Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
You may have noticed that there was no Metal By Numbers report last week. Well have no fear, because we’re back! However, we certainly chose a sad week to return. Even though there were a lot of metal/hard rock related releases this week, sales in general were just awful. The highest hard rock related debut comes from Senses Fail, who couldn’t even crack the top 30. While Taylor Swift debuted at #1, selling over 1 million copies of her new album Speak Now, the next 49 albums didn’t even sell that COMBINED. Next, you’re going to tell us that the Republican Party gained control of the House of Representatives during yesterday’s elections. Oh wait…
Notable Debuts:
Senses Fail, The Fire (Vagrant) #31, 11,200 sold
Though it’s the highest hard rock debut of the week, it isn’t even close to being the band’s highest ranking/selling debut. 2008’s Life Is Not A Waiting Room debuted at #18.
(hed) P.E., Truth Rising (Suburban Noize) #88, 4,760 sold
Is this a sign that people still like rap rock or that album sales are just generally in the stinker? And for those interested, this also is not the band’s highest debut. That would be 2003’s Blackout, which landed at #33 in its first week.
Ill Niño, Dead New World (Victory) #141, 3,000 sold
Though it ranked slightly higher than 2008’s Enigma, the band’s first album with Victory Records sells 2000 copies less than its predecessor.
Monster Magnet, Mastermind (Napalm) #142, 3,000 sold
The band’s first album with new label home Napalm Records is their best ranking album in less than a decade, with 2001’s God Says No debuting at #153 in its first week.
Hydrogyn, Judgment (Rapid Fire Global Music) 1,540 sold
This Kentucky hard rock band recently departed with ex-Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young due to clashing personalities. Ex-Megadeth/Black Label Society bassist James Lomenzo also plays bass on the album, though he will not be touring with the band. Maybe those connections to Megadeth are playing a role to the album’s good sales…or the fact that their singer is really hot and always shows a lot of cleavage on the album covers. That’s one way to get people to buy a physical copy.
Kylesa, Spiral Shadow (Season of Mist) 1,500 sold
The Georgia sludge metal band’s fifth studio album has a solid first week. Thank God, now we can say at least one debut had a decent week.
Forbidden, Omega Wave (Nuclear Blast) 950 sold
Not a bad first week for the reunited San Fran thrashers.
Therion, Sitra Ahra (Nuclear Blast) 790 sold
We have to imagine that the Snowy Shaw drama played some role in the album’s sales.
Firewind, Days of Defiance (Century Media) 700 sold
Guess being Ozzy’s guitarist can only get you so far in sales. On the plus side, though, we can’t imagine Firewind selling even as much as it did in the States without Gus G.’s famous connection.
Holy Grail, Crisis in Utopia (Prosthetic) 550 sold
It might be too easy to make Monty Python jokes, but you couldn’t blame the band for wishing they had more in common with the movie just to boost sales.
Dååth, Dååth (Century Media) 500 sold
It’s really a shame to see a group that continues to gain more critical acclaim with each album sell so little during their first week.
Triptykon, Shatter: Eparistera Daimones Accompanied (Century Media) 500 sold
For an EP, and a name that a majority of fans probably can’t even pronounce, this isn’t such a bad first week for Thomas Gabriel Fischer (ex-Celtic Frost) and gang.
Transatlantic, Whirld Tour 2010: Live in London (Metal Blade) 350 sold
You can’t expect amazing sales from a 3 disc live CD that features a 12 part, 77 minute song, even with Mike Portnoy’s name attached. However, you still have to believe that joining Avenged Sevenfold full time sounds very promising to Portnoy.
Notable Sales:
Linkin Park, A Thousand Suns (Warner Bros.) #24, 17,300 sold
A 17% decrease see Linkin Park exit the top 20 during its seventh week.
Disturbed, Asylum (Reprise) #50, 8,300 sold
You’ve heard the Disturbed album Asylum, may have heard the KISS album Asylum and might even actually have been checked into an asylum at one point. Now you can play the online game!
All That Remains, For We Are Many (Prosthetic/Razor & Tie) #60, 7,000 sold
After an impressive first week, All That Remains are slipping off fast. Last week, they went from #10 to #37, and this week they find themselves 23 spots behind.
Avenged Sevenfold, Nightmare (Warner Bros.) #63, 6,300 sold
In fourteen weeks, the band has sold just under 365,000 copies.
Five Finger Death Punch, War is the Answer (Prospect Park) #82, 4,900 sold
Would you believe that FFDP has ranked in at #82 for the past three weeks?! No joke!
Godsmack, Oracle (Universal) #95, 4,300 sold
This is also the second week Godsmack ranked in at #95. Should we be a bit suspicious at this point?
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network Movie Soundtrack (The Null Corporation) #117, 3,600 sold
After making an impressive jump up the charts after a major decrease in sales, the Reznor composed soundtrack once again falls off the top 100.
AC/DC, AC/DC: Iron Man 2 (Columbia) #121, 3,500 sold
What was a better Halloween costume: Iron Man or Angus Young?
Stone Sour, Audio Secrecy (Roadrunner) #125, 3,300 sold
After eight weeks, Stone Sour has sold over 95,300 copies.
Bring Me the Horizon, There is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret (Epitaph) #162, 2,700 sold
They’ve had a pretty impressive four weeks, even with an incredibly long as album title.
Soundgarden, Telephantasm (A&M/UMe) #165, 2,700 sold
With all the hype that surrounded their reunion, it’s a little surprising that sales for this compilation album have decreased so dramatically in five weeks. Maybe their appearance on Conan O’Brien’s new TBS show on November 9 will help?
Ozzy Osbourne, Scream (Epic) #178, 2,500 sold
Anyone who has ever wanted to see Ozzy battle Cat Stevens for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s amusement got their wish this past weekend.
Motley Crue, Greatest Hits (Motley Records) #189, 2,300 sold
Want to see Vince Neil compete as a figure skater? Neither do we, but it’s happening anyway.
Halford, Halford IV: Made of Metal (Metal God) 740 sold
The Metal God is barely hanging in there. In just five weeks, Halford has sold just under 7,800 copies. Hell bent for cutout bins?
Intronaut, Valley of Smoke (Century Media) 440 sold
A slight increase during their third week, but not enough to make too much of an impact.
Blind Guardian, At the Edge of Time (Nuclear Blast) 370 sold
The German metaller’s presence may not last much longer, though they’ve had a solid ten weeks on the charts.
Vanna, Honest Hearts EP (Artery) 350 sold
Now that the Ghostbustour is done, Vanna will have to find another funny named tour to hop onto.
Death Angel, Relentless Retribution (Nuclear Blast) 350 sold
This may be the San Fran thrash legend’s last week on the charts. Thanks for representing old school thrash for the past seven weeks, Death Angel.
