Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
We’re Metal Insider, not Scene Kid Insider, so that’s why Overkill is our top story. Any time a band with a 35 year career gets the highest charting album of their career, you’ve gotta give them their respect. However, the top metal debut proper goes to Crown the Empire, who landed themselves a top ten debut with their sophomore album. I guess winning an AP award counts for something after all. Here’s what people bought last week.
Notable Debuts:
Crown the Empire, The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways (Rise) #7, 24,000 sold
Their last album showed lots of signs of life, proving that artist development works, especially with the Warped Tour crowd.
Overkill, White Devil Armory (eOne) #31, 8,600 sold
It’s taken 35 years, but Overkill have the highest-charting release of their career. Amazing. Not often a band has career renaissance this far into their career.
Fozzy, Do You Wanna Start a War (Century Media) #54, 5,400 sold
Nah, we’re good. Kudos to Chris Jericho though.
Within the Ruins, Phenomena (eOne) #71, 4,067 sold
Massachusetts-based group Within the Ruins had have an impressive debut, their first time breaking the Billboard 200. You can catch them on this year’s Summer Slaughter Tour, which is going on now.
War of Ages, Supreme Chaos (Facedown) #97, 3,100 sold
Very nice showing for the Christian metalcore band. Now you can start to understand why a band like As I Lay Dying would stay “Christian” even if they aren’t.
Fallujah, The Flesh Prevails (Unique Leader) #101, 2,900 sold
Everyone’s talking about these guys as a band to watch, which led to a very respectable debut for their sophomore album. You’ll get a chance to see them on the Summer Slaughter Tour.
Dog Fashion Disco, Sweet Nothings (Rotten) #18, 1,300 sold
Considering the band last released an album eight years ago before breaking up, their reunion album is off to a nice start.
Ill Niño, Till Death, La Familia (Victory) #143, 2,500 sold
Wow, between these guys and Overkill, New Jersey thrash and nu-metal from the past are killing it! This is the band’s seventh album, and they’re on this year’s Mayhem Festival, playing the Victory Records stage alongside labelmates Emmure, Wretched, and more.
Notable Sales:
Rise Against, The Black Market (Interscope) #17, 12,150 sold
This one took a bit of a hit from last week, but most bands would kill to sell 12,000 copies in a week.
Linkin Park, The Hunting Party (Warner Bros.) #32, 8,200 sold
Wonder if anyone picked up Hed PE or Ill Nino when grabbing thisone.
Various Artists, 2014 Vans Warped Tour Compilation (Side One Dummy) #34, 7,900 sold
This one got a big 30% jump from last week. Guess the tour hit some markets where people still buy CD’s!
Judas Priest, Redeemer of Souls (Epic) #40, 7,300 sold
This has sold 54,000 copies in three weeks. Expect to see it continue as they tour.
Seether, Isolate & Medicate (The Bicycle Music Company) #51, 6,000 sold
This band has the #1 song at active rock radio this week. So why isn’t the album selling better?
Suicide Silence, You Can’t Stop Me (Nuclear Blast) #69, 4,600 sold
A big 69% second week drop still shows the record selling nearly 20,000 copies total.
Avenged Sevenfold, Hail To The King (Warner Bros.) #117, 2,700 sold
Currently on the Mayhem Fest, this album officially went gold (500,000 sold) last week.
Mastodon, Once More ‘Round The Sun (Reprise) #122, 2,600 sold
The album continues to decline in sales, but at week 5 has sold over 54,000 copies.
The Pretty Reckless, Going To Hell (Razor & Tie) #140, 2,100 sold
This will cross the 100,000 sold barrier in the next few weeks. Of course, Taylor Momsen could probably have made just as much money by taking an acting gig.
Five Finger Death Punch, The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell Vol. 2 (Prospect Park) #145, 2,100 sold
While the first one didn’t chart this week, the second album notches 276,000 sold this week.
Chevelle, La Gargola (Epic) #153, 2,000 sold
Remember the early ‘aughts? This week, 2000 people did.
Bring Me The Horizon, Sempiternal (Epitaph) #162, 1,900 sold
It’s amazing that theses guys have sold over 200,000 copies of this album, and with a 4% increase, it’s still selling.
Chelsea Grin, Ashes To Ashes (Razor & Tie) #178, 1,700 sold
15,000 sold in three weeks.
Of Mice & Men, Restoring Force (Rise) #179, 1,700 sold
A nice 10% increase for these guys, who have been charting for 22 weeks now.
Vanna, VOID (Pure Noise) 1,400 sold
I’d like to buy a vowel.
Ice Nine Kills, The Predator Becomes the Prey (Outerloop) 470 sold
Another Warped Tour band, but they sold 21% less than they did last week.
Betraying The Martyrs, Phantom (Sumerian) 500 sold
A big 80% second week drop. That’s gotta hurt.
Get Scared, Everyone’s Out To Get Me (Fearless) 450 sold
Well, maybe not everyone. How about 450 are out to get me?
Deafheaven, Sunbather (Deathwish) 380 sold
A 26% increase, which is great for an album coming up on a year old.
Gemini Syndrome, Lux (Warner Bros.) 350 sold
This is another album almost a year old, and it had a 22% increase as well. It’s sold 24,000 so far.
Rival Sons, Great Western Valkyrie (Earache) 340 sold
The least metal and most rock record on Earache has a 25% drop
Kobra and the Lotus, High Priestess (Titan) 330 sold
A 1% increase from people that got into the KISS/Def Leppard show early.
Wolves In the Throne Room, Celestite (Artemisia) 320 sold
This album is hardly metal, but it’s great. It’s sold just over 2,000 so far.
’68, In Humor and Sadness (eOne) 290 sold
Up to about 4,000 sold.
Babymetal, Babymetal (VAP Japan) 280 sold
Only a 1% increase after playing Los Angeles? It’ll be interesting to see if there’s an uptick from the Lady Gaga crowd.
Grave Digger, Return of the Reaper (Napalm) 275 sold
A 46% drop suggests not too many people are digging this.
