Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week as well as what’s getting played at metal radio courtesy of radio trade magazine FMQB, whose metal panel consists of about 80 college and commercial stations that have metal shows, as well as SiriusXM, Music Choice, and more.
Sorry about the break, readers. The holidays took their toll on Metal Insider, but we’re back in full effect. In short, the holidays happened and a lot of people bought music. This week, things got back to normal, with only one album selling over 100,000 copies. Yeah, it was that dude Susan Boyle. There weren’t any notable debuts this week. A few non-metal notes. Looks like a lot of people that got The Hangover for Christmas or rented it liked the soundtrack – it’s sold 14,000 copies in the two weeks since coming out on DVD. Also, indie rockers are easily influenced by year-end best-ofs. Both Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear re-entered the top 200.
Notable Sales:
Mudvayne, Mudvayne (Epic) #51, 14,000 sold
To give you an idea of the volume of new music, Mudvayne’s self-titled album dropped 59% from last week and only fell one chart position.
Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures
Up to 176,000 sold so far. Not bad for a solid rock band that isn’t getting shoved down everyone’s throat by MTV, Perez Hilton and TMZ.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Night Castle 
Over 375,000 sold in only 10 weeks. By the time Christmas rolls around next year, this will be another gold album.
Alice In Chains, Black Gives Way To Blue (Virgin) #83, 9,000 sold
This sold 57% less than last week, but it’s still moved 330,000.
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs
Is one of these guys really going to compete on American Idol?
Five Finger Death Punch, War Is The Answer
Well, looks like these dudes are still taking back control with their knuckles.
Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11 (ATO) #130, 5,500 sold
This re-enters the chart, having sold 4% more than it did last week. Due to the post-holidays drop, there are only 10 other albums in the top 200 that sold more than they did last week.
Metalocalypse: Dethklok, Dethalbum II (Williams Street)
After falling off the chart, this album’s had a bit of a resurgence in the last few weeks.
Hollywood Undead, Desperate Measures
If you thought Hollywood Undead fans sucked, wait until American Idol fans find out about them.
Slayer, World Painted Blood
And in a little over two months, Slayer cross 100,000 sold.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner) #169, 4,100 sold
This is another album that rebounded back on the charts at the end of the year.
Wolfmother, Cosmic Egg (Interscope) #177, 4,000 sold
This redebuts on the chart too.
Motley Crue, Greatest Hits (Motley Records) #180, 3,900 sold
40,000 sold. They might have sold more copies of their five greatest hits albums than their other albums.
Atreyu, Congregation of the Damned (Hollywood) #196, 3,500 sold
They’ve sold a pretty respectable 66,000 so far, but this is probably their last week on the charts, at least until another single comes out.
Attack Attack!, Someday Came Suddenly (Rise) 1,400 sold
Looks like a lot of people with bad taste gave the gift of music. They’ve sold 63,000 already.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season
This will definitely cross 100,00 sold. It’s up to 84,000 and hasn’t slowed down after 14 months.
Baroness, Blue Record (Relapse) 1,100 sold
This has a decrease of only 17% from last week, which means that it must be catching on. It’s sold 17,000 so far.
Nile, Those Whom the Gods Detest
Lots of fans of songs about pyramids out there. This is still doing pretty well nine weeks in.
Austrian Death Machine, Double Brutal
With over 17,000 sold so far, this is doing better than a lot of legitimate Metal Blade releases. Not that ADB aren’t legit but… oh wait, they really aren’t.
Epica, Design Your Universe (Nuclear Blast) 600 sold
As far as operatic symphonic metal records go, this is one of them.
Whitechapel, This Is Exile (Metal Blade) 550 sold
This has sold over 50,000 already. Who knew? Not me, that’s for damn sure. Good job guys.
Immortal, All Shall Fall (Nuclear Blast) 500 sold
C’mon guys, you’ve sold 10,000 copies of your latest album, why the grim faces?
Despised Icon, Day of Mourning (Century Media) 500 sold
Everyone that’s saying the deathcore movement is over haven’t checked the sales charts lately. Despised Icon has sold 13,000 already.
Pelican, What We All Come To Need (Southern Lord) 400 sold
This is one of the band’s best albums, and this is coming from someone that wrote them off after their semi-boring last album.
Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media) 400 sold
22,000 sold? That’s pretty impressive for a band that’s only getting metal radio airplay and hasn’t written much in the way of a cohesive song.
