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.
It looks like a pretty shitty week for new music overall. When the #1 album in the country (by something called Sugarland) barely sells 75,000, you know music is in a bad place this week. In fact, the only metal debut this week is by Hank III and his band Assjack. At FMQB, it’s business as usual, with Killswitch and Devildriver at the top. Municipal Waste is the most added band at metal radio. Now quit reading this and go buy a record.
Notable Debuts:
Assjack, Assjack (Curb)
The songs on this album have been floating around as bootlegs for years, but it’s cool to have music from Hank III’s punk/metal band collected on an album you can actually buy.
Notable Sales:
Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot (Redline/Fontana) #50, 9,400 sold
Meanwhile, Sammy still can’t drive 55. Mainly because he’s doing 35 in the speed lane with a turn signal on.
Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner) #74, 5,900 sold
These guys and Behemoth stole the show for us at Mayhem.
Kid Rock, Rock N’ Roll Jesus (Atlantic) #88, 5,100 sold
Only God knows why this keeps selling. See what I did there?
August Burns Red, Constellations (Solid State) #121, 3,700 sold
The band takes their name from a vengeful ex-girlfriend (named August) of the band’s first singer that set his dog (named Redd) on fire. Wow.
Disturbed, Indestructable (Reprise) #135, 3,300 sold
Next year, the band’s debut album, The Sickness, turns 10. You are officially old.
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #144, 3,000 sold
Seriously, Metal Insider needs to go to the Madison Square Garden shows.
Clutch, Strange Cousins From the West (Weathermaker Music) #157, 2,800 sold
25,000 sold in four weeks is a great number for this band, especially since they own their own label.
Dream Theater, Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Roadrunner) #159, 2,800 sold
After seeing the Progressive Nation tour, we’ve come to the conclusion that although Dream Theater is still selling a ton of records, they’ll be one of those live bands that will be able to exist on touring alone.
The Devil Wears Prada, With Roots Above and Branches Below (Ferret) #169, 2,700 sold
This week, the album reaches the 80,000 sold mark. Pretty impressive. It will reach 100,000 by the end of the year easily.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #171, 2,650 sold
Somewhere in Cleveland, Mushroomhead sheds a single tear.
DevilDriver, Pray For Villians (Roadrunner) #185 , 2,500 sold
25,000 sold in only four weeks is a pretty good number, even if sales trailed off a bit this week.
Suicide Silence, No Time To Bleed (Century Media) #190, 2,400 sold
No sophomore slump here. Six weeks in and only a 10% drop from last week.
Job For a Cowboy, Ruination (Metal Blade) #194, 2,400 sold
The Mayhem crowd was loving this last week in Camden. Maybe because some of them were across the river in Philly a month or so before being filmed for their music video.
Divine Heresy, Bringer of Plagues (Century Media) 1,400 sold
An about-average second-week 55% dropoff.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 1000 sold
Three things are inevitable: death, taxes and Bring me the Horizon selling 1,000 copies a week of their almost year-old album.
Attack Attack!, Someday Came Suddenly (Rise) 950 sold
I can’t believe this band’s sold 47,000 copies. The need to stop being so shellfish.
Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening(Century Media) 850 sold
This album had a pretty big 43% jump in sales this week.
Bury Your Dead, It’s Nothing Personal (Victory) 700 sold
What are the other options? Tying your dead to the roof of your car on your cross country vacation, like Chevy Chase did in Vacation back when he was funny? (btw, R.I.P. John Hughes)
Darkest Hour, Eternal Return (Victory) 666 sold
They didn’t really sell this exact number, but it’s close enough for Satan!
He Is Legend, It Hates You (Tragic Hero) 600 sold
Check this album out. These guys are way underrated in our book.
Suffocation, Blood Oath (Nuclear Blast) 500 sold
5,700 sold so far. Not bad for a long-dormant death metal band.
Arsonists Get All the Girls, Portals (Century Media) 500 sold
Way to sell the same as Suffocation, guys.
Death Before Dishonor, Better Ways to Die (Bridge Nine) 475 sold
One of the better straight up hardcore records of the year.
FMQB Most Added
1. Municipal Waste, Massive Aggressive sampler (Earache)
2. Gwar, Lust In Space (Metal Blade)
3. The Accused, The Curse of Martha Splatterhead (Southern Lord)
4. Eagle Twin, The Unkindness of Crows (Southern Lord)
5. Howl, EP (Relapse)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner)
2. DevilDriver, Pray For Villians (Roadrunner)
3. Slayer, “Hate Worldwide” single (Columbia/American)
4. Shadows Fall “King of Nothing” single (Everblack Industries/Ferret)
5. Five Finger Death Punch, “Hard To See”/”Burn It Down” (Prospect Park)
6. Arkaea, Years in the Darkness (E1 Entertainment)
7. Clutch, Strange Cousins From the West (Weathermaker Music)
8. Job For a Cowboy, Ruination (Metal Blade)
9. Obituary, Darkest Day (Candelight)
10. Darkest Hour, Eternal Return (Victory)
