Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
This week’s top heavy metal/hard rock debut came from Japan’s very own Dir En Grey. The experimental metal group’s eighth studio album Dum Spiro Spero cracks the top 120, selling over 3,900 copies. As impressive as this was, Dir En Grey’s latest album sold little more than half of 2008’s Uroboros (which sold slightly above 6,000 copies in its first week, debuting at #114). Despite this, it’s still impressive for any band nowadays to sell half of what they sold two or three years ago. One thing is for sure, though, Dir En Grey’s sales are probably doing a hell of a lot better in their homeland.
Notable Debuts:
Dir En Grey, Dum Spiro Spero (The End) #119, 3,920 sold
While it’s still a solid first week, we are surprised that the Entertainment Weekly review didn’t help sales more.
Bury Your Dead, Mosh ‘N’ Roll (Mediaskare) #123, 3,700 sold
Though the metalcore group’s first album with original singer Mat Bruso is their highest ranking debut to date, it only sells around half of what 2006’s Beauty And The Breakdown (which sold over 7,000 copies in its first week, debuting at #129).
Nekromantix, What Happens in Hell, Stays in Hell (Hellcat) 1,740 sold
The Danish psychobilly group’s eighth studio album has a solid first week.
Notable Sales:
Theory Of A Deadman, Truth Is (Roadrunner) #45, 9,050 sold
Only a 13% decease for these mainstream hard rockers in their fourth week on the charts.
Incubus, If Not Now, When? (Epic) #48, 8,580 sold
A 35% decrease finds the band falling down the charts by 19 spots. So, not now…
Foo Fighters, Wasting Light (RCA) #64, 6,780 sold
Despite a very slight increase in sales, Dave Grohl and Co. fall four spots down the charts.
Seether, Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray (Wind-Up) #87, 5,190 sold
Roughly around the same number of sales as last week despite falling seven spots down the charts.
Kid Rock, Born Free (Atlantic) #96, 4,700 sold
Another 9% decrease finds the American Badass four spots away from exiting the top 100 (after falling 15 spots down the charts).
Hollywood Undead, American Tragedy (A&M/Octone) #97, 4,670 sold
For some reason, the rapcore group experiences a 19% increase, which sees them re-entering the top 100.
Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare (Warner Bros.) #135, 3,480 sold
Roughly around the same place as last week for A7X. We have to imagine that their headlining stint on the Uproar Tour will only help sales further.
Limp Bizkit, Gold Cobra (Interscope) #158, 3,040 sold
Here’s a question for those who’ve actually bought this album (we know that at least 49,700 of you own it): what would you say is the best track on Gold Cobra?
Suicide Silence, The Black Crown (Century Media) #162, 2,990 sold
This Sunday is the last date of Mayhem Fest, which means you only have five days left to enter for the chance to win a Suicide Silence guitar!
Black Veil Brides, Set the World on Fire (Universal Republic) #169, 2,900 sold
BVB fall another 11 spots down the charts.
All Shall Perish, This is Where it Ends (Nuclear Blast) #170, 2,890 sold
After an impressive top 50 debut last week, the deathcore group experiences a 66% decrease and fall 123 spots down the charts.
Jamey Jasta, Jasta (eOne) 1,530 sold
The Hatebreed/Kingdom Of Sorrow frontman’s debut solo album gets kicked out of the top 200 thanks to a 62% decrease in his second week. He will be heard… just not with this album so much.
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) 1,510 sold
For some reason, the Danish garage metallers have been experiencing a slight increase up the charts in the past few weeks. This time they experience a 8% increase.
Sleeping Giant, Kingdom Days in an Evil Age (Ain’t No Grave) 680 sold
The metalcore group experiences a 16% decrease in its fourth week on the charts.
Rival Sons, Pressure & Time (Earache) 500 sold
A 47% decrease for the California blues rock group’s first full length via Earache Records. And now you can check these guys out on Spotify!
Straight Line Stitch, The Fight of Our Lives (eOne) 490 sold
A 20% increase shows why playing at Mayhem Fest can pay off.
Red Fang, Murder the Mountains (Relapse) 460 sold
Seeing that the stoner metal group hasn’t been on the charts since June, we’d say playing Mayhem Fest has been paying off for them as well.
Decapitated, Carnival is Forever (Nuclear Blast) 440 sold
Another 24% decrease for the Polish death metal group in their fourth week.
Toxic Holocaust, Conjure and Command (Relapse) 430 sold
The blackened thrash metal group experiences another 16% decrease.
World Under Blood, Tactical (Nuclear Blast) 420 sold
CKY frontman Deron Miller and Divine Heresy/Morbid Angel drummer Tim Yeung’s death metal group experiences a 54% decrease in their second week on the charts. Miller might not want to quit his day job after all.
