing their first two LP’s. Remember when we premiered “Earth Crawler?” That was pretty cool huh?
Dark Funeral, Where Shadows Forever Reign (Century Media)
650 sold
Dark Funeral’s sixth album is their first since 2009.
Combichrist, This Is Where Death Begins (Rough Trade)
640 sold
The band’s seventh album includes a two and three-CD versions with live recordings.
Four By Fate, Relentless (The End)
480 sold
The debut album from a supergroup featuring ex-Frehley’s Comet and Skid Row members.
Nervosa, Agony (Napalm)
430 sold
This is the second album from the all female Brazilian thrash trio.
Message To The Masses, Means To An End (Artery)
230 sold
New EP from a band that features three members named Matt and one Myke.
Tarja, The Brightest Void (Earmusic)230 sold
One of two albums that Tarja will release this year. The second is out in August.
Notable Sales:
Disturbed, Immortalized (Reprise)
#35 (from 26), 6,575 sold
Over 400,000 sold, and the “Sound of Silence” cover is up to over 780,000, which is a huge number for anything to be downloaded.
Lacuna Coil, Delirium (Century Media)
#48 (from 16)
4,575 sold
A 65% second week drop.
Pierce the Veil, Misadventures (Fearless)
#54 (from 38)
4,275 sold
A 21% drop with nearly 70,000 sold.
Thrice, To be Everywhere is to be Nowhere (Vagrant)
#57 (from 8)
3,875 sold
An 82% drop in week two is putting them a little closer to nowhere. Their tour should keep them visible though.
Five Finger Death Punch, Got Your Six (Prospect Park)
#89 (from 70)
2,575 sold
At week 40, this is at nearly 360,000 sold in total.
Rob Zombie, The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (UMe)
#90 (from 72)
2,525 sold
Dispensing a slight 4% drop. Up to about 62,000 sold in week 6.
Issues, Headspace (Rise)
#110 (from 69)
1,900 sold
Heading for a 34% drop.
Death Angel, The Evil Divide (Nuclear Blast)
#113 (from 33)
1,850 sold
A 71% drop in week two.
Deftones, Gore (Reprise)
#108
1,750 sold
A teeny tiny 1% boost.
Hatebreed, The Concrete Confessional (Nuclear Blast)
#135 (from 99)
1,600 sold
Fess up to a 16% drop.
Sixx:A.M., Prayers for the Damned (Eleven Seven)
#137 (from 135)
1,600 sold
A small boost of 9%.
Shinedown, Threat To Survival (Atlantic)
#145 (from 127)
1,525 sold
A 1% drop is hardly a threat.
Breaking Benjamin, Dark Before Dawn (Hollywood)
Re-entry #168
1,325 sold
A 33% boost back onto the charts puts this over 342,000 sold.
Megadeth, Dystopia (Tradecraft/UMe)
#184 (from 137)
1,225 sold
A 14% drop with over 120,000 sold in week 20.
Katatonia, The Fall of Hearts (Peaceville)
500 sold
A 42% drop.
Red Sun Rising, Polyester Zeal (Razor & Tie)
A drop of 9%, but the album’s been on the charts for nearly a year now.
Gruesome, Dimensions of Horror (Relapse)
300 sold
A 56% drop is horrific.
Fallujah, Dreamless (Nuclear Blast)
300 sold
A 12% drop.
Gorguts, Pleiades’ Dust (Season of Mist)
300 sold
In case you didn’t know, the Pleiades are the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione in Greek mythology.
Kvelertak, Nattesferd (Roadrunner)
280 sold
A 24% drop.
Flotsam and Jetsam, Flotsam and Jetsam (AFM)
270 sold
A 32% drop. Well, you win sam, you lose sam.
Texas Hippie Coalition, Dark Side of Black (Carved)
220 sold
A drop of 11% is dark.
Erra, Drift (Sumerian)
220 sold
Drifting away with a 37% drop shows that a lot of bands on this list are doing better than erra.
Aborted, Retrogore (Century Media)
210 sold
Boosted back up by 40%.
