Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
This is usually the time of year where I’m listening to album after album, searching for any gems from the year that I might have missed (and believe me I miss a few) before I put a list together. Oddly, at this time, I feel pretty set on my list aside from a few stragglers I’ve yet to listen to. A list that’s normally whittled down from 25 to 30 albums was really only 17 or 18 this year. Now I just gotta find the words to describe why they’re good. Got any last minute albums to recommend? Is one of them on the charts below? Let me know so I can write my list and then just blast August Burns Red’s Sleddin’ Hill the rest of the month.
Notable Debuts:
Hatebreed, Weight of the False Self (Nuclear Blast)Debut #28
5,250 sold
Hatebreed’s eighth studio album hits the top 30, though it didn’t perform as well as its 2016 predecessor.
Dream Theater, Distant Memories (Century Media)Debut #53
3,125 sold
Dream Theater’s latest album features material from their new album as well as a full performance of Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory.
Ace Frehley, Space Truckin’ (eOne)Debut #98
1,775 sold
This Record Story Day Black Friday release features, as the title suggests, a cover of Deep Purples “Space Truckin’.”
Jazz Sabbath, This came out back in April, but the RSD Black Friday release boosted this onto the Top Current charts for the first time.
Clutch, The Weathermaker Vault Series Vol 1. (Weathermaker)Debut #112
1,475 sold
This compilation features re-recorded and reimagined tracks from the bands catalogue.
Baroness, Live at Madia Vale BBC – Vol II. (Abraxan Hymns)Debut #119
1,400 sold
This EP is a followup to the 2013 release.
Blue Öyster Cult, Live ’83 (Real Gone)Debut #132
1,300 sold
This RSD release was originally recorded in Pasadena, CA 1983.
Anthrax, Soldiers of Metal (Megaforce)Debut #157
1,000 sold
This is a RSD reissue of the original 1983 seven-inch single.
Volbeat, Hokus Bonus (Republic)Debut #161
990 sold
This RSD release is a compilation of bonus tracks from the band’s discography.
Plini, Impulse Voices (Self-Released)Debut #166
960 sold
This is the Australian guitarist’s second studio album.
Scour, Black EP (Nuclear Blast)Debut #170
920 sold
This is the Phil Anselmo-led band’s third EP.
Within The Ruins, Black Heart (eOne)Debut #186
850 sold
This is the band’s sixth album.
Cadaver, Edder & Bile (Nuclear Blast)370 sold
This is the band’s fifth album and first since 2004.
Poppy, A Very Poppy Christmas(Sumerian)350 sold
Following her heavy pop album release at the beginning of 2020, Poppy has released a Christmas EP for the holidays.
Voivod, Lost Machine – Live (Century Media)330 sold
Voivod’s fourth live album was recorded back in July 2019 in Quebec City Summer Fest, a mythical time when music festivals were still happening.
Notable Sales:
AC/DC, Still in the top 5 after a 30% drop.
Iron Maiden, Nights Of The Dead, Legacy Of The Beast: Live In Mexico City(Parlophone Records/BMG)#54 (from 9)
3,100 sold
A second week 80% drop.
Beastie Boys, 
Metallica & The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, A 29% boost with just under 100,000 sold.
Pearl Jam, 
Deftones, 
Five Finger Death Punch, A Decade Of Destruction, Volume 2 (Prospect Park)#134 (from 103)
1,275 sold
A 10% boost.
Mr. Bungle, The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo (Ipecac)#156 (from 130)
1,000 sold
A 19% drop.
Ozzy Osbourne, A 28% boost.
Queen + Adam Lambert, Live Around The World(Hollywood)#177 (from 171)
880 sold
A 33% boost.
Sodom, Genesis XIX (eOne)
660 sold
Sodom’s sixteenth studio album marks the band’s first release as a quartet instead of a trio.
Diamond Head, Lightning To The Nations 2020 (Silver Lining Music)530 sold
This got a huge 291% boost in week two.
Armored Saint, 
Dark Tranquillity, Moment (Century Media)400 sold
A 77% drop in week two.
Hum, 
Nothing, 
Thou & Emma Ruth Rundle, May Our Chambers Be Full (Sacred Bones)270 sold
This got a monster boost back up.
King 810, 
Fates Warning, 
The Hu, 
Undeath, Lesions Of A Different Kind (Prosthetic)210 sold
A 291% boost back up.
Jinjer, Alive In Melbourne 2020 (Napalm)190 sold
A second week 88% drop.
All Them Witches, Nothing As The Ideal (New West)190 sold
A 96% boost back up.
Ellefson, No Cover (EMP)170 sold
A 45% drop.
Zakk Sabbath, Vertigo (Magnetic Eye)150 sold
A 21% drop.
Unleash The Archers, Abyss (Napalm)150 sold
A 35% boost back up.
Belphegor, Necrodaemon Terrorsathan (20th Anniversary Edition) (Nuclear Blast)150 sold
A 114% boost back up.
