Metal By Numbers is a weekly column in which we look at the top metal sellers and debuts of the week as well as what’s getting played at Metal radio courtesy of radio trade magazine FMQB, whose metal panel consists of about 80 college and commercial stations that have metal shows, as well as SiriusXM, Music Choice, and more.
So the top two selling albums in the country are by Reba McEntire and George Strait. The third biggest is by Third Eye Blind. GWAR debut inside the top 100 (they actually started in the ’80s) and Otep has the top metal debut (ok, they weren’t around in the ’90s, but their sound is nothing if not reconsituted nu-metal). Also, Burnt By the Sun’s farewell debuts too. We’re going to post this, watch the latest episode of Friends, and raise a beer to the first black president, William Jefferson Clinton!
Notable Debuts:
Otep, Smash the Control Machine (Victory) #47, 10,400 sold
We’re definitely not fans of her music by a long shot, but Otep Shamaya is intelligent, political, and for the most part, wel-spoken. Congrats are in order for her, her band and new label Victory for the highest metal debut of the week.
Emmure, Felony (Victory) #60, 7,800 sold
And Victory has the top two metal debuts of the week. Karma.
GWAR, Lust In Space (Metal Blade) #96, 4,700 sold
This is GWAR’s first appearance in the top 100 ever.
Various Arists, Monster Ballads: The Ultiimate Set (Razor & Tie) #109 4,100 sold
KISS, Cinderella, Damn Yankees, Firehouse. Yeah, I already have all of these songs. I’ve said too much.
Burnt By the Sun, Heart of Darkness (Relapse) 900 sold
It’s been a long time since they put out an album, and this is a good enough first week that maybe this shouldn’t be their last album.
Notable Sales:
Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot (Redline/Fontana) #58, 8,000 sold
I’ve only heard one song from this, but it’s already better than anything Sammy Hagar put out in the past decade.
Hollywood Undead, Swan Songs (Octone) #65, 7,300 sold
Dammit, now that they’ve sold 500,000, I guess I have to write about them again. They’re up to 503,000 sold thanks to bored ICP fans.
Behemoth, Evangelion (Metal Blade) #98, 4,600 sold
And Behemoth stays in the top 100 for a second week. It’s a Polish black metal revolution!
Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner) #101, 4,500 sold
Sitting just outside of the top 100 at two months is a pretty good place to be.
Winds of Plague, The Great Stone War (Century Media) #121, 3,700 sold
A second week drop of less than 50% is a good sign of things to come for them.
Disturbed, Indestructable (Reprise) #148, 2,900 sold
I’ve got nothing to say about these guys. I’ve run out of snarky shit to say, but someone keeps buying this.
Slipknot, All Hope is Gone (Roadrunner), #166, 2,600
Get well soon, Joey. Between him, Zakk Wylde, and Steven Tyler, there’s a lot of sick musicians out there.
Metallica, Death Magnetic (Warner Bros.) #172, 2,500 sold
Is it just us, or does Guitar Hero: Metallica get really hard really quickly?
Suicide Silence, No Time To Bleed (Century Media) #178, 2,500 sold
Guess they got a sales bump from road sales on the “Pedal to the Metal” tour.
August Burns Red, Constellations (Solid State) #186, 2,400 sold
With over 41,000 sold so far, this is moving almost as quickly as their last album.
Bring Me The Horizon, Suicide Season (Epitaph) 950 sold
This should cross the 70,000 sold barrier next week. Amazing for a band that’s consistently sold, but more or less done so under the radar.
Attack Attack!, Someday Came Suddenly (Rise) 950 sold
Has there been an attack on Attack Attack! yet?
Divine Heresy, Bringer of Plagues (Century Media) 700 sold
Up to 6,300 sold.
Bury Your Dead, It’s Nothing Personal (Victory) 650 sold
The band’s fourth album has sold about 13,000 so far.
Darkest Hour, Eternal Return (Victory) 600 sold
So will they re-sign with Victory, or is this the end of a new beginning? I’m so poetic when I don’t have anything else to say.
Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening (Century Media) 500 sold
What’s all happening?
He Is Legend, It Hates You (Tragic Hero) 450 sold
Still selling some records. Good for them…
FMQB Most Added
1. Municipal Waste, Massive Aggressive (Earache)
2. Deflagration, A Call To Arms (Crackhouse Music)
3. Emmure, Felony (Victory)
4. Lita, Wicked Wonderland (JLRG Entertainment)
5. Amarna Reign, Atonement (self)
FMQB Top Ten Albums
1. Slayer, “Hate Worldwide” single (Columbia/American)
2. Killswitch Engage, Killswitch Engage (Roadrunner)
3. Shadows Fall “King of Nothing/Still I Rise” single (Everblack Industries/Ferret)
4. GWAR, Lust In Space (Metal Blade)
5. DevilDriver, Pray For Villians (Roadrunner)
6. August Burns Red, Constellations (Solid State)
7. Municipal Waste, Massive Aggressive (Earache)
8. Five Finger Death Punch, “Hard To See”/”Burn It Down” (Prospect Park)
9. Arkaea, Years in the Darkness (E1 Entertainment)
10. Behemoth, Evangelion (Metal Blade)
