Metal By Numbers 10/13: What new sorcery is this?

by | Oct 13, 2016 | Metal By Numbers | 0 comments

opethsorceress

Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.

If you thought that Opeth’s continued avoidance of their death metal roots would hurt album sales, you’d be wrong. While Sorceress didn’t sell as much as Heritage did in its first week, it did sell more than 2014’s Pale Communion, and that did pretty damn well. Of course, people will tell you than an album’s sales aren’t necessarily indicative of its quality, and Opeth’s last few albums have certainly been polarizing. Sorceress appears to continue that trend with reviews that range from thumbs up (like our friends at Metal Injection) or only so-so (like in our casual fan review) to whatever hate is spewed on the Encyclopedia Metallum. Whatever your view, its Opeth in the top spot which is good enough for us.
Note: This week’s edition, as you will soon notice, is currently incomplete. We only received partial sales information this time around and so worked with what we were given.

Notable Debuts:

Opeth, Sorceress (Nuclear Blast)
16,000 sold

Opeth’s twelfth album nabs a higher debut than their previous album.

 

sullyernahometowncdSully Erna, Hometown Life (BMG)
6,200 sold

This is the second solo album from the Godsmack frontman.

 

 

 

 

epicaholographicEpica, The Holographic Principle (Nuclear Blast)
4,800 sold

Epica’s seventh album is their best debut yet in the US.

 

 

 

 

suicidaltendenciesworldgonemadSuicidal Tendencies, World Gone Mad (Suicidal)
4,000 sold

The band’s latest album sold more than 13 in its first week.

 

 

 

 

famous-last-wordsFamous Last Words, The Incubus (Revival)
2,700 sold

This is the band’s third album from the post-hardcore act.

 

 

 

 

alcestkodamaAlcest, Kodama (Prophecy)
1,750 sold

Alcest’s fifth studio album reintegrates the black of the band’s blackgaze sound.

 

 

 

 

oathbreakerOathbreaker, Rheia (Deathwish)
1,450 sold

This is the Belgian band’s third album.

 

 

 

 

asphyxincomingcdAsphyx, Incoming Death (Century Media)
750 sold

This is the Dutch band’s ninth album.

 

 

 

 

theagonistThe Agonist, Five (Napalm)
700 sold

The band’s fifth album doesn’t sell as much as last year’s predecessor.

 

 

 

 

 

brant-bjork-tao-of-the-devilBrant Bjork, Tao of the Devil (Napalm)
480 sold

The latest solo album from Kyuss drummer Brant Bjork.

 

 

 

 

bad-seed-risingBad Seed Rising, Awake In Color (Roadrunner)

This is the band’s debut album.

 

 

 

 

 

truckfightersTruckfighters, V (Century Media)
400 sold

The band’s fifth album is their first on Century Media.

 

 

 

 

winterfylleth-the-dark-hereafterWinterfylleth, The Dark Hereafter (Spinefarm)
300 sold

This is the fifth album from the English black metal band.

 

 

 

 

brain-tentaclesBrain Tentacles, Brain Tentacles (Relapse)
300 sold

Dave Witte (Municipal Waste) and Bruce Lamont (Yakuza) unite for this jazzy project.

 

 

 

 

lordimonsterephoniccdLordi, Monstereophonic (Theaterror vs. Demonarchy) (AFM)
270 sold

Lordi’s eighth album debuted with less sales than its predecessors.

 

 

 

 

Notable Sales:

skilletunleashedcdSkillet, Unleashed (Atlantic)
3,450 sold

Over 160,000 sold.

 

 

 

 

ghost-popestar-300x300Ghost, Popestar (Lorna Vista)
3,175 sold

A 29% drop, but the band has two albums on the charts.

 

 

 

 

a-day-to-rememberA Day To Remember, Bad Vibrations (ADTR)
2,700 sold

Remember that 23% drop? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

 

 

 

 

ffdprsdFive Finger Death Punch, Got Your Six (Prospect Park)
1,900 sold

Just under 400,000 sold.

 

 

 

 

everytimeidie_lowteensEvery Time I Die, Low Teens (Epitaph)
1,600 sold

 A 89% second week drop.

 

 

 

 

volbeat_sealthedealVolbeat, Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie (Universal)
1,300 sold

A 4% drop.

 

 

 

 

ghost-meliora-album-artGhost, Meliora (Loma Vista)
1,200 sold

Just under the 100,000 mark.

 

 

 

 

neurosisfireswithinfiresNeurosis, Fires Within Fires (Neurot)
1,000 sold

A 53% drop is a smaller than average second week drop.

 

 

 

 

giraffe-tongue-orchestraGiraffe Tongue Orchestra, Broken Lines (Cooking Vinyl)
900 sold

A 71% drop in week two.

 

 

 

 

airbourne-breakin-outta-hell-album-cover-1Airbourne, Breakin’ Outta Hell (Spinefarm)
800 sold

Breakin’ out a 74% drop.

 

 

 

 

 

insomniumwintersgateInsomnium, Winter’s Gate (Century Media)
700 sold

A drop of 71% in week two.

 

 

 

 

the-swordThe Sword, Low Country (Razor & Tie)
600 sold

A 76% drop down low.

 

 

 

 

allegaeonAllegaeon, Proponent for Sentience (Metal Blade)
2,500 sold

A second week 80% drop.

 

 

 

 

crobot-welcome-to-fat-cityCrobot, Welcome to Fat City (Wind-Up)
400 sold

A fat 77% drop in week two.

 

 

 

 

truewidowTrue Widow, Avvolgere (Relapse)
300 sold

A second week 73% drop.

 

 

 

 

knocked-looseKnocked Loose, Laugh Tracks (Pure Noise)
300 sold

A 39% is nothing to laugh about.

 

 

 

 

geminisyndromemementomoriGemini Syndrome, Memento Mori (Another Century)
300 sold

A 21% drop with over 9,000 sold.

 

 

 

 

cwotdCharred Walls of the Damned, Creatures Watching Over the Dead (Metal Blade)
300 sold

Somehow I forgot to include this on the last of debuts last week. D’oh! It debuted with 1,150 sold.

 

 

 

 

King 810 La Petit MortKing 810, La Petit Mort or A Conversation with God (Roadrunner)
300 sold

An 80% second week drop.

 

 

 

 

Ice Nine KillsIce Nine Kills, Every Trick In The Book (Fearless)
300 sold

This has sold over 25,000 copies.

 

 

 

 

RSR_PZ_2400_REVRed Sun Rising, Polyester Zeal (Razor & Tie)
300 sold

Only a small 3% drop.
too-close-to-touchToo Close To Touch, Haven’t Been Myself (Epitaph)
300 sold
Someone in the comments asked after this one. It sold 1,850 in the first week.
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Matt Brown
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