Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Technically industrial group Skinny Puppy have the highest ranking debut out of the nine hard rock/metal related new releases this week. However, it’s Carnifex who get the spotlight this week for cracking the top 160 in their first week. While the deathcore group’s fourth album Until I Feel Nothing sold slightly less than 2010’s Hell Chose Me (which ranked #175 and sold around 3,100 copies in its first week), they have scored their highest ranking debut to date. Plus, the fact that they sold only about 400 copies less than an album that came out less than two years ago is pretty impressive nowadays.
Notable Debuts:
Skinny Puppy, hanDover (Synthetic Symphony) #137, 3,080 sold
The Canadian industrial group’s eleventh studio album is also their highest ranking to date. This is great news for the band, especially since the album almost didn’t get released for several years while SPV sorted out their financial issues.
Carnifex, Until I Feel Nothing (Victory) #159, 2,680 sold
Chances are that the Arizona deathcore group’s latest album will get a boost thanks to their upcoming tour with Born Of Osiris and Veil Of Maya.
Russian Circles, Empros (Sargent House) 1,900 sold
A very strong first week for the instrumental rock trio’s fourth studio album. It’s certainly a good way to start their North American tour, which kicks off tonight in Houston, TX.
Structures, Divided By (Sumerian) 1,350 sold
The band sells in their first week than their current tour mates/fellow Canadian hardcore/metal group Counterparts do (see below).
Black Tusk, Set the Dial (Relapse) 730 sold
A solid first week for the sludge metal trio’s fourth album. Has anyone checkws out bassist/singer Athon’s Top 5 things he’s ever grilled?
Molotov Solution, Insurrection (Blkheart Group) 590 sold
Maybe their upcoming tour with Chimaira, Unearth, and Skeletonwitch will help sales out.
Counterparts, The Current Will Carry Us (Victory) 490 sold
Sales for the Canadian hardcore band will likely not carry on after this week.
Junius, Reports from the Threshold of Death (Prosthetic) 480 sold
A slow start for the art rock group’s second full length album, and first via Prosthetic Records.
Jim Florentine, Cringe ‘N’ Purge (Metal Blade), 420 sold
This may be a comedy album, but it comes from That Metal Show co-host Jim Florentine, who has also previously opened for many metal bands. Plus, like his co-host Don Jamieson’s last stand-up album, Florentine’s latest album was released by Metal Blade Records.
Notable Sales:
Evanescence, Evanescence (Wind-Up) #13, 21,650 sold
A 45% decrease isn’t enough to kick Amy Lee and co. out of the top 15 in their third week.
Five Finger Death Punch, American Capitalist (Prospect Park) #22, 17,170 sold
FFDP drop down the charts by 13 spots in their third week thanks to a 41% decrease in sales. Despite that, they’re still in the top 25.
Jane’s Addiction, The Great Escape Artist (Capitol) #61, 6,180 sold
A 74% decrease in sales kicks the one time kings of alt rock down the charts by 49 spots in their second week. Guess this proves that fans have been stealing this album online.
Puscifer, Conditions of My Parole (Puscifer Entertainment) #73, 5,160 sold
Maynard James Keenan’s (Tool, A Perfect Circle) other side project also takes a hefty fall down the charts in its second week, dropping by 47 spots thanks to a 57% decrease in sales. Maybe Puscifer’s recent performance on The Late Show will give sales a boost.
Staind, Staind (Atlantic) #96, 4,070 sold
After seven weeks, the post-nu metal group are four spots away from exiting the top 100.
Foo Fighters, Wasting Light (RCA) #101, 3,940 sold
In 29 weeks, Dave Grohl and co. have sold over 601,000 copies of their seventh studio album.
Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot III (eOne) #114, 3,610 sold
Sammy Hagar and the gang get kicked out of the top 100 in their fifth week on the charts thanks to a 33% decrease.
Mastodon, The Hunter (Reprise) #126, 3,270 sold
This album has only been out for five weeks now, but do we already know what Mastodon’s next project will be?
Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare (Warner Bros.) #145, 2,900 sold
Somehow, A7X experience a 16% increase in sales, helping them jump up the charts by 24 spots.
Anthrax, Worship Music (Megaforce) #187, 2,280 sold
One quarter of the Big 4 gets knocked down the charts by 42 spots thanks to 20% decrease in sales.
Hollywood Undead, American Tragedy (A&M/Octone) #189, 2,230 sold
Apparently there were still over 2,000 people who even after 30 weeks thought to themselves “Gosh, my record collection is incomplete without a Hollywood Undead record.” What a tragedy.
Primus, Green Naugahyde (ATO) #193, 2,160 sold
After seven weeks, the funk/prog rockers find themselves seven spots away from exiting the top 200. Guess their performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week wasn’t that helpful.
Volbeat, Beyond Hell/Above Heaven (Universal) 990 sold
The Danish garage metallers have sold over 50,100 copies in 50 weeks. Who wants to bet that Volbeat will still be around on the charts by the time Gigantour 2012 kicks off?
Skeletonwitch, Forever Abomination (Prosthetic) 660 sold
Another 36% decrease for the blackened thrash metal group in their third week. Here’s hoping that their upcoming tour with Chimaira and Unearth will give sales a boost.
La Dispute, Wildlife (No Sleep) 530 sold
Another modest 11% decrease in sales for the post hardcore band in their fourth week on the charts.
Wolves in the Throne Room, Celestial Lineage (Southern Lord) 480 sold
At least the black metal group has been selling consistently around the same amount for the past seven weeks.
Memphis May Fire, The Hollow (Rise) 390 sold
After a little less than 6 months off the charts, the Southern metalcore group make a return to the charts out of nowhere.
Insomnium, One for Sorrow (Century Media) 380 sold
A 62% decrease in sales isn’t a good sign for the Finnish death metal group in their second week on the charts.
Saxon, Call to Arms (EMI) 330 sold
Roughly around the same place as last week for the NWOBHM legends.
