Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
You might not be surprised to know that the late David Bowie has at least seventeen albums on the Billboard 200. What you may be surprised to know is that *gasp* we have five albums under notable debuts! It’s about time too because dry spells make writing this opening blurb harder (except for when every musician or actor in the world near age 70 decides to drop dead at the same time, then you get the somber intro). In any case, it looks like the ball is finally rolling for metal in 2016.
It Lies Within, Paramount (Victory) #171, 1,225 sold
The sophomore effort from this metalcore act has a decent debut, though the album art makes me wonder if they’re familiar with Within The Ruins.
Exmortus, Ride Forth (Prosthetic) 970 sold
Exmortus returns with album four, bringing in their best debut yet.
The Order of Elijah, War at Heart (Luxor) 310 sold
This metalcore act has released its third album. They also go by TOOE, which means they’re just a missing “O” away from being called TOE.
The band’s fourth album is their first on The End Records
Notable Sales:
Disturbed, Immortalized (Reprise) #37, 5,150 sold
The tiniest drop of 1%.
Five Finger Death Punch, Got Your Six (Prospect Park) #56, 3,550 sold
Just under 290,000 sold.
Shinedown, Threat To Survival (Atlantic) #84, 2,475 sold
This will survive after a 26% drop
Bring Me The Horizon, That’s The Spirit (Columbia) #111, 1,875 sold
Might need to drink some spirits after a 34% drop.
Breaking Benjamin, Dark Before Dawn (Hollywood) #114, 1,850 sold
A 36% drop might be bending Benjamin, but not breaking him.
Baroness, Purple (Abraxan Hyms) #120, 1,800 sold
Over 25,000 sold thus far.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Letters From The Labyrinth (Republic) #123, 1,750 sold
Another drop of 44%, but it’s still nabbing sales.
Red, Of Beauty and Rage (Essential) #141, 1,550 sold
This pops back up for the first time in a while, likely thanks to the band’s current tour.
Motörhead, Bad Magic (UDR) #159, 1,325 sold
In case you wanted to have a proper toast to Lemmy, JD has you covered.
Iron Maiden, The Book of Souls (BMG) #174, 1,225 sold
It’s about time Maiden got around to a new video game.
Slayer, Repentless (Nuclear Blast) #175, 1,200 sold
Just under 100,000 sold.
Def Leppard, Def Leppard (Mailboat) #178, 1,175 sold
An 18% drop is not sticky sweet from my head to my feet.
Rush, R40 Live (Rounder)#178, 1,175 sold
Random, but Imagine Dragons do a decent cover of “Tom Sawyer”. Not that the majority of thirteen-year-olds in the audience likely knew who Rush is but, hey, still cool.
Coheed and Cambria, The Color Before The Sun (300 Entertainment) #199, 1,025 sold
This could use some sun after a 32% drop.
Ice Nine Kills, Every Trick In The Book (Fearless) 520 sold
This sold about the same as last week.
Wage War, Blueprints (Fearless) 300 sold
A 28% drop means war.
Red Sun Rising, Polyester Zeal (Razor & Tie) 280 sold
A 15% drop will make you red in the face.
Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, The Night Creeper (Rise Above) 210 sold
A 17% crept up on this one.
Metal Allegiance, Metal Allegiance (Nuclear Blast) 200 sold
Meanwhile, this picked up a 17% boost.
Intronaut, The Direction of Last Things (Century Media) 200 sold
A 25% drop in the wrong direction.
Nile, What Should Not Be Unearthed (Nuclear Blast) 170 sold
In denile over a 21% drop.
All Them Witches, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker (New West) 150 sold
About the same sales as last week.
