Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Most reactions to the charts nowadays involves lots of tut-tutting and head shaking. Many championed bands are debuting with less than stellar sales, and that understandably bums a lot of people out. Whitechapel’s new album, for example, sold even less than their last release which was already less than half of the one before that. But some bands are getting their due, and this week that band is Devin Townsend. No one can deny Townsend is one of the hardest working musicians in the business, and with such a long, rich career under his belt its great to see that his new release has garnered a very respectable debut.
Notable Debuts:
I Prevail, Trauma (Fearless)Debut #4
17,625 sold
I Prevail’s sophomore album sold slightly less than their debut, but it’s in the top 5.
Devin Townsend, Empath (InsideOut)Debut #14
5,900 sold
Devin Townsend’s latest album marks his best debut yet, outdoing his 2016 album as Devin Townsend Project.
Whitechapel, The Valley (Metal Blade)Debut #16
5,825 sold
Whatchapel’s seventh album didn’t sell quite as well as the band’s previous albums.
L.A. Guns, The Devil You Know (Frontiers)Debut #38
3,075 sold
This sold slightly less than its predecessor.
Yngiwe Malmsteen, Blue Lightning (Mascot)Debut #62
2,025 sold
This is Yngwie Malmsteen’s 21st studio album.
VLTIMAS, Something Wicked Marches In (Season Of Mist)Debut #167
790 sold
This is the debut album from this three-piece fronted by David Vincent (ex-Morbid Angel).
Moon Tooth, Crux (Modern Static)Debut #170
770 sold
This is the band’s second full-length album.
A New Revenge, Enemies & Lovers (Golden Robot)490 sold
This new supergroup is fronted by Tim “Ripper” Owens.
Brutus, Nest (Sargent House)460 sold
This is the band’s second album.
Blessing A Curse, Waste (Smartpunk)440 sold
This is the band’s second album. We premiered the title track back in February.
Lee McKinney, Infinite Mind (Sumerian Records)400 sold
This is the debut solo album from the Born of Osiris guitarist.
Magic Circle, Departed Souls(20 Buck Spin)220 sold
This is the band third album.
Bloodline, Better View (Stay Sick)210 sold
This is the band’s second album.
Totaled, Lament (Profound Lore)170 sold
This is the blackened hardcore band’s second album.
Mötley Crüe, The Dirt Soundtrack (Eleven Seven)#11 (from 3)
6,950 sold
A 54% drop in week two doesn’t take this down far.
Disturbed, 
Greta Van Fleet, 
KISS, This got boosted waaaaay up by 281%. Looks like some people wanted to rock n’ roll all nite.
Greta Van Fleet, From the Fires EP (Lava)
#72 (from 62)
1,700 sold
Megadeth, 
Dream Theater, 
Godsmack, Icon(Republic)
#136 (from 143)
960 sold
A 13% boost.
Five Finger Death Punch, A Decade Of Destruction(Prospect Park)
#143 (from 126)
940 sold
A 5% drop with over 185,000 sold.
Shinedown, Attention Attention (Atlantic)
#144 (from 102)
930 sold
A 21% drop.
Def Leppard, The Story So Far: The Best of Def Leppard(UMC)#162 (from 162)
820 sold
This got boosted by 19% but held the same chart position.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium, South Of Reality(ATO)
#166 (from 130)
790 sold
A 15% drop.
In Flames,
The End: Machine, The End: Machine (Frontiers)570 sold
A second week drop of 76%.
Sleep Signals, 
Rival Sons, 
Burning Rain, 
Angel Du$t, 
Steven Wilson, Home Invasion: In Concert At the Royal Albert Hall (Eagle Rock)260 sold
Steven Wilson newest live album actually came out last November, but only just cropped up on here.
Afterlife, Breaking Point (Hopeless)250 sold
A 200% boost brings this back up.
Battle Beast, No More Hollywood Endings (Nuclear Blast)240 sold
A second week drop of 80%.
Zeal & Ardor, Live In London (MVKA)170 sold
A drop of 36% in week two.
Jinjer, 
