Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Just like last week, the highest hard rock related debut came from someone who shouldn’t be considered metal at all, or at least not any more. As the years have gone by, Kid Rock has gone from rap-rock cowboy to country rebel. In fact, his newest album Born Free is pretty much a straight up country rock record. So why are we mentioning Mr. Rock in this week’s Metal By Numbers? Well, partly because he has the #5 album on the charts this week, and we want to have at least some good news to be merry about right before Thanksgiving. Another reason, though, is some of us here at Metal Insider (cough, Zach, cough) have fond memories of Kid Rock’s Devil Without A Cause, the rap-metal classic that featured hits like “Bawitdaba” and “Cowboy.” Sure, looking back now it all seemed uber corny. But Rock was still cooler and more talented than Fred Durst. Ok fine, he still is, but that’s not saying much. Also, it should be noted that almost the entire top 10 sold over 100,000 each, something that hasn’t happened probably since last year’s holiday shopping season.
Notable Debuts:
Kid Rock, Born Free (Atlantic) #5, 188,800 sold
This might seem more impressive if the album wasn’t on sale for just $3.99 during its first week of release.
A Day to Remember, What Separates Me from You (Victory) #11, 58,100 sold
Congratulations are in store for the pop-punk metalcore group, who’ve scored their highest ranking and biggest selling debut yet. Say what you will about the band, but it’s nice to report some good news after constantly reporting on how crappy albums sales have been.
Jesu, Heartache & Dethroned (Hydra Head) 620 sold
Not an awful first week when you consider that this is a re-release of Justin K. Broadrick’s post Godflesh project’s first release.
Notable Sales:
Linkin Park, A Thousand Suns (Warner Bros.) #56, 13,400 sold
Only a 2% decrease despite falling down the charts by 15 spots.
Disturbed, Asylum (Reprise) #86, 6,960 sold
Expect to see this album hanging around the charts longer now that Disturbed will be co-headlining the Music As A Weapon V Tour with Korn.
Alter Bridge, AB III (Alter Bridge Recordings/Capitol) #87, 6,930 sold
Ouch! A huge 75% decrease sees Alter Bridge fall 70 spots down the charts in only their second week. So much for never seeing Creed again.
Underoath, Ø (Disambiguation) (Solid State) #92, 6,200 sold
Like Alter Bridge, the Christian metalcore group also drops down 70 spots with a big 73% decrease in their second week.
Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare (Warner Bros.) #102, 5,650 sold
Despite slowly moving down the charts, the album’s sales barely budged from last week.
Five Finger Death Punch, War is the Answer (Prospect Park) #120, 4,800 sold
This album has been on the charts for 61 weeks now. And they just released a special Iron Fist edition of their debut album The Way Of The Fist. So don’t be surprised if Metal By Numbers will soon be reporting on two FFDP albums in the same week.
All That Remains For We Are Many (Prosthetic/Razor & Tie) #135, 4,000 sold
More footage of the Masscore band performing on Fuel TV’s The Daily Habit has been posted online.
Godsmack, Oracle (Universal) #153, 3,550 sold
In 29 weeks, the band has sold just under 400,000 copies of their latest release.
Escape The Fate, Escape The Fate (Interscope) #159, 3,450 sold
This album’s fate is on the charts isn’t looking too good.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Night Castle (Lava Records) #174, 3,230 sold
How can you tell its Christmas time? When a Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums appears on the charts a year after its original release. I wonder, though, how many people returned the CD after they realized it wasn’t a Christmas themed album.
Cradle of Filth, Darkly Darkly Venus Aversa (Nuclear Blast) #182, 3,060 sold
It’s only been two weeks and the goth/black metalllers’ newest release is almost knocked off of the top 200.
AC/DC, AC/DC: Iron Man 2 (Columbia) #183, 3,060 sold
On the other hand, it’s taken 31 weeks to see AC/DC almost fall off the top 200. And unlike Cradle Of Filth, they’ll probably be back next week.
Stone Sour, Audio Secrecy (Roadrunner) #192, 2,860 sold
Stone Sour might not make it back to the charts by the time their tour with Avenged Sevenfold starts.
Dio, At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987 (Niji Entertainment Group) #193, 2,840 sold
The late legend’s live album experience a 51% decrease in its second week.
Oceano, Contagion (Earache) 1,250 sold
After debuting in the top 200 last week, the deathcore group experiences a 58% decrease in their second week.
Helloween, 7 Sinners (The End) 890 sold
A 53% decrease for the German power metal legends in their second week on the charts.
Kylesa, Spiral Shadow (Season Of Mist) 690 sold
Maybe their upcoming dates with Clutch will attract new fans, cause this album deserves more sales.
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) 630 sold
A 47% decrease isn’t that bad when you consider that this album is still being sold as an import.
Halford, Halford IV: Made of Metal (Metal God) 560 sold
A slight increase in sales gives the Metal God a little more life, or at least enough to survive one more week.
Woe, Is Me, Number[s] (Velocity/Rise) 500 sold
An 18% increase brings the band back after a long absence.
Pierce The Veil, Selfish Machines (Equal Vision) 420 sold
Also back from the dead is Pierce The Veil, who’ve been absent from the charts for a while. Yay?
Blind Guardian, At the Edge of Time (Nuclear Blast) 400 sold
Unlike fellow German power metallers Helloween, Blind Guardian experience a modest increase in sales. Only an 11% increase mind you, but enough to keep them around a little longer.
Firewind, Days of Defiance (Century Media) 400 sold
We haven’t seen Gus G. and his band outside of Ozzy since it debuted in the first week of November. Though it’s still a surprise to see how low sales are for this album.
We Came As Romans, To Plant A Seed (Equal Vision) 370 sold
At this point, Metal By Numbers just wouldn’t feel right without We Came As Romans around.
Atheist, Jupiter (Season of Mist) 370 sold
Reader Plasmaterial expressed his displeasure last week at how low Athiest’s album sold in its first week. Well, hate to break it to you then, but they didn’t do much better in their second week.
