Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
If we were to sum up the sales week in a word, that word would most likely be “suck.” The #1 album in the country (some guy J. Cole) didn’t even manage to sell 58,000, but it was the only album on the chart to sell over 50,000 copies. What the hell? Jay Z’s latest publicity stunt will sell more next week than probably all the albums on the chart this week combined. It’s somewhat fitting that the #1 selling metal debut was a digital only EP from a band that decided to crowdfund their release.
Notable Debuts
Oh, Sleeper, The Titan EP (N/A) #155, 1,300 sold
This is a great start for the band, who decided to forgo a label and do it themselves via an indiegogo campaign. And it appears that this is digital only. Sure, 1,300 copies isn’t huge, but this is pure profit, even if it is just delivery on the indiegogo pledgers.
Huntress, Starbound Beast (Napalm) 1,250 sold
This is an increase from their debut album, which sold 700 copies about a year ago, but it’s still a relatively modest debut. The Mayhem Fest should keep them top of mind and make them some new fans as well.
Autopsy, The Headless Ritual (Peaceville) 600 sold
The band’s sixth full length in 24 years is off to a moderately slow start.
Notable Sales
Black Sabbath, 13 (Universal) #14, 17,750 sold
With only a 30% drop in its fourth week, this album is holding on nicely. And this is before the tour, which will probably move some more units.
August Burns Red, Rescue & Restore (Solid State) #48, 7,100 sold
A big 72% drop, but these guys, currently on the Warped Tour, will keep selling.
Queens Of The Stone Age, …Like Clockwork (Matador) #55, 6,650 sold
If you’re tired of CDs or MP3’s, why not pick the album up on a USB stick that doubles as a bottle opener?
Amon Amarth, Deceiver of the Gods (Metal Blade) #58, 6,300 sold
This has one of the smallest second week drops of the bands debuting last week. Also, one of the only viking ships.
Various Artists, 2013 Warped Tour Compilation (Side One Dummy) #65, 5,800 sold
This is selling consistently, which isn’t surprising considering that it’s mid-tour.
Sleeping With Sirens, Feel (Rise) #77, 4,775 sold
Do they mean with like ambulance sirens or the dangerous beautiful mythical creatures?
Alice In Chains, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (Virgin) #78, 4,700 sold
Did the devil also put the man in the box?
Queensrÿche, Queensrÿche (Century Media) #82, 4,180 sold
In its second week, Toddryche sells only about 1,400 less than Geoff Tate’s version of the band did in it’s first week.
Falling In Reverse, Fashionably Late (Epitaph) #90, 4,000 sold
30,000 copies sold in three weeks is a pretty solid start, even if the album’s consistently dropping.
Attila, About That Life (Razor & Tie) #101, 3,600 sold
About that drop (75%).
Megadeth, Super Collider (UMe) #110, 3,300 sold
This has a slight chart increase this week.
Halestorm, The Strange Case Of… (Atlantic) #113, 3,300 sold
This will cross 250,000 sold next week. Nice job for an album that’s been out for over a year.
Bring Me The Horizon, Sempiternal (Epitaph) #118, 3,150 sold
75,000 copies in 3 1/2 months is nothing to sneeze at. Who came up with “nothing to sneeze at” in the first place? What a dumb turn of phrase.
Volbeat, Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (Universal/Republic) #134, 2,750 sold
The finest Danish export since the danish.
Bret Michaels, Jammin’ With Friends (Poorboy) 2,700 sold
The Poison singer/reality show star’s album falls 50% in week 2. How’s that for a reality check?
Black Veil Brides, Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones (Lava/Universal Republic) #157, 2,300 sold
Six months in, this is selling about this number consistently, which is more divine for them than it it wretched.
Rob Zombie, Venemous Rat Regeneration Vendor (T-Boy/UMe) #166, 2,150 sold
This record keeps modestly increasing, probably from Mayhem fest attendees that didn’t even know he had a new album out.
Shinedown, Amaryllis (Atlantic) #167, 2,140 sold
At about 420,000 sold, this album will be gold before it’s run, maintaining the band’s hit streak.
Pop Evil, Onyx (Entertainment One) #179, 1,950 sold
The band’s album, bolstered by a #1 active rock track, re-enters the chart.
Palms, Palms (Ipecac) #198, 1,700 sold
A big 75% drop for Palms, but it’ll probably cross 10,000 next week.
Deafheaven, Sunbather (Deathwish) 1,200 sold
An increase for this band is impressive. Maybe it’s all the Taco Bell press they’re getting?
Affiance, Campaign (Bullet Tooth) 850 sold
Another increase from last week shows that the band must be doing ok on tour with Killswitch Engage.
Scorpion Child, Scorpion Child (Nuclear Blast) 520 sold
A 42% drop is a pretty small second week drop for the stoner rockers, currently on Mayhem.
Havok, Unnatural Selection (Candlelight) 500 sold
This is one of the better neo-thrash bands out. In fact, if you didn’t know any better, this could be an Exodus album from the late ’80s.
Fit For A King, Creation/Destruction (Tooth & Nail) 500 sold
A ridiculous 266% increase means Fit For A King can buy some bling.
Color Morale, Know Hope (Rise) 450 sold
This has sold 13,000 copies in three months, which is solid. They’re currently on the road with Misery Signals.
Crown The Empire, The Fallout (Rise) 440 sold
This album has sold about 32,000 in 33 weeks.
Scale The Summit, The Migration (Prosthetic) 430 sold
The best thing about an instrumental band is that you don’t have to split anything with the singer.
Black Star Riders, All Hell Breaks Loose (Nuclear Blast) 300 sold
Who was Lizzy anyway?
30 Seconds To Mars, Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams (Virgin) #142, 2,700 sold
I’m all out of My So-Called Life jokes to make.
The Black Dahlia Murder, Everblack (Metal Blade) #177, 2,200 sold
Creeping up towards 19,000 sold in its third week, this is a solid performance from a death metal album.
Killswitch Engage, Disarm The Descent (Roadrunner) #194, 2,000 sold
This will hit 100,000 sold in the next few weeks.
Dark Tranquillity, Construct (Century Media) 325 sold
This will hit 5,000 next week.
Upon a Burning Body, Red, White Green (Sumerian) 300 sold
This has sold about 22,000 in the year or so it’s been out, and re-enters the chart this week.
The Amity Affliction, Chasing Ghosts (Roadrunner) 275 sold
Also re-entering the charts are these guys, who’s album debuted at #1 in their home country of Australia.
Kylesa, Ultraviolet (Season of Mist) 250 sold
This should cross 5,000 next week.
Dio, Magica (Deluxe Edition) (Niji) 1,800 sold
Hard to believe it took Dio until 1999 to make a concept album.
Extol, Extol (Facedown) 1,000 sold
The Norwegian Christian progressive metal band’s first album in eight years arrives with a modest first week.
Deeds of Flesh, Portals to Canaan (Unique Leader) 985 sold
The band’s eighth album, and first in five years, does ok.
Night Verses, Lift Your Existence (Easy Killer) 425 sold
This band’s debut album has a slow start, but their touring should help turn more people on to them.
Sister Sin, Dance of the Wicked (Victory) 400 sold
This newly-remastered version of the band’s first album didn’t seem to appeal to too many people.
Orphaned Land, All is One (Century Media) 400 sold
This Israeli metal band’s 5th album sold more albums than any Palestinian bands on Metal by Numbers this week. At least we think it did.
Chthonic, Bu-Til (Spinefarm) 266 sold
Not a great beginning for the Taiwanese band’s latest. They might wanna get drunk and Taiwan on.