Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
It’s the morning after Election Day in the United States and, well, things happened. Relax, I’m not going to go on a big political rant here; you get enough of that from social media as is. I do want to say that if you’re like me and you feel worn out by this long, wearisome debacle, I hope you can find an escape via music. Get off Facebook, go listen to a comfort album, blast something loud and obscene, get in your car or go for a walk and give yourself a contemplative movie scene soundtrack. But before you do any of that, take a gander at the numbers this week with two metal albums in the top 10.
Notable Debuts:
Avenged Sevenfold, The Stage (Capitol)
Debut #3
72,125 sold
Avenged Sevenfold’s seventh album sold less than half what Hail to the King debuted with, though that’s probably because the album was a surprise release.
Testament, Brotherhood of the Snake (Nuclear Blast)
Debut #9
16,975 sold
Testament’s latest didn’t sell quite as much in its first week as its predecessor, but it charted in the top 10!
Dope, Blood Money Part 1 (eOne)
Debut #11
14,875 sold
Dope’s first album is seven years is also their highest charting. Who knew?
Memphis May Fire, This Light I Hold (Rise)
Debut #17
10,825 sold
The band’s fifth album has a solid debut though it falls short of the top five debut in 2014.
Upon a Burning Body, Straight from the Barrio (Sumerian)
Debut #80
3,350 sold
This sold roughly half of what its predecessor debuted with.
Crowbar, The Serpent Only Lies (eOne)
Debut #85
3,025 sold
Crowbar latest debuts just under its predecessor, which is still their best first week of sales ever.
Dee Snider, We Are the Ones (Twisted Sister Records)
Debut #105
2,550 sold
This is only Dee Snider’s third solo album.
Serpentine Dominion, Serpentine Dominion (Metal Blade)
Debut #113
2,300 sold
The debut of the Killswitch, Black Dahlia, Cannibal Corpse supergroup has a solid first week.
Theocracy, Ghost Ship (Ulterium)
Debut #172
1,475 sold
This is the fourth album from this Christian power prog band.
Ulcerate, Shrines of Paralysis (Relapse)
950 sold
Ulcerate’s fifth album sold a bit more in its first week than its predecessor.
Car Bomb, Meta (Solid Grey)
780 sold
This is the band’s third album, which they released independently.
Anaal Nathrakh, The Whole of the Law (Metal Blade)
660
This is the ninth album from the duo Anaal Nathrakh.
Whores, Gold (eOne)
490 sold
This is the debut album for this Atlanta noise band.
The Answer, Solas (Napalm)
370 sold
This band’s sixth album debuted a little under its predecessor released last year.
Notable Sales:
Korn, The Serenity of Suffering (Roadrunner)
#16 (from 3)
10,850 sold
An 80% drop doesn’t bring this down far at all.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (Rhino Atlantic)
#38 (from 6)
6,775 sold
A 74% drop, but it doesn’t go down far. And the holiday music season has begun.
The Pretty Reckless, Who You Selling For (Razor & Tie)
#60 (from 8)
4,275 sold
This drops by 80% in week two.
I Prevail, Lifelines (Fearless)
#86 (from 9)
3,000 sold
This takes a 85% drop in week two.
Skillet, Unleashed (Atlantic)
#110 (from 77)
2,350 sold
Just under 120,000 sold.
Five Finger Death Punch, Got Your Six (Prospect Park)
#129 (from 119)
2,050 sold
This sold about the same as last week.
Alter Bridge, The Last Hero (Self-released)
#146 (from 97)
1,800 sold
A 24% drop.
Megadeth, Dystopia (UMe)
#157 (from 171)
1,675 sold
This gets another boost by 16%.
Meshuggah, The Violent Sleep of Reason (Nuclear Blast)
#169 (from 112)
1,500 sold
Can’t sleep on a 31% drop.
Rob Zombie, The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (UMe)
#182 (from 190)
1,350 sold
A slight boost of 2%.
Shinedown, Threat To Survival (Atlantic)
#183 (from 174)
1,325 sold
Over 250,000 sold.
Amaranthe,
Gemini Syndrome,
Riverside, Eye of the Soundscape (Inside Out)
420 sold
A 34% drop in week two.
Intronaut, The Direction of Last Things (Century Media)
370 sold
It’s been a nearly a year this this came out, and now it’s back after the band’s tour with Gorguts.
Darkthrone, Arctic Thunder (Peaceville)
300 sold
A 54% drop.
Stitched Up Heart, Never Alone (Another Century)
290 sold
Another boost, this time by 12%.
Epica,
Knocked Loose, Laugh Tracks (Pure Noise)
280 sold
This gets a 55% boost back up.
Bad Omens, Bad Omens (Sumerian)
260 sold
The band’s debut album lands on the charts.
Sylar, Help! (Hopeless)
240 sold
A 14% boost.
