Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad time with a Nightwish album, so its nice to get one while the world is in such a muddied state. Their new double album is just one of sixteen debuts this week, which is pretty sizable. What’s more, there’s a string of new releases coming the next few weeks that has me giddy, and it all starts this Friday with new releases from Trivium and Elder. The former just dropped a new track and our own Jeff Podoshen reviewed the latter’s new album. Make sure you keep checking on our column New & Noteworthy to see what else is coming out over the next few weeks.
Notable Debuts:
Nightwish, Human. :II: Nature. (Nuclear Blast)Debut #5
7,050 sold
Nightwish’s ninth album charted higher than its 2015 predecessor, but it sold less than half of its debut.
Joe Satriani, Shapeshifting (Legacy)Debut #8
5,175 sold
Satch’s seventeenth studio album sold about half of its predecessors debut.
Metal Church, From The Vault (Rat Pak)Debut #28
2,075 sold
This is Metal Church’s first compilation album.
Rotting Out, Ronin (Pure Noise)Debut #50
1,275 sold
This is the band’s first album in seven years.
Wolfheart, Wolves of Karelia (Napalm)Debut #142
450 sold
This is the band’s fifth album.
Caustic Wound, This is the grindcore band’s debut album.
Sparta, Trust The River (Dine Alone)Debut #187
330 sold
This is the band’s fourth studio album and first in 14 years.
Kingsmen, Revenge. Forgiveness. Recovery. (SharpTone)Debut #190
330 sold
This is the band’s debut album.
Benighted, Obscene Repressed (Season Of Mist)210 sold
This is the band’s ninth album.
Azusa, 
Ayreon, This is a full on rock opera production of Ayreon’s third studio album Into the Electric Castle.
Symbolik, This is the band’s debut album.
Kreator, Kreator’s third live album came out last February, but only just showed up on the charts.
Like Rats, This is the band’s third studio album.
By The Thousands, Dead Matter(Stay Sick)90 sold
This is the prog metal band’s third album.
Myth of I, 
Pearl Jam, Gigaton (Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records)#14 (from 7)
3,850 sold
A 55% drop with just under 70,000 sold.
Testament, A 74% second week drop with over 10,000 sold.
Ozzy Osbourne, 
Five Finger Death Punch, A 2% drop.
RED, Declaration(Red Entertainment)#41 (from 5)
1,600 sold
A drop of 85% in week two with over 11,000 sold.
Tool, Fear Inoculum (Tool Dissectional LLC/Volcano)#59 (from 65)
1,000 sold
A 12% boost with just under 420,000 sold.
August Burns Red, Guardians (Fearless)#67 (from 3)
880 sold
A 92% drop in week two with over 11,000 sold.
Breaking Benjamin, 
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Greatest Hits(Sony Legacy)#121 (from 125)
510 sold
A 9% boost with over 30,000 sold.
Tesla, 
Skillet, 
Godsmack, When Legends Rise (BMG)
#160 (re-entry)
380 sold
A 30% boost brings this back to the charts almost two years after it first debuted. It’s sold over 153,000 copies.
The Hu, The Gereg(Eleven Seven)#164 (from 142)
370 sold
A 11% drop.
Slipknot, 
Various Artists, The Many Faces of Metallica (Music Brokers Arg)#167 (from 190)
370 sold
This has been on the charts for 6 weeks, but I didn’t spot it before now. I’m also not 100% sure what it is. It appears to be a compilation album that features bands covering Metallica songs along with songs from bands that influenced Metallica.
Skid Row, 
KoRn, The Nothing (Roadrunner)#184 (re-entry)
340 sold
An 18% boost brings this back up with over 68,000 sold.
Igorrr, 
Mark Morton, Ether EP (Rise)150 sold
This got boosted way back up.
Dynazty, The Dark Delight (AFM)120 sold
This actually got a boost of 19% in week two rather than dropping.
Ad Infinitum, 
Rival Sons, 
