Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Ah, December. Some love it, some hate it. For the rest of us, we embrace the oncoming chill of winter as the metal gods intended (unless you’re in Florida, in which case, punch a shark as the metal gods intended). It also means that the Best of 2015 lists are coming, and Metal Insider will certainly be participating. But lets not forget the albums being released this month. Wouldn’t want to overlook any potential end year favorites.
Notable Debuts:
Rush, R40 Live (Rounder)#12, 23,975 sold
Rush’s latest live album from their recent (and final?) tour is their highest charting live recording since 2008’s Snakes & Arrows Live.
Wage War, Blueprints (Fearless) #165, 2,300 sold
The metalcore act’s debut album gets a respectable debut on the charts.
Solution .45, Nightmares in the Waking State – Part 1 (AFM) 630 sold
The supergroup’s first album since 2010 makes its debut.
Phantasma, The Deviant Hearts (Napalm) 480 sold
This symphonic metal act is fronted by Charotte Wessels of Delain.
Spock’s Beard, The First Twenty Years (Metal Blade) 230 sold
The band’s first greatest hits album also features a brand new track.
Malfunction, Fear of Failure (Bridge 9) 230 sold
This hardcore act from Buffalo release their first album with Bridge 9.
Notable Sales:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Letters From The Labyrinth (Republic) #18, 18,375 sold
A second week 60% drop doesn’t take this out of the top 20.
Five Finger Death Punch, Got Your Six (Prospect Park) #54, 6,900 sold
This nabs a 14% boost.
Shinedown, Threat To Survival (Atlantic) #82, 4,775 sold
At week ten, this gains a 22% boost bring it to over 123,000 sold.
Def Leppard, Def Leppard (Mailboat) #85, 4,725 sold
A 9% drop with just under 50,000 sold.
Disturbed, Immortalized (Reprise) #97, 4,075 sold
A 23% increase and not far off from the 200,000 mark.
Breaking Benjamin, Dark Before Dawn (Hollywood) #112, 3,400 sold
A 17% boost makes this over 280,000 sold.
Puscifer, Money Shot (Puscifer Entertainment) #143, 2,650 sold
A 4% drop is not on the money.
Bring Me The Horizon, That’s The Spirit (Columbia) #147, 2,625 sold
Just under the 100,000 mark.
Iron Maiden, The Book of Souls (BMG) #177, 2,075 sold
Turned down by 11%, but still doing pretty solidly.
Intronaut, The Direction of Last Things (Century Media) #119, 560 sold
This takes a 78% drop in week two, but it’s turning up on a fair amount of year-end lists, so that might slow the drop in week 3.
Saxon, Battering Ram (UDR) 510 sold
A 19% boost bats this up past 4,000 sold.
Red Sun Rising, Polyester Zeal (Razor & Tie) 310 sold
A 33% drop isn’t exactly a rise.
Revocation, Empire of the Obscene (Metal Blade) 250 sold
This reissue takes a 61% drop.
Swallow The Sun, Songs From the North I, II, & III (Century Media) 240 sold
A 71% second-week drop
Fit for an Autopsy, Absolute Hope Absolute Hell (eOne) 230 sold
This has moved about 4,500 so far.
Get Scared, Demons (Fearless) 230 sold
This crosses 5,000 sold in week 3.
Metal Allegiance, Metal Allegiance (Nuclear Blast) 220 sold
A 16% boost back onto the charts.
The Plot In You, Happiness In Self Destruction (Stay Sick) 200 sold
This dropped off last week, but got boosted back up.
