Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
I’m pretty sure this is the first and last time we’ll be writing about the Rock of Ages soundtrack here on Metal By Numbers. It did have a pretty solid debut, but basically, this bullshit is like Kidz Bop sung by famous people instead of kids. While I have no problem admitting that some of these songs are classics that stand the test of time, why would anyone want to hear watered-down versions of the originals sung by Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin and Catherine Zeta Jones? Maybe we just answered our own question. On the other hand, Fear Factory had a really solid showing for The Industrialist, which is what metal fans should have been focusing on all along. And Kreator had a great first week as well.
Various Artists, Rock of Ages Soundtrack (Water Tower Music/Warner Bros.) #15, 18,000 sold
The movie version of the Broadway hit currently has a 39% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The only rock here is probably what its going to sink like after opening weekend.
Fear Factory, The Industrialist (Candlelight) #36, 9,300 sold
While this sold slightly less than 2010’s Mechanize, it’s chart debut is twice as high as the #72 debut that album had.
Kreator, Phantom Antichrist (Nuclear Blast) #115, 3,900 sold
While 2009’s Hordes of Chaos was their first album to chart in the US, this does it one better, selling over 1,100 more copies and debuting higher up the charts.
Melvins Lite, Freak Puke (Ipecac), #179, 2,400 sold
Now in punch top cans!
Call Me No One, Last Parade (7Brothers/ILG) #199, 2,200 sold
Not a bad debut, but then again, we’re talking about half of Sevendust. We wouldn’t call them no one, but it’s hard to say whether this is a success.
The Agonist, Prisoners (Century Media) 1,400 sold
This band would probably like to be known beyond their hot chick singer being in Revolver’s “Hottest Chick In Metal” calendar. Not this week.
Architects, Daybreaker (Century Media) 1,200 sold
Famous architects: Mike Brady, Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother, this band.
Marduk, Serpent Sermon (Century Media) 800 sold
That crazy great dane, always getting into trouble!
Candlemass, Psalms for the Dead (Napalm) 800 sold
The first album with new vocalist Mats Leven is off to a nice, doomy start.
Circus Maximus, Nine (Frontiers) 725 sold
The Norwegian prog-metal band’s third album is slightly more streamlined than their first two. It has a nice debut.
Jorn, Bring Heavy Rock to the Land (Frontiers) 500 sold
I’m just going to come out and say it: this is the best power metal band with a cover of Christopher Cross’ “Ride Like The Wind” on it ever.
Grand Magus, The Hunt (Nuclear Blast) 475 sold
This is the band’s third US label in four years, following Rise Above and Roadrunner.
Notable Sales:
Slash, Apocalyptic Love (Dik Hayd) #42, 8,300 sold
60,000 sold in three weeks is solid, especially considering it’s on his own label. However, those are more Chinese Democracy numbers than Appetite numbers.
Shinedown, Amaryllis (Atlantic) #80, 5,100 sold
Only five spots down the charts for the Uproar Tour co-headliners.
Tenacious D, Rize of the Fenix (Columbia) #90, 4,840 sold
JB and KG may have experienced another 30% decrease in sales, but after four weeks on the charts they’re doing better than most comedy albums (and better than most hard rock releases for that matter).
Five Finger Death Punch, American Capitalist (Prospect Park) #124, 3,700 sold
Holding steady at just about the same number as last week. They’re officially over 400,000 sold, too.
Godsmack, Live & Inspired (Universal) #139, 3,000 sold
30,000 sold in four weeks? They can’t be all that inspired by that.
Marilyn Manson, Born Villain (Cooking Vinyl/ Downtown/Hell, Etc.) #145, 3,000 sold
The one time king of shock rock ties with British singer-songwriter Alex Care for chart position and number of albums sold this week.
Halestorm, The Strange Case Of… (Atlantic) #164, 2,700 sold
Hearing Lzzy Halestorm perform “Out To Get Me” with Slash might have been the least strange thing we can think of at the moment.
For Today, Immortal (Razor & Tie) #175, 2,500 sold
A monstrous 83% decline in sales is the largest percentage drop on the chart this week ,but then again, their appearance at #15 probably took a lot of people by surprise. It also says something about the Christian audience record-buying habits.
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) #187, 2,400 sold
A 3% decrease in sales is enough to kick the Danish rockabilly metal group down the charts by 21 spots.
The Cult, Choice of Weapon (12th Street) #189, 2,300 sold
After only three weeks, The Cult have sold 17,244 copies of their latest album. Unfortunately for them, it’s not likely that they’ll stick around the charts to sell much more.
Foo Fighters, Wasting Light (RCA) #198, 2,200 sold
Being two spots away from exiting the top 200, it would appear that Dave Grohl and co.’s time on the charts is about to come to an end after an impressive 61 weeks.
Otherwise, True Love Never Dies (Century Media) 870 sold
The only other thing we can say about Otherwise is that they’re still doing decent on the charts.
Six Feet Under, Undead (Metal Blade) 800 sold
Even with another 22% decrease in sales after three weeks, Six Feet Under’s latest album is showing no signs of death.
John 5, God Told Me To (My Rocket Science) 500 sold
God must have told more people to buy the Rob Zombie guitarist’s latest solo effort, since it’s made a sudden reappearance on the charts after being absent last week.
Cattle Decapitation, Monolith of Inhumanity (Metal Blade) 450 sold
Their Shockwave Festival appearance should help sales out over the Summer.
Kill Devil Hill, Kill Devil Hill (SPV/Steamhammer) 450 sold
Vinny Appice (ex-Black Sabbath) and Rex Brown’s (ex-Pantera) experiences another 23% decrease in sales after three weeks.
Saint Vitus, Lillie: F-65 (Season of Mist) 450 sold
Do you think Saint Vitus’ first album in 14 years is one of the best comeback albums from the 2000s?
Upon A Burning Body, Red. White. Green. (Sumerian) 400 sold
With a 5% increase, UABB might have found their sweet spot. They’ll cross 10,000 sold next week.
Sonata Arctica, Stones Grow Her Name (Nuclear Blast) 380 sold
Finnish power metal group experiences another 33% decrease in sales.
Torche, Harmonicraft (Volcom) 375 sold
Looks like the sludge rock group will be off the charts by the time they perform at Metallica’s Orion Music & More.
Firewind, Few Against Many (DisManic, Inc.) 350 sold
Hopefully Gus G. and company will get a few more sales before they exit the charts for good.
