Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week.
Godsmack sit in a weird spot in the world of mainstream hard rock/metal in that no one really talks about them. People have all the time in the world to lob a tired Nickelback joke and Five Finger Death Punch always sell a boatload of albums, yet despite their success Godsmack seem like they are neither well loved nor hated; they’re just kind of there. For my part, Faceless was one of my earlier hard rock experiences thanks to “I Stand Alone” being featured in the 2004 video game Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. So while I can’t say I listen to the band all that much nowadays I do have a small soft spot for their earlier work. However, 36,000 people like Godsmack enough nowadays to propel them into the top 10 once again, so somebody somewhere is talking about them.
Notable Debuts:
Godsmack, When Legends Rise (BMG)
36,000 sold
Godsmack’s seventh album tops MBN this week, but this debut is the lowest the band have had since their 1998 debut.
Kobra And The Lotus, Prevail II (Napalm)
1,500 sold
A year after the release of Prevail I, Kobra And The Lotus’ latest album outsold its predecessor.
Anthrax, Kings Among Scotland (Megaforce)
1,300 sold
This is the newest live album from Anthrax, who apparently also decided to pay tribute to Kiss with their album cover.
Ingested, The Level Above Human (Unique Leader)
1,100 sold
This is the British band’s fourth studio album.
Riot V, Armor of Light (Nuclear Blast)
700 sold
This is the sixteenth studio album from Riot and the second under the Riot V moniker.
Skindred, Big Tings (Napalm)
600 sold
This sold roughly half what 2015’s Volume debuted with.
God Is An Astronaut, Epitaph (Napalm)
600 sold
This the band’s eighth studio album.
Dead Cross, Dead Cross EP (Ipecac)
500 sold
Dead Cross’s new EP was one of many surprise releases from the past couple weeks.
Dylan Carlson, Conquistador (Sargent House)
400 sold
This is a new solo album from the mastermind behind drone metal band Earth.
Homewrecker, Hell Is Here Now (Good Fight)
400 sold
This is the hardcore band’s third album.
Limbs, Father’s Son (UNFD)
350 sold
This is the latest release from this post-hardcore act.
Sink The Ship, Persevere (SharpTone)
300 sold
This is the band’s debut album.
Power Trip, Opening Fire: 2008-2014 (Dark Operative)
200 sold
This is a compilation album from the much revered Power Trip.
Wolf King, Loyal To The Soil (Prosthetic)
160 sold
This is the band’s debut album
Notable Sales:
A Perfect Circle, Eat The Elephant (BMG)
13,500 sold
A 79% second week drop, but still a pretty good second week.
Breaking Benjamin, Ember (Hollywood)
11,000 sold
A 43% second week drop with just under 100,000 sold.
Greta Van Fleet, From the Fires EP (Lava)
4,700 sold
A 6% drop, same as last week.
Nightwish, Decades (Nuclear Blast)
4,600 sold
A 12% drop.
Sleep, The Sciences (Third Man)
4,300 sold
A 61% drop in week two shouldn’t really harsh anyone’s mellow all that much.
Five Finger Death Punch, A Decade Of Destruction (Prospect Park)
2,600 sold
This sold the same as last week.
Metallica, Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (Blackened)
2,350 sold
A steep 47% boost.
Judas Priest, Firepower (Columbia)
2,800 sold
A 20% drop. Also, Priest played “Tryant” live for the first time in decades.
Stryper, God Damn Evil (Frontiers)
1,500 sold
A 81% second week drop. God damn Walmart is more like it, amirite?
Stone Temple Pilots, Stone Temple Pilots (Rhino)
1,300 sold
An 18% boost.
Three Days Grace, Outsider (RCA)
1,250 sold
A 12% drop.
Foo Fighters, Concrete and Gold (RCA/Roswell)
1,000 sold
A 9% drop.
Underoath, Erase Me (Fearless)
900 sold
Sales are almost halved as this drops 47%.
From Ashes To New, The Future (Better Noise)
600 sold
An 87% second week drop.
TesseracT, Sonder (Kscope)
550 sold
An 88% drop in week two.
Kamelot, The Shadow Theory (Napalm)
500 sold
A 17% drop.
Dokken,
Greta Van Fleet, Black Smoke Rising EP (Republic)
450 sold
Sales dropped by half.
Turnstile, Time & Space (Roadrunner)
450 sold
A 25% drop.
Melvins, Pinkus Abortion Technician (Ipecac)
350 sold
A 78% drop in week two.
Light The Torch, Revival (Nuclear Blast)
300 sold
A 33% drop.
The Dead Daisies, Burn It Down (Spitfire)
300 sold
A 45% drop.
Red Sun Rising, Thread (Razor & Tie)
200 sold
A 33% drop.
Rivers Of Nihil, Where Owls Know My Name (Metal Blade)
200 sold
Over 5,000 sold.
Gus G., Fearless (AFM Records)
200 sold
A 60% drop.
