Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Mastodon absolutely crushed the charts with their eight studio album. Fun fact, this was the first time since 2002’s Remission where Scott Kelly of Neurosis didn’t guest on a track. Also making a surprised impact was Black Veil Brides and their sixth studio album. The charts were favorable for most bands as they saw their albums rise by roughly 10-20%. Returning this week was AC/DC, Vildhjarta, LTE and more!
Notable Debuts:
Mastodon, Hushed And Grim (Reprise Records)
Debut #3
17,600 sold
The mighty Mastodon have returned with their most ambitious album to date, or so frontman Troy Sanders claims.
Black Veil Brides, The Phantom Tomorrow(Sumerian)
Debut #13
6,100 sold
The sixth studio album continuing with the rock opera concept and theme.
Whitechapel, Kin (Metal Blade Records)
Debut #24
4,000 sold
Whitechapel drop their 8th studio album and continue to evolve their sound.
Archspire, Bleed The Future (Season Of Mist)
Debut #29
3,700 sold
Their fourth album might be their fastest album yet. Produced, mixed, and mastered by Dave Otero.
Limp Bizkit, Still Sucks(Suretone Records)
Debut #31
3,500 sold
A Halloween surprise album from everyone’s favorite nü-metal act, Limp Bizkit.
Jerry Cantrell, Brighten (Jerry Cantrell)
Debut #38
2,650 sold
The third solo album from the Alice In Chains guitarist.
Monolord, Your Time To Shine (Relapse Records)
Debut #51
2,000 sold
Monolord makes an impressive release for their fifth album.
Bad Wolves, Dear Monsters (Better Noise Music)
Debut #58
1,750 sold
Bad Wolves leave Tommy Vext behind and release their third record with new member Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz (ex-The Acacia Strain).
John 5 & The Creatures, Sinner (Big Machine)
Debut #64
1,550 sold
The new solo studio album from the guitar virtuoso.
Beast In Black, Dark Connection (Nuclear Blast)
Debut #65
1,550 sold
The Finnish quintet put forth their third studio album filled with power metal riffage.
Motörhead, Everything Louder Forever – The Very BestOf(BMG)
Debut #71
1,500 sold
The first ever career spanning collection of their loudest songs. We Are Motörhead.
Be’lakor, Coherence (Napalm Records)
Debut #94
1,050 sold
An Australian melodic death metal whose name originates from the character Be’lakor the Dark Master from the Warhammer Fantasy game setting.
War Of Ages, Rhema(Facedown Records)
Debut #122
825 sold
A 4-song EP that Available now as a single-sided special edition vinyl with etched B-side.
Ad Infinitum, Chapter II – Legacy (Napalm Records)
Debut #162
600 sold
Swiss symphonic power metallers get darker and heavier on their sophomore release.
First Fragment, Gloire Eternelle (Unique Leader)
550 sold
The ambitious conceptual album from the Quebec metal scene.
Notable Sales:
Mouse Rat, The Awesome Album (DualTone/Entertainment 720)
#17
5,100 sold
Somehow Mouse Rat go from 220 albums to 5,100. The shocking rise of the week.
Ice Nine Kills, The Silver Scream 2: Welcome To Horrorwood (Fearless Records)
#28 (from 75)
3,800 sold
They might have dropped 93% last week but they made up for it with their 220% increase. What is going on!?
Dream Theater, A View From The Top Of The World (Inside Out)
#42 (from 5)
2,300 sold
The 15th studio album understandably drops 81% in week two.
Greta Van Fleet, The Battle At Garden’s Gate (Lava/Republic Records)
#56 (from 66)
1,850 sold
A 33% increase in week 29 coinciding with their 2022 Dreams in Gold announcement.
Iron Maiden, Senjutsu (Parlophone Records)
#69 (from 53)
1,525 sold
Iron Maiden continues their decline with a 9% drop. I’m surprised how fast they’re falling in only week 9.
Every Time I Die, Radical (Epitaph Records)
#82 (from 7)
1,250 sold
The Buffalo natives drop 88% in week two but the album still rips. Read my review here!
Rivers Of Nihil, The Work (Metal Blade Records)
#107
925 sold
The Reading natives climb a massive 599% 6. MORE?!
Cradle Of Filth, Existence Is Futile (Nuclear Blast)
#108 (from 24)
925 sold
The British black metal icons drop 76% in week two. This releases features new keyboardist and backing vocalist Anabelle Iratni.
Foo Fighters, Medicine At Midnight (Roswell)
#124 (from 146)
825 sold
A 34% rise for the Foo Fighters.
Trivium, In The Court Of The Dragon (Roadrunner Records)
#143 (from 127)
725 sold
Trivium stays the same for week 4. Did you check out “Like A Sword Over Damocles”?
Sixx:A.M., Sixx:A.M. Hits (Better Noise)
#144 (from 102)
725 sold
A 30% drop in week two for the Mötley Crüe bassist’s side project.
Gojira, Fortitude (Roadrunner)
#146 (from 148)
600 sold
Gojira jumps a nice 17%. Do yourself a favor and check out “Sphinx”.
Steely Dan, Northeast Corridor: Steely Dan Live (Interscope)
#150 (from 103)
700 sold
A 22% drop in week six. These are the first Steely Dan albums without founding member Walter Becker who passed away back in 2017.
AC/DC, Power Up(Columbia)
#165 (re-entry)
625 sold
AC/DC returns to the charts in the same position it left off! POWER UP!
Starset, Horizons(Fearless Records)
#183 (from 23)
550 sold
The Starset Society and their 4th album drop 86% in week 2. The public outreach initiative was a success.
Spiritbox, Eternal Blue (Rise Records)
#191 (from 86)
525 sold
Vancouver’s Spiritbox drop an unfortunate 49% in week 7.
Judas Priest, Reflections – 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music (Columbia)
#193 (from 110)
525 sold
A 35% drop for the legacy act. This is a new collection of 16 tracks including remastered recordings and 7 previously unreleased live cuts.
KK’s Priest, Sermons Of The Sinner (EX1)
450 sold
A 15% drop in week 5 for the profound and legendary guitarist.
Quicksand, Distant Populations (Epitaph)
450 sold
The NYC post-hardcore outfit’s 4th album jumps a shocking 241%.
Sentinels, Collapse By Design (SharpTone)
340 sold
Straight from New Jersey Sentinels drops their crushing debut album.
Vildhjarta, Måsstaden Under Vatten (Century Media)
325 sold
Hudiksvall, Sweden’s favorite band returns to the charts with their second studio album.
Jinjer, Wallflowers (Napalm)
300 sold
A 36% increase for the Ukrainian metalcore outfit.
Worm, Foreverglade (20 Buck Spin)
275 sold
Brewing from the swamps of Florida, we have a 6 track onslaught of death metal.
Knocked Loose, A Tear In The Fabric Of Life (Pure Noise)
275 sold
Knocked Loose’s EP focuses on “a story about extreme grief and the levels a person is willing to go through to get rid of it.”
Armored Saint, Symbol Of Salvation Live (Metal Blade Records)
250 sold
The live 30th anniversary album drops 77% in week two.
Ghost Bath, Self Loather (Nuclear Blast)
250 sold
The third in a trilogy of records from the depressive black metal outfit.
Tom Morello, The Atlas Underground Fire ( Mom + Pop Music)
250 sold
A 37% drop in week three. It’s the second collaboration album by the Rage Against the Machine guitarist. Guest appearances include Bring Me the Horizon, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and more.
Full Of Hell, Garden Of Burning Apparitions (Relapse Records)
175 sold
A 22% drop in week five. Frontman Dylan Walker spoke about the lyrical themes of the album as the exploration of “impermanence and the fear that comes with knowing death is inescapable.”
Twelve Foot Ninja, Vengeance(Volkanik Music)
175 sold
Twelve Foot Ninja are finally back after five long years but drop 28% in week 3.
Alien Weaponry, Tangaroa (Napalm Records)
175 sold
A 5% jump for their second studio album.
Liquid Tension Experiment, Liquid Tension Experiment 3 (Inside Out)
150 sold
LTE return to the charts with a 33% increase!
Wolves In The Throne Room, Primordial Arcana (Relapse Records)
Debut #32
150 sold
The Washington favorites return to the charts!
Gemini Syndrome, 3rd Degree – The Raising (Century Media)
150 sold
An unfortunate 64% drop for their third album.
Melvins, Five Legged Dog (Ipecac Recordings)
150 sold
A 51% drop for their 25th album and first acoustic album.
Dying Wish, Fragments Of A Bitter Memory (SharpTone Records)
140 sold
Another band returning to the charts! “This is screaming 2007 in the best possible way.” – Michael Pelz on YouTube. The most accurate description I’ve seen.
Creeping Death, The Edge Of Existence (eOne Music)
130 sold
Texas’ favorite death metal band has returned to the charts with their 6 song EP.
