Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
People often talk about how bad thing come in threes, but this week it seems good things come in twos: two newer bands putting out their respective sophomore albums, two bands with decade long gaps between albums, and…well I guess that’s it. I thought there were more “twos” before I started that sentence. But having new Byzantine, Minsk, and Agnostic Front albums plus a Gorguts reissue in the same week is pretty bitchin’. Meanwhile, a rare #1 for a rock album, as pop punk band All Time Low sell a respectable 75,000 copies. Check the haul this week, I swear you won’t regret it.
Notable Debuts:
Sworn In, The Lovers / The Devil (Razor & Tie) #96, 3,025 sold
The sophomore effort from Sworn In cracks the top 100.
Royal Thunder, Crooked Doors (Relapse) 1,425 sold
Another sophomore debut, this time from the much buzzed about Royal Thunder.
Agnostic Front, The American Dream Died (Nuclear Blast) 1,250 sold
The eleventh album from NYC’s premiere hardcore act.
Byzantine, To Release Is To Resolve (Self-Released) 600 sold
THE BYZ RETURNS!
Minsk, The Crash & The Draw (Relapse) 560 sold
Speaking of returns, this post-metal group has returned with its first album in six years.
Gorguts, Obscura (Century Media) 310 sold
No, it’s not 1998; it’s the reissue of Gorguts’s third album.
Morgoth, Ungod (Century Media) 280 sold
Morgoth returns with its first album in almost two decades featuring new vocalist Karsten “Jagger” Jäger.
Poison Idea, Confuse & Conquer (Southern Lord) 280 sold
This hardcore punk act returns with its first album in almost a decade.
Notable Sales:
Van Halen, Tokyo Dome In Concert (Rhino) #35, 7,800 sold
This has a pretty good second week despite a 75% drop.
Hollywood Undead, Day of the Dead (Interscope) #43, 6,850 sold
This takes a second week drop of 80%.
Kid Rock, First Kiss (Warner Bros.) #39, 7,400 sold
A 31% drop doesn’t rock.
Sleeping With Sirens, Madness (Epitaph) #56, 4,975 sold
Looks like this crashed on the rocks with a 28% drop (that’s an Odyssey joke).
Nightwish, Endless Forms Most Beautiful (Nuclear Blast)#60, 4,675 sold
A 74% drop, but this could pick up some more sales from the band’s current tour.
AC/DC, Rock or Bust (Columbia) #83, 3,575 sold
A slight boost of 2%.
Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways (RCA) #139, 2,175 sold
This should be gold by the end of the month.
Slipknot, .5: The Grey Chapter (Roadrunner) #144, 2,100 sold
At 25 weeks, this has sold over 313,000 copies.
Marilyn Manson, The Pale Emperor (Loma Vista) #147, 2,025 sold
This goes pale after 19% drop.
Red, Of Beauty and Rage (Essential) #148, 2,025 sold
Just under 60,000 sold.
Falling In Reverse, Just Like You (Epitaph) #172, 1,750 sold
This has fallen by 23%.
The Pretty Reckless, Going To Hell (Razor & Tie) #173, 1,725 sold
Aw hell, a 17% drop.
In This Moment, Black Widow (Atlantic) #184, 1,625 sold
This dropped off last week but it’s back now.
We Are Harlot, We Are Harlot (Roadrunner) 810 sold
We are an 83% drop.
Torche, Restarter (Relapse) 370 sold
Start up a 10% boost.
Black Star Riders, The Killer Instinct (Nuclear Blast) 360 sold
A drop of 9%.
Amaranthe, Massive Addictive (Spinefarm) 330 sold
Not much change from last week.
Full Devil Jacket, Valley of Bones (eOne) 310 sold
A devilish 60% drop.
Blind Guardian, Beyond The Red Mirror (Nuclear Blast) 300 sold
A 14% drop? What are you blind?
Motor Sister, Ride (Metal Blade) 300 sold
So, what if Motörhead and Motor Sister toured?
Enslaved, In Times (Nuclear Blast) 300 sold
Slaving over a 30% drop.
Sons of Texas, Baptized In The Rio Grande (Razor & Tie) 300 sold
After a 30% drop, I wouldn’t recommend being baptized in the Rio Grande.
Prong, Songs From the Black Hole (eOne) 290 sold
This draws close to the black hole with a respectable 59% second week drop.
Like a Storm, Awaken The Fire (Century Media) 270 sold
Wake up, it’s a 12% drop.
